
Grand Paris Express
- infrastructure
The Grand Paris Express is a largest transformative urban design project in Europe, involving 68 new stations, 200 kilometers of additional tracks, and extensions of existing metro lines. Its ambitious scope includes four new lines encircling the capital, fostering connectivity with Paris's airports, burgeoning neighborhoods, business hubs, and research clusters, serving a staggering population of over 100 municipalities, 165,000 companies, and facilitating daily transportation for two million commuters. The project's overarching goals transcend mere infrastructural expansion. It seeks to rectify the Paris monocentric model by fostering an open-minded design for urban mass transportation. A core objective is to prioritize sustainable mobility, reducing reliance on private vehicles and mitigating the carbon footprint of the megalopolis. As a large-scale enterprise, the Grand Paris Express aims to enhance mobility patterns, making Paris more sustainable by establishing rapid, nonpolluting connections between existing outskirts and emerging developments, thereby generating new centralities within the knowledge-based economy. The infrastructure layout is thoughtfully designed, featuring a distinctive external double loop that partially overlaps the city center to facilitate connections between external sectors without traversing the central area. Architectural projects affiliated with the Grand Paris Express are characterized by their autonomy, executed through collaborations among architects, designers, and artists. Individual sites address the specific conditions of each stakeholder, and every sector commits to participatory processes, ensuring community involvement in matters of social inclusion and programming aspirations. All projects adhere to an overarching brief and principles, incorporating considerations for public plazas and future programs at each location. The overall organization of urban projects follows well-defined steps to ensure goals are met on a realistic timeline. Anticipated to make significant contributions to the suburbs of Paris, known as "banlieue" zones, the Grand Paris Express aims to provide space for new housing programs and economic initiatives. Environmental consciousness is embedded in the construction process, promoting biodiversity and seamlessly integrating sites into the built landscape. Noteworthy practices include the recycling of soil extracted during tunneling and the use of low-carbon concrete to minimize building emissions. Fueled by a commitment to experimentation, the Grand Paris Express exemplifies constant negotiation among city officials, motivated designers, and mobilized citizens. The project also stands as an educational beacon for other cities, showcasing innovative pathways for implementation. In its dedication to innovation and sustainability, the Grand Paris Express establishes a new standard in the realms of urban design and the construction of a sustainable territory.
Project Leads
- Société du Grand Paris
Organizations
- Société du Grand Paris
- Consortium of Altsom and Colas Rail
- Consortium of Colas Rail and Eiffage Energie Systemes
- Alstom
- Systra
- Agence Nicolas Michelin & Associes
- Agence Richez Associes
- Valode and Pistre Architectes
- Atelier d’Architecture Kin Kon
- Ferrovial
- Vinci Constructions
- Thales
- SPIE CityNetworks
- Consortium of Webuild and Nouvelles Generations d’Entrepreneurs
- Artemis Consortium of Artelia, Arcadis and BG Ingenieurs Conseils
- Consortium of Setec and Ingerop
- Philippe Gazeau
- Ar.Thème Associes
- Atelier Barani
- Peripheriques Architectes
- Brunet Saunier Architecture
- Agence Duthilleul
- Consortium of Egis and Setec
- Egis Led Consortia
- Elizabeth & Christian de Portzamparc
- Miralles Tagliabue and Bordas + Peiro
- SNC-Lavalin
- Arcadis
- The ICARE consortium
- TREVI
- Amberg Engineering
- Implenia
- GESTE Engineering
- CRH Europe
- ENGIE Solutions
- Sweco
- Kone
- Portalp
- Atelier Novembre
- Benthem Crowel Architects
- Keolis
- RATP
- ORA consortium of RATP Dev, ComfortDelGro and Alstom
- Transdev Group and Strides International Business
- Île-de-France Mobilités
- Mapei
- BIG
- Kengo Kuma & Associates
- Silvio d'Ascia
- Dominique Perrault
Stages
- Construction
Site

Typology
Infrastructure, transportationLand use type
Mixed UseSize
200 kmCommunity Infrastructure
- physical mobility