International Streets: Bolder Boulevards in Paris

By Urban Design Forum

Mar 29  |  Culture

Join us for a conversation with French architect Philippe Chiambaretta of PCA-STREAM on Paris’ ambitious proposal to re-enchant the Champs Élysées as a verdant pedestrian corridor.

Since her election in 2014, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo has made bold changes to the way the city is designed and planned, including dramatically expanding green space, restricting traffic to curb emissions, and more. As part of the effort, PCA-STREAM, in partnership with the neighborhood group Comité Champs Élysées, developed a plan to convert the boulevard into an “extraordinary garden.”

For our event, Philippe will share PCA-STREAM’s visions for the landmark boulevard as a sustainable and inclusive public space. Following the presentation, Fifth Avenue Association’s Celine Armstrong and KPF’s James von Klemperer will join the discussion. How can New York City learn from Paris’ approach to reinventing a historic commercial corridor?

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Philippe Chiambaretta is the founder of PCA-Stream, a research and architectural creation agency based in Paris, France characterized by the synergy between thinking and doing. Resolutely focused on innovation, the agency now has a multidisciplinary team of 75 employees capable of understanding and responding to the increasingly complex issues of the contemporary world.

James von Klemperer is President and Design Principal of international architecture firm Kohn Pedersen Fox, where he leads a staff of 750 people in 9 offices around the world. A major focus of James’ work has been to heighten the role that large buildings play in making urban space with projects like Shanghai’s Jing An Kerry Centre, Seoul’s Lotte World Tower, and New York’s One Vanderbilt. James is the Chair of the Board of Directors at the Urban Design Forum.

Celine Armstrong is the Chief Development Officer of the Fifth Avenue Association. Celine recently served as Executive Project Manager of Little Island, leading the design and construction of the $250M public park pier built in the Hudson River.