L’Arena Porte de la Chapelle

The “Arena” project, located at Porte de la Chapelle in Paris’s 18th arrondissement, involved the construction of a 9,000-seat sports/events arena, with all associated facilities, as well as two gyms for used by schools, non-profit organizations, and small-scale sporting events. At the edge of Paris, the site is a bold and iconic structure at an important transport hub. It stands out in its surroundings, unique and visible in a dynamic, constrained neighborhood.

The site’s sustainable development strategy focused on the building’s energy performance, occupant comfort (visual, acoustic, hygrothermal), embodied energy, water management, and air quality, all within a complex site at the juncture of several key transport routes. A set of commitments on all these subjects, established by the City of Paris, provided a rigorous performance framework.

Through a climate and site analysis that highlighted the intrinsic potential of the project in terms of its location and urban setting, we developed a multi-criteria approach that allowed us to cross-reference natural light studies, comfort and energy performance, bio-based materials, and carbon impact. From this, a low-carbon strategy was applied to the building for its energy supply (Climespace network, waste energy recovery, photovoltaic solar energy), and construction materials (bio-based levels 2 and C1, recycled plastic seating in the main auditorium, excavated earth used to build raw earth walls). Energy levels achieved are less than 155 kWhPE/m²SDP/year all sources of consumption combined, with an RE rate of 95% and a CO2 content of less than 10 kgCO2/MWhPE. Lastly, greenery was central to the project, to tackle the heat island effect, encourage biodiversity, and help treat pollution, consisting of 1,700 m² of terraces and 6,000 m² of living roofs.