La REcyclerie is a community-oriented space located in a repurposed train station on the disused “Petite Ceinture” railway in the 18th arrondissement of Paris. It functions as a café-restaurant, repair workshop, and urban farm, promoting sustainability and circular economy principles. Visitors can learn about composting, urban gardening, and upcycling through regular workshops, making La REcyclerie a hotspot for green placemaking in a dense urban area. Project link: https://www.larecyclerie.com/

Le Hasard Ludique is a cultural venue and community hub located in a renovated station along the disused Petite Ceinture railway in the 18th arrondissement. Opened in 2017, it includes a bar-restaurant, event space for concerts and workshops, and an outdoor platform that doubles as a terrace. The surrounding section of the Petite Ceinture has been landscaped and opened to pedestrians, creating a linear green walkway. By blending creative programming with the adaptive reuse of historical infrastructure, Le Hasard Ludique is a prime example of community-led placemaking in Paris.

The San Gil Barracks were designed by Francesco Sabatini and stood in the northern part of what is now the Plaza de España. The barracks were demolished at the beginning of the 20th century. Construction of the San Gil barracks began in 1789. Originally conceived by architect Manuel Martín Rodríguez as a convent for Franciscan monks. The building was demolished for the first time and then rebuilt as a settlement for the army. The idea was to defend the northeast flank of the Royal Palace. The final building was the work of prominent Italian architect Francesco Sabatini After over a century of military use, the demolition of the barracks was decreed in 1903. This finally began in 1906 and was not completed until 1908. A recent refurbishment of the Plaza de España, which started in 2020, led to the discovery of some important archaeological remains. One example is a series of walls made up of semicircular arches that correspond to part of the San Gil Barracks, which after 118 years underground, have now been relocated to the surface.

Lined with North African small stores and graffiti-covered walls, this neighborhood defies any conventional expectations you might have about France. Its defining feature is La Friche Belle de Mai, an arts center built inside a former tobacco factory. At first glance, it looks like a colorful skatepark—but if you venture further, you’ll find a cafe and bookstore, art exhibitions, and a local market. Nearby, there’s also a one-screen theater, Cinema Le Gyptis. It may be initially hard to identify, but it’s impossible to miss, because it’s covered in black-and-white portraits. They were created by a street artist, JR, who installed a photo booth to capture images of local residents, and then pasted the photographs onto the theatre facade. This large-format street pasting is just one of many pieces that JR created for his “Inside Out” project, a TED-funded initiative that transforms messages of personal identity into works of art.

The Place des Émeutes-de-Stonewall is a public square in Paris, France. For the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, the City of Paris named a square to pay homage to the riots. The new square was inaugurated by French officials on 19 June, with Stuart Milk and several Stonewall Inn activists