The Champs-Élysées is one of the world’s most recognisable public spaces. At present, this famous avenue is undergoing far-reaching changes. Paris is gradually restricting car traffic there, whilst increasing the amount of green space and dedicating further sections of the city to pedestrians. At the heart of these changes lies a vision developed by the PCA-STREAM studio.
The Champs-Élysées for residents
The story of this green transformation began in 2018, when the Comité Champs-Élysées commissioned the PCA-STREAM studio to prepare a future study for this part of the city. The reason was a growing set of problems. An average of around 3,000 vehicles per hour passed through the eight lanes, whilst noise, air pollution and rising temperatures were increasingly affecting the comfort of pedestrians. Furthermore, the avenue had become dominated by uncontrolled tourism and the activities of large retail chains, causing this elegant and prestigious space to gradually lose its former image and significance for local residents.
The vision of ‘re-enchanting’ the Champs-Élysées
The result of two years of analysis was the ‘Réenchanter les Champs-Élysées’ concept, or ‘Re-enchanting the Champs-Élysées’, presented in 2020. The authors proposed a comprehensive modernisation based on five areas: nature, infrastructure, mobility, urban activities and development. The most talked-about element of the proposal was reducing the number of traffic lanes by roughly half and using the reclaimed space for pavements, cycle paths and green spaces. The avenue, nearly two kilometres long, was to be gradually transformed into a vast urban park stretching from the Place de la Concorde to the Arc de Triomphe.
More trees, less tarmac
Nature was at the heart of this concept, treated as a fully-fledged element of the city’s functioning. The visualisations depicted wide, tree-lined promenades, retention gardens, lawns and recreational areas. The architects proposed creating spaces for recreation, playgrounds, sports areas and venues for cultural events. Considerable attention was paid to the historic gardens stretching between the Place de la Concorde and the Rond-Point des Champs-Élysées. According to the architects, these were to regain their significance as a vital part of the urban landscape and the daily lives of Parisians.
Place de la Concorde and the Arc de Triomphe in a new guise
Place de la Concorde was also set to undergo significant changes. For decades, this largest square in Paris had functioned primarily as a huge roundabout. The PCA-STREAM vision included new tree plantings, terraced gardens, a greater number of pedestrian crossings and a reduction in the dominance of motor traffic. The changes were also set to extend to the area around the Arc de Triomphe and the Avenue de la Grande-Armée leading towards the Bois de Boulogne. The idea was to create a vast green promenade stretching from the Louvre to the city’s western districts.
The Champs-Élysées: a vision of change
The striking visualisations from 2020 were very well received by the Paris authorities and the city’s residents, though it is already clear that they will not be implemented in their entirety. From the outset, they were treated as a strategic proposal for the direction of development, rather than a finished design. Nevertheless, many of the ideas have been reflected in the initiatives led by Mayor Anne Hidalgo and her administration. Ahead of the 2024 Olympic Games, some public spaces were renovated, sections of terraces were redeveloped, pavements were refurbished and a programme of new planting was launched. The city is currently continuing to green the area, expanding cycling infrastructure and increasing the space allocated to pedestrians. In 2025, the winning design for the redevelopment of the Place de la Concorde was also selected, which builds on many of the ideas previously proposed by PCA-STREAM. Ultimately, therefore, the Champs-Élysées will not look exactly as depicted in the visualisations, but the direction of the changes remains the same: fewer cars, more greenery and greater accessibility of public spaces for residents.
design: PCA-STREAM
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