Place Zaha Hadid

The Zaha Hadid square is delivered

Paris La Défense is continuing its modernization and delivering completely redesigned public spaces at the foot of the new towers in the business district. In parallel with the latest deliveries of towers in the district, Paris La Défense, the developer of the territory, has undertaken to rethink their surroundings and the adjacent public spaces. This approach, carried out in particular on Place Zaha Hadid, is part of the overall dynamic of modernizing the district's public spaces. Reinforced vegetation, technical upgrades, embellishment, reorganization of accesses... Paris La Défense has thus orchestrated complete urban interventions aimed at renewing the living environment of employees and residents. These developments also pursue the objective of making automobile traffic more fluid, facilitating pedestrian movement and developing soft traffic.

Paris La Défense has created the Zaha Hadid square (2,600 m²) and a 2,400 m² pleasure garden. This site creates a pedestrian link with the Place des Saisons and the circular boulevard. This square, built over a traffic lane, is a fine technical feat that offers pedestrians a new access and gives the district a less road-like dimension.

Three redesigned public spaces at the foot of Alto, in the historic district of Les Saisons

Paris La Défense wanted to revive the original promise of Les Saisons: a connected district, a stone's throw from the Seine, the service sector and transportation. Three spaces around the Alto Tower were thus entirely recomposed in order to offer its base a unique, mixed and connected interface with the city of Courbevoie and the business district.

The Zaha Hadid square, named after the famous Iraqi-British architect, has a 2,600 square meter square that is landscaped, green and open, linking the circular boulevard, the Alto Tower and the Place des Saisons.

The Place des Saisons has taken the form of a 2,400 m² garden, completely reconfigured and enhanced with new street furniture. The redeveloped version of the circular boulevard and the Louis Blanc side alley provides a calm environment that includes a landscaped ditch, a tree line and soft mobility with a widened sidewalk and a two-way bicycle path. The alleyway also allows for deliveries and facilitates VIP access to the Alto Tower.

Composed of wide, planted steps, the new forecourt follows the slope of the ground, echoing the design of the Alto Tower. The most uneven part is organized in tiers alternating layers of vegetation and seating. The new square, which also has a commercial space, Dubble, will be able to host events for the benefit of employees and residents. At night, the site is lit by ambient lighting integrated under the steps and furniture.

A technical worksite

The highly technical worksite was carried out in three major stages:

• deconstruction of the Les Saisons building (2026)
• extension of the slab (2017-2019)
• completion of the forecourt project (2019-2020).
  
  
  

Did you know?

Zaha Hadid (1950 - 2016) was a British-Iraqi architect and urban planner. An important figure in the deconstructivist movement, she was awarded the Pritzker Prize in 2004.