to eliminate zoning in urban development plans

After the ten international teams of architects selected in the spring of 2008 for the consultation launched by the President of the Republic on the future of the Grand Paris have rendered their copy on March 12, Christian white, Secretary of State for the development of the region capital, targué of a long silence, has for the first time to unveil its program. In a meeting organized on 17 March at the palais de Chaillot which architects have exposed their projects before 1,300 people, he proposed a new scheme of transport, ambitions for the development of the economy of Ile-de-France and the establishment of an urban ecosystem. He also announced that Nicolas Sarkozy "would itself in its entirety the elements of the development of the Ile-de-France and transport project" 29 April at the opening of the exhibition on the "Grand Pari (s) of the Paris metropolitan area". Many have understood that Nicolas Sarkozy will assume the choice of Christian white and have already chosen its options with a priority given to transport. That will happen in this case to work done by the architects that are applied to proposals for mending the city, work and make it sustainable While saying "do not seek or find smallest common denominators or make additions but establish convergences to an impressionistic array", Christian Blanc was not clear on these convergences between its transport scheme and the proliferation of ideas advanced by the pluridisplinaires teams. They certainly highlighted the needs of new infrastructure but have also worked on the qualitative research of the pleasure of living together in variegated neighbourhoods. You out of an era where it built the city by monofunctional pieces: live here, work later, buy elsewhere, move. "It now design all at the same time and embed these activities", summarizes Jean-Marie Duthilleul, one of the architects involved alongside Jean Nouvel in this consultation. The challenge is therefore to establish the balance and diversity and continues Jean-Marie Duthilleul, "to enter a project policy proactively. The work of the ten teams showed that it is by mixing variables that must be able to better living together. Consulted politicians and the public realized that another way to develop the city is possible.

From dream to reality

How to move from dream to reality What ways take to realize advanced proposals Some advocate the deletion of too binding regulations that prevent, for example, to build housing in a supermarket, i.e. to eliminate zoning in urban development plans. Others want to change the rules of density freeze whole districts. All emphasize the difficulties of travel in Ile-de-France with mandatory change at Châtelet to go wherever it is. And at what price the more eccentric residents! Freedom of movement in the cities assumed to articulate all the ways to move.

The emergence of new places of identity such as the port of Gennevilliers, the valleys of the South of Paris, the edges of the Seine, Val-de-Marne, and tomorrow, the Seine-Saint-Denis, already points to the digital and artistic creation that value the Bourget and La Courneuve, proves that all of these territories can capitalize on their wealth. All these places, according to Claude Bartolone, President of the General Council member of the Seine-Saint-Denis, "have to suburban Paris", are called to become the economic poles combining environment, education, research and businesses. The Grand Paris assumes that everyone wins something. It is not the replacement of what exists, processing and place in reserve for needs that will arise tomorrow.

After this period of reflection, it take action. Without renouncing their identity, teams will have to share the most rational proposals and their know-how.

Illustration of the current bubbling on the future of Paris, Bertrand Delanoë, who has organized the debate with the neighbouring municipalities of the capital, has invited ten teams of architects on 30 March to present their projects to the association of elected Paris metropolis. Even before launch major infrastructure, it is to revisit the service offered to people, especially in housing and transport. Thus it is not only space development projects need to implement, but measures to change life. Architects have launched ideas and helped to liberate the imaginary to transform the city. Political to bodies lead this huge site.