COMMUNITY ARENA
30 Jan 2018
Supported by NIKE, Bondy Pitch is a renovated outdoor football field in the northeastern suburbs of Paris and acts as the centrepiece of a widespread initiative that seeks to engage the local community.
Led by YARD agency, the arena was designed by architecture office Laisné Roussel together with set designer Midori Hasuike. The project has been conceived as an ‘energy container’ and is seen as an arena for young people to express themselves creatively. 
The former asphalt plot has been transformed into a permeable box, enclosed with a translucent fabric screen. Starting from the field itself, a consistent visual treatment expands to the surrounding space, creating a strong identity. The scheme’s primary colour is green, (the colour of Bondy), while the abstract camouflage pattern reflects the concepts of challenge and confrontation. 
Visible from the street, the camouflage leads to the arena, inviting passersby to join in. “The three-dimensional feature makes it recognizable from the street, generating curiosity and providing a landmark in the suburban landscape,” explains the design team. 
The project was also the setting for Play Bondy, a NIKE event that celebrated hometown hero Kylian Mbappé — the French footballer who grew up in Bondy.
