Paris La Défense honored for the renovation of its covered walkways
At the 11th edition of the Défis Urbains, held as part of the Forum des Projets Urbains, Paris La Défense received an award on Thursday, November 12, 2026, in the “Cap sobriété” category for its project to transform the tunnels in the business district. This ambitious initiative aimed to repurpose existing infrastructure for sustainable mobility.
This award highlights an urban renewal approach based on repurposing existing infrastructure and adapting it to new uses.
An ambitious transformation that paid off
The award received at the 2026 Urban Challenges in the “Sustainability” category recognizes the approach adopted by Paris La Défense as part of its efforts to ensure regulatory compliance and modernize the area’s covered roadways. This approach is based on sustainability, the enhancement of existing infrastructure, and the development of sustainable mobility.
Built starting in the 1960s, the covered roadways of La Défense span nearly 6 kilometers beneath the deck. Originally, they were dedicated to vehicular traffic and logistics activities. As part of their regulatory compliance and modernization, Paris La Défense chose to transform them and rethink their uses.
The project focuses in particular on the Bâtisseurs and Sculpteurs thoroughfares, two major arteries measuring 725 and 650 meters, respectively, that serve 25 towers. In total, 18,000 m² of traffic areas are involved in the project, which includes the integration of new pedestrian and bicycle paths while maintaining access to the buildings and logistics operations.
The quality of the spaces has also been improved, notably through increased natural light and a more efficient layout of the various traffic flows. Carried out in a particularly constrained urban environment, this project marks the integration of pedestrian and bicycle paths into infrastructure that also accommodates motor vehicle traffic.
The new traffic network is scheduled to open in early 2027.
An investment to support the green transition
Beyond the modernization of historic infrastructure, this project is fully aligned with the Paris La Défense decarbonization strategy, which aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the area by 50% by 2030. It also contributes to the goals of the 2023–2027 Bicycle Plan, which calls for the development of a continuous, safe bicycle network connected to neighboring municipalities, as well as the enhancement of pedestrian-friendly spaces.
The cost of the project to transform the Bâtisseurs, Sculpteurs, and Pyramide avenues totals 47.8 million euros. The project is receiving 7.514 million euros in grants from the Greater Paris Metropolis (4.68 million euros), the Île-de-France Prefecture (2.3 million euros), and the Île-de-France Region (534,000 euros).