Adaptive Reuse in Architecture: Redefining Paris' Petite Ceinture as a Futuristic Esports Arena
Transforming Paris’ abandoned railway into immersive esports arenas through adaptive reuse—where digital play meets urban life.
In a world where urban infrastructure constantly evolves, the concept of adaptive reuse in architecture has opened new doors to imaginative city-building. One such visionary project reimagines "The virtual ring-“la petite ceinture”in paris" as a futuristic open-air esports arena. Designed by 玉龙 周 (Yulong Zhou) and Gabriela Sofia Corvalan, this project was a shortlisted entry in The Digital Colosseum 2020, offering a radical rethinking of both urban play and public space.
A New Arena for the Digital Age
By 2050, esports is expected to be a universal activity integrated into our daily lives, much like football in a park. This proposal envisions turning existing urban spaces into open arenas where both casual gamers and professional players can participate in multiplayer games such as MOBA, FPS, racing, and fighting games.
Petite Ceinture, once a vital railway that encircles the city, now lies dormant. Yet, its continuous circular form and varied topography—cutting through bridges, tunnels, valleys, and forests—make it a uniquely flexible setting for a city-scale transformation. The project activates different terrains along the ring to create immersive digital environments across three distinct zones: Arena in Tunnel, Arena in the Valley, and Arena on the Bridge.
Arena in Tunnel: Augmented Combat in Darkness
The eastern tunnel section offers a low-visibility environment, ideal for FPS gameplay. This underground space creates a mysterious and playful contrast of light and shadow, enhancing the immersive quality of first-person shooter and MOBA games. The design introduces augmented reality (AR) and holographic projection systems, eliminating the need for screens. Spectators can casually pass by, becoming part of the audience experience without even stopping.
Arena in the Valley: Open Battleground for All
Located on the southern side, the valley section repurposes raised platforms beside the railway tracks to host competitive games. With characters from MOBA and fighting games projected as holograms, players can battle in full view of pedestrians. This section invites spontaneous participation and spectatorship, blurring the line between public park activity and digital sport.
Arena on the Bridge: Urban Projections for Competitive Racing
Positioned on the northeastern viaducts, the bridge section uses adjacent buildings as dynamic backdrops for racing and FPS games. This setup capitalizes on the urban density of the area, turning building facades into animated canvases. Game environments adapt in real time, with different architectural surfaces displaying interactive projections based on gameplay.
Rethinking Public Interaction through Architecture
This adaptive reuse strategy does more than retrofit old infrastructure—it redefines how we perceive public interaction, leisure, and entertainment. The idea positions citizens not just as spectators but also as participants in a citywide gaming network. Anyone walking alongside the track becomes a potential audience member, and public areas transform into hybrid spaces for training, competition, and casual play.
Multi-Functional Urban Integration
Beyond gaming, the arena serves as a public park and cultural venue. It merges the digital and physical realms, enabling inclusive access for all city dwellers. Whether you're watching a high-speed chase unfold on a bridge or catching a MOBA battle while walking your dog, the system makes esports visible, relatable, and part of daily urban life.
This project exemplifies the power of adaptive reuse in architecture to transform forgotten infrastructure into visionary spaces for future societies. By leveraging the latent potential of Paris' Petite Ceinture, the designers offer more than a design; they propose a paradigm shift in how we play, gather, and connect in the cities of tomorrow.
