Built in the 1980s, Place Carpeaux is set to undergo a facelift. Paris La Défense will soon be renovating the square in two phases. The first phase of work was completed in 2024. Now it's time for the second phase!

Currently, Place Carpeaux is perceived solely as a transit point, home to César's “Thumb” sculpture and taxis. It is a place of passage, an entrance and exit point from the Parvis, but lacks a strong identity as a lively, pleasant place. Paris La Défense has decided to turn this square into a destination. The reconfiguration of the spaces will create a revitalized, active place and improve the coexistence of the square's various uses.

The public spaces of Place Carpeaux are the public spaces located:

• on the slab, including a section at the edge of the La Défense forecourt and a section around the CNIT and up to the entrance to the Faubourg de l'Arche district.
• at street level (mainly Route de la Demi-Lune, Rue de Valmy, and Rue Carpeaux, bordered to the north by the Coupole sector, including the Division Leclerc intersection).

Following consultations held in 2016, Place Carpeaux is undergoing an urban transformation carried out and financed by Paris La Défense in order to support the changing uses and atmospheres generated by the arrival of the Sisters towers and the new La Défense station on the RER E line.

The square will be leveled and new unified paving will be laid to make it more accessible and easier for people with reduced mobility to get around, while improving comfort for everyone. Pedestrian and vehicle traffic will also be separated to improve safety.

The project will feature plantings arranged in archipelagos scattered across the square, offering a new landscape while creating free and direct pathways. Seating areas forming small lounges will punctuate the multiple pedestrian routes. Stainless steel furniture will accompany the plant islands in a sober manner. The lighting will be completely reconfigured to redefine the space and create new atmospheres according to usage.

As the gateway to the business district, it is set to become a lively place where everyone can enjoy new islands of vegetation, welcoming urban furniture, and future relaxation areas at the foot of the towers and close to the shops.

• Reconfigure spaces to improve coexistence between different modes of transport.
• Make the square accessible to people with reduced mobility.
• Enhance the presence of vegetation.
• Improve comfort: benches, bike racks, clear pathways, and climate control.
• Enrich uses, including on weekends.
• Improve the quality of facilities: visibility, surfaces, steps, lighting

In summary, the objective is to limit the space allocated to cars and increase the presence of vegetation, replace ground surfaces, introduce a more abundant landscape composition, and review traffic flows.

The development work will be carried out in phases.

• The first phase involves work on the slab around the future exit of the EOLE La Défense Grande Arche station on the La Défense forecourt. The primary objective of the work in this area was to create a level-access route connecting Le Parvis to Place Carpeaux, in compliance with PMR regulations and integrating the existing RER A “Grande Arche de La Défense” exit and that of the EOLE project, due for completion in 2024.
• The work began at the end of 2021 and was completed in 2024.

The second phase involves work on the slab between Westfield CNIT and the Les Collines de l'Arche building, as well as the development of the surroundings of the future Sisters Towers on the slab and at the level of the demi-lune road and rue de Valmy, starting in 2026.

To design this urban renewal project, the developer organized a public consultation in 2016 with the aim of gathering assessments and usage patterns from different audiences. The opinions and comments collected helped the project designers to create future developments for the square based on the expectations of employees and residents.

Several positive elements were highlighted by users, such as easy access to transportation, the presence of visible and necessary taxis, ramps that allow for smooth passage, distant views that help people find their way around, and gentle paths made possible by the ramps and the presence of Le Pouce.

Among the more negative observations made by the public, the following points will be addressed as part of the project: lack of green spaces, too much concrete, materials that are worn and uncomfortable to walk on, insufficient lighting, slippery ground, unwelcoming passageways, lack of activity on the square, lack of conviviality, and no place to sit.

The square will thus become one of the gateways to the business district from Courbevoie. This redevelopment should create a more comfortable, functional, and lively public space.

The square is named in honor of Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux, born on May 11, 1827, in Valenciennes and died on October 12, 1875, in Courbevoie. He was a French sculptor, painter, and draftsman.