The Bordeaux-based architecture firm King Kong Atelier has joined the ranks of master builders working on the massive Grand Paris Express project, constructing one of the 68 stations that will make up this new 200-kilometer metro network in Vitry-sur-Seine. This marks a significant milestone for the architectural firm as they venture into transit infrastructure for the first time.
Over the past three decades, the four partners of King Kong Atelier have built an impressive portfolio including residential buildings, cultural facilities, hotels, and office buildings throughout France, with much of their work concentrated in Bordeaux, the city where they live and first met as architecture school students. However, despite their extensive experience, they had never before undertaken the construction of a train station, which is understandable given that such major infrastructure projects don't emerge every day.
Their current project has been years in the making, which is typical for large-scale undertakings like the Grand Paris Express (GPE). This ambitious infrastructure initiative consists of four new automatic metro lines spanning 200 kilometers around the French capital. The entire network is scheduled to begin service between 2024 and 2031, though the Bordeaux firm's station in Vitry-sur-Seine is expected to welcome its first visitors by the end of this year, a full twelve years after King Kong Atelier won the design competition.
The Grand Paris Express represents one of Europe's most significant public transportation expansion projects, with its 68 stations designed to transform mobility around Paris. King Kong Atelier secured their role in this monumental undertaking through a partnership with the engineering firm Systra, combining architectural vision with technical expertise to create a station that will serve thousands of commuters daily.
This project showcases how regional architectural talent from cities like Bordeaux can contribute to major national infrastructure initiatives, bringing fresh perspectives to urban transit design. The completion of the Vitry-sur-Seine station will mark not only a personal achievement for the King Kong Atelier team but also a significant addition to the growing Grand Paris Express network that promises to revolutionize transportation in the greater Paris metropolitan area.
