“ITALIK”, L35's proposal for the Italie site in the 13th arrondissement, is one of the winners of “Réinventer Paris”, an architectural competition organised by the city's council for the urban regeneration of 23 sites across the French capital.

Architecture studio L35 has conceived an innovative participatory urban project, with contributions from neighbours and local associations. The proposal envisages a reconfiguration of the public areas adjacent to the existing building, by integrating these spaces and improving accessibility. The highlight of the intervention is the creation of a large linear building on what is currently public space beside the Avenue d’Italie. The new construction has a wide, double-height glass façade and the roof is partially covered by volumes of various shapes and heights which create spaces for new business initiatives and a kindergarten. The rest of the roof is designed for the installation of urban allotments, with the aim of encouraging social participation in eco-friendly education projects.

“Italik is the result of thoughtful collaboration between professionals and neighbourhood associations, creating an innovative project which stands out for its design, the diversity of its uses and its development of social activities”, says Luisa Badía, director of L35.

Réinventer Paris, a project from the mayor Anne Hidalgo
The ITALIK project came from the urban regeneration initiative led by Anne Hidalgo, mayor of Paris. At the end of 2014, Hidalgo started a large transformation project for the city by launching one of the most ambitious international architecture competitions in recent times: Réinventer Paris.

The call focused on 23 sites of various types, spread right across the city. The aim is to reinvent and transform those spaces by giving them a new life. Réinventer Paris places the city at the vanguard of innovation.

The competition received more than 800 proposals from studios all over the world, and an international jury of town planning experts examined all the projects before selecting a winner for each of the 23 sites.