Centre commercial Coupole

The former Coupole shopping center is currently undergoing work

Located in Courbevoie, the Coupole - Regnault district is a mixed-use area with housing, offices and shops. This district is characterized by the presence or proximity of numerous transport infrastructures: the L train line and SNCF station under Place Carpeaux, a circular boulevard largely built on a structure, the access and exit ramps of the A14 freeway, and part of the "Coeur Transports" interchange and its multiple accesses.

For several years, many projects have been developed in this sector. These include office projects such as the Trinity or Latitude towers, as well as new transport infrastructures (T2 tramway extension, in service since 2012, and the extension of the RER E "Eole" in 2023 with a station located under the CNIT). Public spaces have also been improved with the recent delivery of Place Louise Pikovski at the foot of the Trinity Tower, the redevelopment of the Leclerc intersection and the creation of the square at the foot of the Latitude building. The first part of Place Carpeaux will soon be transformed. Under the slab, another project is underway in the former Coupole shopping mall.

A former shopping mall under the slab

In the middle of this district, hidden under the slab and barely perceptible to the residents, is a former shopping mall, La Coupole. Closed for several years because it no longer met safety standards, it has been undergoing cleaning and asbestos removal work for several months in order to give it a new life later on.

Opened in the mid-1970s, the gallery was built over three levels of parking, at the foot of the Areva, Total and CB3 towers. Approximately 20,000 people used to visit this place until it was closed in 2010 due to safety standards. The presence of asbestos and the obsolescence of the fire detection system (FDS) led to the closure of the gallery in order to undertake the necessary work. The work could not have been carried out safely while maintaining commercial activity because asbestos removal requires the entire area to be confined by watertight tarpaulins to prevent the dispersion of fibres.

As part of its strategy to rehabilitate the sub-slab volumes, Paris La Défense is conducting studies on this space in order to imagine new projects and the installation of new occupants to animate the Coupole Regnault district.

Estimated end of preliminary works in 2022

Paris la Défense, together with the project managers Ingérop and Oméga Alliance (specialized in asbestos removal operations), has thus mandated the company Néom to proceed with the asbestos removal works of the old shopping center.

The intervention area includes two basement levels, the one where the stores were located, and the one made of reserves and technical premises. Nearly 11,255 square meters of asbestos removal work will be carried out. This preliminary work should be completed by the end of 2021 or the beginning of 2022. The aim is also to clean up the last non-active networks and to install new flockings that comply with the regulations in order to ensure the fire resistance of the structures.

However, the gallery has not been completely closed, since corridors have been created to ensure the evacuation needs of the towers, to serve the accesses to the "Coupole-Regnault" parking lots and to the sports club that is still in operation. They are perfectly watertight, so there is no risk to users.

A precise work methodology and legal obligations to respect

In accordance with the law and in order to prevent the emission of fibers into the ambient air during operations, the NEOM company in charge of the work for Paris La Défense, uses adapted and mandatory methods and equipment:

• The entire work area is controlled and openings are sealed with specific air and watertight covers. The depression and the confinement of the work area allow to avoid any dispersion of asbestos fibers, by filtering the outgoing air and by reintroducing a clean air flow. This ventilation must operate 24 hours a day for the duration of the work in order to guarantee the tightness of the site and to avoid the dispersion of the fibres.
• The asbestos products are conditioned in specific bags and directed towards specific treatment centers.
• The personnel is equipped with integral protective suits and masks of filtration cartridge.

Did you know?

In 2020, 95% of the waste from this site (excluding asbestos) was recycled, i.e. more than 100 tons recovered!

• 45 tons of scrap metal were reused for the activities of the steel industry, steel mills and foundries;
• 40 tons of inert demolition rubble were reused as backfill;
• 19 tons of miscellaneous waste (wood, plastic, plaster, glass, paper, cardboard, etc.) were sent to sorting centers to be recycled in specific channels.