Vector: A Modular Urban Design Intervention Reimagining Historic Railway Infrastructure

In the evolving discourse of modular urban design, adaptive reuse and flexible public infrastructure have become critical strategies for revitalizing historic sites. Vector, a project by Jeremy Chan and Cheuk Hei Ryan Poon, reinterprets the linear legacy of the Petite Ceinture railway in Paris through a dynamic architectural system rooted in movement, compression, and spatial transformation.

The intervention draws inspiration from the historic railway built in 1869, which once circled the heart of Paris and transformed European urban transportation. Rather than preserving the site as a static relic, the project proposes an active public framework, one that translates the velocity and territorial compression of train travel into an adaptable architectural language.

Concept: Translating Motion into Architecture

At the core of this modular urban design strategy lies the concept of the “vector.” Influenced by French urbanist Paul Virilio’s interpretation of vectors as fast-moving slices of environment, the project compresses time, landscape, and movement into spatial modules installed within a cargo-based system.

The design intervention establishes a new lateral experience for visitors. As users move along the rail corridor, they experience spatial transitions reminiscent of viewing landscapes from a moving train. This architectural narrative reconnects the Ornano station with its surrounding environment, transforming passive infrastructure into an active public realm.

The cargo dimension becomes both structure and metaphor, an inhabitable vessel that carries spatial programs instead of goods.

Construction Strategy: Cargo Base + Vector Modules

The project consists of two primary components:

1. Cargo Prototype Base

The train cargo base is constructed from recycled materials derived from abandoned railway tracks. This sustainable strategy addresses improper rail disposal while reinforcing the project’s ecological responsibility. The base operates along existing tracks and can host up to thirteen vertical “VECTOR” modules.

2. VECTOR Modules

The modular units are constructed using laminated wood frames, lightweight structural members, and semi-transparent PVC panels for roofing. A tenon-based assembly system allows easy installation and disassembly, reinforcing principles of reuse, flexibility, and circular construction.

This adaptive modular architecture allows modules to be mobilized laterally and arranged in various configurations depending on programmatic needs.

Tackling Linearity Through Spatial Programming

The linear nature of the railway site becomes an asset rather than a limitation. The vectorial quality of parallel train tracks informs the spatial logic of the design.

Modules can be:

• Launched and retrieved along the tracks
• Combined vertically and horizontally
• Rearranged into diverse spatial typologies

This flexibility enables a continuous transectional walking experience, allowing visitors to move fluidly from one spatial condition to another along the corridor.

Programmatic Flexibility: A Multi-Use Public Platform

One of the defining characteristics of this modular urban design intervention is adaptability. The VECTOR modules can transform into:

• Pop-up F&B spaces
• Temporary retail kiosks
• Seating and gathering areas
• Exhibition galleries
• Planting zones and community gardens
• Open platforms for performances or events

Through interchangeable mounting parts and modular customization, the system empowers event organizers, local communities, tourists, and residents to redefine the space according to evolving needs.

During weekends, the corridor may host vibrant markets or food installations. On quieter days, it becomes a contemplative seating promenade. For cultural events, it converts into an exhibition gallery.

This architectural adaptability ensures inclusivity and long-term relevance.

Materiality and Human Experience

The warm timber palette, curved structural frames, and translucent roofing create a rhythm along the tracks. The repetition of arched frames establishes continuity, while subtle variations in module configuration prevent monotony.

The interplay of light and shadow through semi-transparent panels enhances the experience of movement, reinforcing the project’s core theme of vectorial motion.

By integrating planting elements within modules, the project softens industrial infrastructure and reintroduces landscape into the rail corridor.

Sustainability and Circular Design Principles

The project embodies sustainable architecture through:

• Reuse of railway materials
• Lightweight modular construction
• Demountable tenon joinery
• Adaptable programming reducing permanent construction

Instead of imposing fixed architecture, Vector proposes a living system, one that evolves with community demands while minimizing material waste.

Reclaiming Railway Infrastructure Through Modular Urban Design

Vector demonstrates how modular urban design can transform dormant infrastructure into an interactive civic platform. By reinterpreting movement as architecture and cargo as spatial container, Jeremy Chan and Cheuk Hei Ryan Poon introduce a forward-thinking model for railway revitalization.

The intervention does not merely activate space, it redefines how cities can adapt linear industrial remnants into flexible, community-driven public environments.

Through adaptive modular architecture, sustainable material logic, and programmatic fluidity, Vector establishes a compelling prototype for the future of urban infrastructure reuse.