As hundreds of refugees continue to arrive in Paris, France, the city faces an ongoing struggle to find safe and suitable housing for the influx of migrants. As a result, many end up sleeping in underused urban spaces or on the side of the road with almost no access to water, sanitation, and food.

In response, Paris- and Santiago-based firm 1week1project in collaboration with Sophie Picoty unveil their design for a speculative public park titled “Illuminate Paris!” beneath an elevated railway bridge to provide additional support for organizations handling the influx of refugees. This modular “field of experiences” features a series of lantern-like environments forming a canopy along the underside of the bridge that allows for much-need space for migrants who are currently forced to sleep in encampments under similar infrastructure and in parks.

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The project not only provides temporary accommodation for refugees but further functions as a playground, performance space, and public park. The modular formations—from a pop-up store and co-working space to music festival—can be easily adapted by simply pulling a string.

The project proposes a simple solution: to reclaim public spaces under the aerial subway line in a civic, collective and concrete way to gather Parisians and refugees thanks to a modular, multifunctional and reversible installation, says 1week1project.

The 4 meter-wide and 7 meter-tall cylindrical lanterns are to be composed of recycled transparent polypropylene canvas framed by a coil spring bamboo tube. By reclaiming underutilized space in the city, the studio has choreographed a series of urban interactions to allow for cultural exchanges and collective activities.

1week1project's previous speculative projects include the re-appropriation of Brazil's World Cup venues through inserting housing units into the existing structures as well as an accretive memorial to commemorate the lives lost during the course of construction for the 2022 Qatar World Cup.

News via: 1week1project.