Paris Left bank

Presentation

The operation of town planning is of type ZAC (reach development concerted). Its sphere of activity is divided into five districts:

the district Austerlitz (co-ordinating architect: Christian Devillers), of the station to the Boulevard Vincent-Auriol (elevated railway): railways, which occurred Pierre Mendès-France (which is prolonged by the avenue of France) broadside by office buildings (TRANSPAC, Deposit and consignment office). This district is mainly built. Certain old residential buildings were preserved.

the Street of Chevaleret (co-ordinating architects: Bruno Fortier and Jean-Thierry Bloch): it is widened and bordered of gardens which facilitate the transition with the elevated modern district.

the Which occurred of France (overall concept: Paul Andreu, installation: Jean-Michel Wilmotte and Celestial Patrick): this entirely new axis skirts the railways by overhanging them, from the station of Austerlitz (where it bears the name of avenue Pierre Mendès-France) to the boulevard Masséna (small belt). The southern part of this axis is not finished yet.

the district Tolbiac (co-ordinating architect: Roland Schweitzer), of the Vincent-Auriol avenue to the Street of Tolbiac: the building-headlight of this district is the National library of France, surrounded by residences, offices and equipment of leisure (cinemas, restaurants). This district is mainly finished, except as regards the cover of the railways, not yet carried out.

the district Masséna (co-ordinating architects: Christian de Portzamparc for the northern part, Yves Lion for the southern part under study), of the street of Tolbiac to the Ring road: university Paris 7-Denis Diderot.

History

With the beginning of the year 1990, this zone was occupied by industrial grounds of which some were closed down, like by some residential buildings of which the Frigos, old cold stores of the SNCF reconverted in workshops of artists. The Conseil of Paris approved in 1991 the plan of installation of zone of ZAC the Seine Left bank (fame officially Paris Left bank in 1996).

The first residences are delivered in 1996. The same year, the National library of France and the Charles-of-Gaulle bridge enter in service. The first trade open in 1997. Then it is the arrival of the Ligne 14 of subway and of the first companies (1998), the starting of work in the southern part of the district (2000), the first section of the avenue of France east (2001), the college Thomas-Mann (2002), the City of the Image and its MK2 (Jean-Michel Wilmotte and Frederic Namur, 2003). The years which follow, from many office buildings take up duty.

In July 2006, the footbridge pedestrian Simone de Beauvoir, drawn by Dietmar Feichtinger, connects the esplanade of the National library of France to the garden of Bercy, on the other side of the Seine. At the same time, a floating balneal establishment, the Joséphine-Baker swimming pool, is born on the Seine, with the foot of the National library of France.

The Station of Austerlitz, finally, being the only Parisian station able to support a big raise of traffic, will make the object of a vast building site of rehabilitation, precondition on arrival of the lines South-eastern TGV and Atlantic TGV.

Work to come

The removal of the university Paris Diderot of the Campus of Jussieu towards Paris Left bank is in hand. Cultural installations and of leisure should finally settle in the general stores of the port of Austerlitz, vast hangars and carparks located on the quays between the bridge of Bercy and the bridge Charles-of-Gaulle (which one can see, for the anecdote, in a scene of the film the Nights deer ).

The Court of Bankruptcy should also be moved Île of the City towards the ZAC Left bank. According to the projects of the State, it could occupy part of the Market Freyssinet, along the street of Chevaleret. The town of Paris privileges another site, at the edge of the Seine, between the Boulevards of the Marshals and the Ring road.

The National institute of the languages and civilizations Eastern (INALCO) and the College library of the languages and civilizations (BULAC) will be moved Rue of the Large Mills.

Inheritance

Even if the operation concerns in many places the clean slate, the district preserves marks of its industrial past. Certain buildings are preserved. Others are likely to disappear or be mainly modified in order to be integrated in the new district.

the Refrigerators: old cold stores of the CEGF ( C ompagnie of the E ntrepôts and G ares F rigorific, repurchased in 1994 by Frigoscandia) located along the street of Tolbiac. They are occupied by tens of artists since the beginning of the years 1980. The building is recognizable with the frescos which cover its frontage.

Large Mills of Paris: located along the Seine in the Masséna district, they were damaged by a fire but were restored and integrated in the Paris-Diderot University. They will accommodate a college library, a cafeteria, buildings of teaching and offices (partial opening in January 2007).

the close Halle with the flours is since February 2007 a building of teaching (amphitheaters, rooms of directed work and practical works) of this university (architect François Michelin).

the Usine SUDAC (factory of compressed air) is transformed to accommodate the School of architecture Paris-Valley of the Seine: its large brick market been next to of its chimney was rehabilitated, and a new building supplements it (architect Frederic Borel).

the Market Freyssinet: vast market with three spans, it is the warehouse of the SERNAM (National service of Transport), along the street of Chevaleret. Its future is not decided yet but part of the building is threatened.

See too

History of Parisian town planning
District of the station

External bonds

the official site of the SEMAPA contains many information on the operation of town planning.
Photographs of the Large Mills of Paris
Photographs of the multitechniques galleries of the SEMAPA
Photographs of the Market Freyssinet

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