In Saint-Denis, a former industrial building will benefit from a zero-carbon conversion with solar panels, solar thermal cells and zinc-air batteries. This project is located in a rapidly changing urban area, close to the future Olympic Village of Paris 2024.

The incredible “Odyssée Pleyel”, ranks among the projects rewarded by the competition “Reinventing cities”, organised by C40 Cities to find new uses for abandoned spaces in several big cities. Supported by EDF, this project aims to revive an ancient monumental hall, for businesses and residents, of the Pleyel district in Saint-Denis, at the gates of the future Olympic Village of Paris 2024.

“Odyssée Pleyel” is an innovative model of urban building, able to adapt to climate change in Saint-Denis as in other major cities: a modular and reversible wood extension, with a vegetable greenhouse and solar panels, is added to the existing building. “The old industrial site becomes a self-sufficient producer of renewable energy,” says EDF. “Odyssée Pleyel was conceived to make the link between the industrial past of this territory, which hosted the first power stations of Paris, and a future more respectful of resources and the environment“.

Changing neighbourhood

The old industrial cathedral, which will reopen at the end of 2023, will become a new place of attraction and influence of 3,840 m² for the changing district of Pleyel. The building will host scientific workshops to encourage studies in the new industrial and environmental professions. Inside, a studio of innovation will provide start-ups and non-profit organisations a space to work on sustainable development projects around energy, climate change and the city. The Great Hall will be dedicated to eco-friendly sporting and cultural events. A restaurant, a place for experimentation and integration, will also welcome these different audiences.

Tags: EDF, Odyssée Pleyel, Saint-Denis, the Olympic Village, zero carbon