November 6, 2025 News
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Competitions · News· July 29, 2025
Transforming Avenue du Peuple Belge in Lille, France
Our winning design aims to transform the French city centre of Lille by turning the fragmented Avenue du Peuple Belge into a new 5,5-hectare park of vibrant public spaces that bring heritage, people, and nature together. Our proposal focuses on creating a multifunctional park that preserves historical traces without sacrificing the greenery and structure of the urban landscape.
“Inspired by the history and heritage of the town, our design weaves together the past and present. The remains of the former canal, alongside key landmarks – as the former Hospice Général, the Palais de Justice, and the former Halle aux Sucres – will be respected and reflected in our design, giving the new Avenue du Peuple Belge a cultural and historical significance.”
– Pierre-Alexandre Marchevet, Associate
The current layout of the avenue features few landscape elements and the overall design remains fragmented. A significant number of parking spots and areas dedicated to vehicles will be removed to make way for green spaces, rebalancing mobility within the area. At the heart of the project, the memory of the former canal will be revived, and reconnected with the surrounding historic architecture, reinforcing the avenue’s heritage.
The Ville de Lille’s vision – shaped through extensive public consultation – is to transform the Avenue du Peuple-Belge to meet the challenges of the 21st century: advancing the ecological transition, promoting soft mobility, and creating a renewed, high-quality living environment.
2025
Our winning proposal responds to the Ville de Lille’s brief by focusing on five key themes:
- Nature: acting as a natural connector, the park will link the historic centre of Lille to its northern green belt and canal, preserving existing trees and expanding green spaces. It will also provide an important new link for urban biodiversity;
- Water: reintroducing water as a vital resource, our design pays homage to the avenue’s past as a canal and offers sustainable solutions to mitigate flooding and address climate change;
- Heritage: reflecting Lille’s rich history, the design revives the symbolic presence of the canal and highlights its role in the city’s development, renewing its connection to the historical landmarks along the avenue;
- Mobility: by rethinking traffic and reducing vehicular dominance, we are creating safe, dedicated pathways for cyclists and pedestrians, enhancing active connectivity between the outskirts and the city centre;
- Activation: beyond aesthetics, our inclusive design ensures that the park serves as a secure, multifunctional, community-centred space, with amenities for all ages, genders, and abilities.
The start of work is scheduled for the end of 2027 and over the coming year we will continue working to meet users’ needs and shape this transformative project, blending heritage with sustainable innovation to create a landmark destination for Lille, its citizens, and visitors.
