La rue des utopies

Designed by Compagnie de rue at La Défense business district in Paris, La rue des Utopies offers a completely new experience of the city a few meters above the familiar ground plane.

Located in the middle of La Défense business district in Paris, “La rue des Utopies” offers a moment of seclusion and contemplation. Climbing along the elevated walk visitors find themselves nestled amongst the grove of existing lime trees. The concept here was simple: to offer a completely new experience of the city only a few meters above the familiar ground plane.

Users of the business district accustomed to the ubiquitous grey color scale, strict lines and hard angles are invited to err for a moment and rediscover their surroundings. The elevation enables them to leave this world behind and wander through the crown of the trees; enjoying their shady foliage and awakening their senses.

Traversing some sixty metres, the wooden promenade also invites the eye to open up to new perspectives and offers a well-deserved break from hectic schedules. The elevated view of the esplanade reveals the monumentality of the Grande Arche from another angle, whilst further along the path two shelters invite opportunities for solitary contemplation or group discussions.

The intentionally human scale of the installation allows the users to make the transition from global to local: stealing away from the hypercity to a more natural habitat.

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Compagnie des rues, La rue des utopies, Paris, 2016

Compagnie des rues, La rue des utopies, Paris, 2016

Compagnie des rues, La rue des utopies, Paris, 2016

Compagnie des rues, La rue des utopies, plan

Compagnie des rues, La rue des utopies, axonometric view

Compagnie des rues, La rue des utopies, elevation

Compagnie des rues, La rue des utopies, elevation

La rue des utopies, Paris
Program: public space
Architects: Compagnie des rues – Florian López and Constantinos Hoursoglou
Completion: 2016

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La rue des utopies

Designed by Compagnie de rue at La Défense business district in Paris, La rue des Utopies offers a completely new experience of the city a few meters above the familiar ground plane.

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A house turns its back on the road to open up to the landscape

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