More greenery, more freshness to adapt the neighborhood to global warming. These are the principles that guided Bas Smets, Belgian landscaper, winner of the competition launched by the City of Paris for the redevelopment of the forecourt and surroundings of Notre-Dame Cathedral. His project was presented on Monday in the presence of Mayor Anne Hidalgo at the Pavillon de l’Arsenal.
– Sarah Tuchscherer
A sheet of water will trickle down the forecourt
130 additional trees will be planted on the sides and at the back of the building, square Jean XXIII. “There it was easyexplains Bas Smets, we know that more trees and more grass give more freshness. On the forecourt, since the crypt is below, we can’t plant a tree, so we had to think“. The principle of a mechanism using rainwater has therefore been retained: in the event of a heat wave, a thin sheet of water will run down the slope of the ground towards the gate, then will be recovered by a gutter. Evaporation will allow to lower the temperature of this heat island.
A visitor reception in the former underground car park
Another strong point of the project: the old car park located under the forecourt will be transformed to accommodate visitors. Architect at the GRAU agency, Susanne Eliasson explains: “We are going to demolish an intermediate slab so as to find a large interior volume, we have four meters of ceiling height. In particular, there will be shops, reception desks, group rooms, a café, luggage storage and toilets, all the essential services that the site currently lacks.“. This interior promenade will also give access to the archaeological crypt and will be open to the Seine on the Quai Maurice Carême side.
The total cost of the project amounts to fifty million euros, which will be borne entirely by the City of Paris. Work should start in the second half of 2024 and be completed three years later. In the meantime, the details of the project are the subject of an exhibition at the Pavillon de l’Arsenal, in the 4th arrondissement.