A new Les Halles rises in the center of Paris and a Hip Hop Center is planned for the new development In mid-2011, we reported on the battle over the architectural plans for Les Halles, the contentious redevelopment project at the center of Paris. David Mangin’s winning plan, which had both political and popular support, may not have been the most architecturally daring, but it was perhaps the most socially acceptable. Regarding the design, New York Times architectural critic, Nicolai Ouroussof, wrote, “Arab and African immigrants from those neighborhoods have made the underground mall one of the most profitable in the city. Keeping them trapped underground serves the interests of developers and soothes the fears of the gentrified classes that live nearby.” In our opinion, Les Halles is one of the most interesting places in the city where the convergence of the regional RER train lines in Paris leads to a unique juxtaposition of cultures—precisely the uncomfortable…