Viparis

Paris Expo Porte de Versailles

The Paris Convention Center, Europe’s largest convention center, is a key stage in the sustainable transformation of the Parc des Expositions at Porte de Versailles. Following a competition, the Saguez & Partners project was chosen for its coherent interior and exterior layout, and its creation of an urban park combining professional activities and public spaces for local residents.

Key information

22 hectares
72,000 m² of green space
7 pavilions
7M annual visitors

Sustainable redevelopment project for Viparis and the City of Paris

Towards an ambitious environmental design

As part of a ten-year sustainable architectural transformation project, Saguez & Partners designed a master plan to redefine public spaces in a harmonious way, inspired by the “nature in the city” spirit. The plan aims to integrate indoor and outdoor pathways into an immersive experience, where nature and architecture merge to offer visitors a unique green environment.

The agency imagined the site as a stroll through a Parisian park, enriched with emblematic elements: fountains, kiosks, gazebos and vast pedestrian spaces. The redevelopment was inspired by the landscapes of four continents, with themed gardens featuring bamboo and terraces from Asia, tropical forests from the Americas, savannahs from Africa and exotic plants from Oceania.

A transition from mineral to plant

At the main entrance, a large square planted with 26 umbrella pines welcomes visitors, embodying the spirit of a green urban square. To free up and enhance public spaces, logistics were relegated to the background, allowing the development of 70,000 m² of green space, including 52,000 m² of terraces. A green promenade, crowned by a 1.7 km plant hedge, creates a natural transition with the surrounding communities. Comprising 54 species of plants, this greening promotes biodiversity while enhancing the visitor experience.

Services are concentrated in two 600 m² hubs, designed as pavilions integrated into the plant cover. Inside, a work by JJ Pigeon evoking nature enriches these spaces, creating an artistic and vegetal environment.

Made-to-measure furniture collection

In collaboration with Lucile Soufflet, Saguez & Partners designed a collection of street furniture, including a 20-meter-diameter circular bench made from 4 kilometers of corten-tinted (orange-brown) steel wire. A monumental 40-meter-diameter ring has also been installed as a visual landmark, directing visitors to the park’s eight pavilions.