Redeveloping the Italy train maintenance workshops

Built in 1906, the Italie train maintenance workshops – or Ateliers d'Italie – successively housed the maintenance operations of metro line 6, formerly known as "line 2 south", as well as metro line 5 trains until 1988. The workshop was then upgraded in 1973 to accommodate the new metro line 6 rolling stock (the MP73 variant).

In 2018, the site underwent a major transformation to improve employees' working conditions, adapt to new rolling stock maintenance needs and comply with new regulations. The project is part of the memorandum of understanding signed with the City of Paris to create 2,000 housing units (50% of which will be social housing) in Paris by 2024. The upgrading program led by RATP Group and its real estate subsidiaries RATP Real Estate and RATP Habitat focuses on more than just an infrastructure renovation. It will optimize its industrial assets and use them to benefit the city by promoting housing creation.

En 2018, le site a entamé une transformation d’envergure, nécessaire pour améliorer les conditions de travail des agents, s’adapter aux besoins de maintenance des nouveaux matériels roulants et respecter les nouvelles réglementations.

Ce projet s’est inscrit dans le protocole d’accord signé avec la ville de Paris, pour la création de 2000 logements (dont 50 % sociaux) dans la capitale d’ici 2024. Ainsi bien plus qu’une rénovation d’infrastructures, le programme de modernisation porté par le groupe RATP et ses filiales immobilières RATP Real Estate et RATP Habitat permet d’optimiser son patrimoine industriel et de l’exploiter au bénéfice de la ville en favorisant la réalisation de logements.

Two construction sites form the two cornerstones of the program:

• The East Hall of the metro line 6 train maintenance workshop, currently being rebuilt, will be adapted to the new MP89 trains that will be introduced in 2022. Currently, approximately 50 maintenance workers maintain the 45 trains on metro line 6.  The hall will eventually house three maintenance tracks designed for fitting and dismantling components located on the sides and underneath the train carriages. The new structure will also accommodate overhead travelling cranes, which are essential for work on the areas between the vehicles. 
• The construction of 52 social housing units and RATP service facilities (including the future centralized control room for metro line 6). The building at 16-24 Rue Abel Hovelacque, initially used for industrial and service activities, is being fully transformed into a mixed-use space for housing and RATP service activities. The architectural project also aims to improve the urban landscape of Rue Abel Hovelacque. 
  In all, over 12,000 m² of space will be renovated, including 4,100 m² dedicated to housing.

• 2018 – Preparatory work for the East Hall;
• 2019 – Deconstruction and earthworks;
• 2020 – Structural work, metal structure and enclosure of the East Hall of the workshop / Structural work, enclosure and interior work of housing units;
• 2021 – Abel Hovelacque building: interior work / East Hall of the workshop: interior work;
• 2022 – Completion of the new Abel Hovelacque building / Tests, trial run and beginning of operations in the East Hall of the workshop (1rst semester).
      

The entire workshop features a green roof in the center of the site. In addition to being visually pleasing to the surrounding residents, the vegetation increases the roof's capacity to retain and absorb rainwater. Furthermore, it improves the building's thermal and acoustic performance, and provides a refreshing environment in the summer through evapotranspiration.  

Similarly, the Abel Hovelacque building also has a green roof.
 

Construction of the East Hall, which will house the maintenance site for new trains on metro line 6, is completed. Some finishing touches are still to be carried out in the coming weeks.

For the building at 18-20 Rue Abel Hovelacque,the project is completed. At the end of May 2022, the new tenants moved in.

Du côté du bâtiment du 18-20, rue Abel Hovelacque, les travaux des logements sont terminés. A la fin du mois de mai 2022, les nouveaux locataires ont emménagé.

• Designer of the urban project overall plan: Anyoji - Beltrando
• Architect of the Abel Hovelacque building: DATA Architects
• Architect of the East Hall: Rouba Semaan, architect RATP
    

You can download the Italie train maintenance workshops project brochure by clicking here.