Archimétro

I am Marlice Alfera, an architect-engineer with a passion for small-scale projects in dense urban areas, as well as for transit networks - from stations to trains.

During my studies at ENSA La Villette, I joined a studio led by Jim Njoo focusing on the Grand Paris Express project currently under construction in the Paris region. This experience immediately resonated with my own relationship to transit. As a banlieusarde, I have spent countless hours navigating the regional transit system. In the Paris region and its suburbs, this extensive but often criticized network is a core element of identity and has shaped my relationship to the city. I like to say I am an “RER C girl”—in other words, from the south of Paris.

A year later, I went to Japan for an exchange year and discovered Tokyo’s vast metro network, and the way it shapes the city through its functionality, architecture, and density. The book Made in Tokyo, edited by my professor and internship supervisor Yoshiharu Tsukamoto, sheds light on this layering of functions within the city. I often spent my free weekends riding the metro, exploring new areas and experiencing different lines.

Back in Paris, I decided to further develop my focus on small-scale projects. In 2021, my apartment renovation was featured in the YouTube program Never Too Small. I then founded my practice, working on renovations and small extensions while joining the Échelle Un incubator.

In 2024, the opening of new transit projects in the Paris region rekindled my interest, and I began documenting my explorations of new stations and trains on social media. As this work gained attention from both peers and professionals, Youssef Joundy, a transit consultant, and I decided to organize guided tours addressing transit networks, architecture, and urban planning.

Today, Archimétro brings together around a dozen active members and has organized more than 30 tours for a wide range of audiences, including students and professionals.