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By 2028, the plaza in front of Notre-Dame de Paris will be transformed. To bring life to the 400 meters of construction fencing, a competition was launched for students. The winning entries will accompany the progress of the redevelopment of the area surrounding the cathedral.
What if we gave students free rein to design a striking visual identity that tells the story of Notre-Dame de Paris’s past, present, and future? That was the goal of the competition organized by the City of Paris and the Council for Architecture, Urban Planning, and the Environment (CAUE), aimed at transforming the construction barriers surrounding the cathedral’s forecourt into spaces for artistic expression.
About 100 students from various disciplines (graphic design, interior design, architecture, landscape architecture, urban planning, applied arts, visual arts, cultural mediation, anthropology, tourism, etc.) competed in multidisciplinary teams.
The jury met on February 12, 2026, to select eight proposals. These works will be gradually implemented throughout the construction phases. The eight winning teams will share a total prize of €16,000, or €2,000 per team.
Discover the winning projects
Excerpt from the "Plein champs" fence.
Crédit photo :
Brieuc Bouwens, Juliette Barthe, Ariane Briot
The mural
Camille Chenal-Mitterrand, Emma Rolland, Mirana-Fanny Raharison, Mathéo Bourdais
The Mural transforms the fences into a drawn mural that connects the past and future of the plaza in a playful, accessible, and universal way. Its colors, shapes, and text make it easy to read and visually appealing from across the street. The drawings illustrate its history through key dates, much like a timeline.
On the banks of the Seine
Marylène Veyron, Léa Lorier, Anna Perdrix, Raeannes Perraudin
"Sur le devant de la Seine " is an ode to the legendary landscapes along the Parisian quays, to those summer evenings when we watch the sun glint off the river. These fences were designed as a nod to the heritage and landscape of the island’s tip.
Coded language
Lilou Gaxieu, Lou Jourdan, Juliette Mottier
"Cryptic Language " offers a multi-layered experience that blends text, pictograms, and images. It invites visitors to explore, interpret, and connect the clues. Inspired by the work of archaeologists, the project transforms the crypt into a playful, visual investigation, where memory and knowledge are built through the active exploration of a buried past.
Hit the streets when the time comes
Jeanne Veysset-Zamarreno, Ariane Toussaint
Travel through time, from the Middle Ages to the present day, as your gaze follows the palisade, punctuated by the striated pattern of the new plaza’s paving stones. The mural consists of three layers of interpretation: in the background, a projected view of the future plaza; in the middle ground, axonometric views depicting the site’s spatial evolution; and finally, illustrations of users and the various stakeholders involved in past and future construction projects…
An Open-Air Story
Élise Vogeleer, Clément Reydellet, Capucine Richard
"Récit à ciel ouvert" invites viewers to discover, as in a comic book, the story behind the redesign of the entrance area. Panel by panel, the transformation of the former Notre-Dame parking lot is revealed, becoming an underground passageway connecting the banks of the Seine to the archaeological crypt.
Out in the open
Brieuc Bouwens, Julien Barthe, Ariane Briot
Green evokes nature, growth, and the site’s future transformation, brought to life through graphically enhanced 3D visuals that provide a quick glimpse of what the site will become.
Where Do Stones Grow?
Victor Chanudet, Yanis Becquart, Marie Massé
“Where Stones Grow” traces the history of water and vegetation on the forecourt of Notre-Dame, fromthe 12th century to the current redevelopment project. This history is brought to life through graphic designs, while the viewing angle expands in step with the layout of the forecourt. The narrative is guided by colors: purple for life, ochre for light and warmth, blue for shade and coolness.
A Look Ahead
Colline Roy, Enora Pencrec’h, Louanne Baunay Rousseau, Lucie Le Boisselier
"Accueil en perspective " presents the history of this place, from the19th century to the present day. Let the gargoyle guide you as you explore these changes.
Are you interested in everything related to Parisian heritage?
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