In a city whose sewers attract tourists, it's no surprise that a mayoral candidate is proposing to turn abandoned subway stations into art galleries, nightclubs, restaurants, and pools.
Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet, a center-right candidate for mayor of Paris and former environment minister, has unveiled a series of plans to turn the legendary "ghost stations" of the Paris Metro into underground oases.
She's enlisted the help of architects Manal Rachdi of OXO Associates and Nicolas Laisné to create renderings of the stations, repurposed as sleek spaces to display art, open restaurants, or create parks.
"To swim in the metro seems like a crazy dream, but it could soon come true," OXO Architects says in a statement. "Turning a former metro station into a swimming pool or a gymnasium could be a way to compensate for the lack of sports and leisure facilities in some areas."
Similarly, the architects propose that underground clubs could bring nightlife into neighborhoods without drawing noise complaints. And underground gardens -- with skylights, of course -- could give Parisians a place to enjoy nature on a rainy day.
Most of the ghost stations have been closed since France entered World War II in 1939. And although they haven't seen passengers in 75 years, many of them have still led a somewhat active life.
The Saint-Martin station has been used as both a shelter for the homeless and to debut the 2010 Nissan Qashqai crossover. Porte des Lilas and Arsenal have been used as backdrops for films, and many others have been repurposed as training centers for staff or testbeds for new equipment.
Reopening the stations has become politically popular in the days since Kosciusko-Morizet made her plans public—perhaps more popular than the candidate herself. While she currently trails in the polls, The Week reports that the stations may be repurposed regardless of who wins the election.
Images: Manal Rachdi OXO architects / Nicolas Laisne architect
