The Villejuif-Gustave Roussy Station, designed by Dominique Perrault Architecture, is part of the Grand Paris Express, one of Europe’s largest urban development projects with over 200 km of automated lines and 68 new stations. . The station represents a key moment in the creation of a new metropolitan landscape for Paris and its suburbs, blending the boundary between the underground world of transportation and the surface public spaces.
Dominique Perrault’s architectural vision seeks to “blur the lines between the city above and the infrastructure below“, transforming the station from a mere transportation hub into an integral part of the urban fabric. The station’s helicoidal architecture creates a dynamic, spiraling form that leads from the surface to the depths below, emphasizing the relationship between the city and its subterranean layers.
At the core of the station is a large concrete cylinder, which reaches a depth of 50 meters below ground, and is flooded with natural light. This openness challenges the usual closed, dim spaces of underground stations, offering a more welcoming, open-air feel. The station does not have traditional facades or walls, allowing for maximum visibility and continuity with the surrounding urban landscape. A transparent central roof, made of ETFE (a lightweight, durable material), lets in natural light, reducing the need for artificial lighting and cooling.
In direct contact with the platforms, the vast central void and the various balcony circulations are bathed in natural light and open air. This principle is what makes one of the forms of prowess of this infrastructure possible, i.e., the one of eliminating the need for smoke extractors in its central part (the well). Travellers will also be in contact with the ambient temperature, which is more temperate at this depth than on the surface, without reliance on additional heating.
Two other roofs, non -concentric disks placed at two different heights, cover the station. Like two great marquees, they radiate over the forecourt and signal the presence of the station whilst also ensuring user protection from the sun, like sunshades over the public space. They are composed of strips of stainless-steel spiralled metal mesh, stretched between the radial rafters.
The station serves as a “connector” between the Gustave Roussy Cancer Institute, the surrounding Campus Grand Parc district, and the greater Paris transport network. It acts as a gateway to new urban development, with the station’s form and its integration into the public space designed to draw people toward it. The station will also play a vital role in enhancing mobility in the southern suburbs, with Lines 14 and 15 directly linking areas previously underserved by the metro.
The station exemplifies sustainability and resilience. Its design takes advantage of the natural underground environment, using the earth’s natural temperature to maintain interior comfort without relying on additional heating or cooling systems.
The materiality of the project makes use of stainless steel in a range of textures: smooth, mesh, perforated, mirror polish, and satiny. These finishings create different ambiances, whilst also favouring the propagation of light, through the play of reflections, brilliances, and filter.
The Société des Grands Projets early on decided to dedicate one per one thousand of its budgetary resources, some 35 million euros, for the inclusion of contemporary art in the spaces and the architecture of the 68 new stations, designed as full-fledged living areas and places of discovery.
One of the standout features of the station is the art installation “Cadran solaire” by Chilean artist Ivan Navarro, which transforms the ceiling of the station’s lowest level into a cosmic experience, with neon lights and mirrors creating the illusion of an infinite sky. This adds an artistic dimension to the station, making it more than just a transit hub but also a cultural and aesthetic space accessible to everyone.
The Villejuif-Gustave Roussy Station is a symbol of urban transformation, seamlessly integrating architecture, transportation, and art while fostering a sustainable and inclusive environment for the future of Greater Paris.
