At a time of unprecedented convergence between the objectives of densification within the built environment, of ecological transition, and risk management for flood prone areas opens an era of reconciliation between the river and the urban areas it passes through. In this context, undervalued sites to date have proved particularly suitable for urban regeneration and the creation of new sustainable neighborhoods. Beyond the issues specific to the technical and landscape measures of flood protection and to the transformation of industrial activities, multiple urban and architectural challenges question the proper project approach to adopt for the development of these new fluvial neighborhood.
Located in Avignon, the site selected for the 2021-2022 edition is occupied today by a large car park along the river. A stone’s throw from the ramparts of the “Cité des Papes”, this sector constitutes a particularly strategic space for imagining new links between the city and its river. Characterized simultaneously by strong constraints and genuine landscape qualities, the site has potential for transformation with a view to significant development of soft mobility and the public transport network, in particular through the implementation of a new tram line and a river shuttle, reinforcement of bus lines and the creation of relay car parks on the outskirts. From a forward-looking perspective, the RHODANIE URBAINE Studio aims to explore through the architectural project the multiple challenges and potential for development of such a site. A strong attention is given to the issue of urban housing, interaction with the surrounding neighborhood, and relevant reflections on public spaces with regard to the specific river characteristics of the site.
Studio’s synthetic description
Team
Professor : Prof. Emmanuel Rey
Teaching assistants : Clément Cattin, Sara Formery, Martine Laprise, Pascal Michon
Experts : Pierre Bonnet, Sandra Maccagnan
Visiting lecturers
Nicolas Bassand, architect, lecturer, HEPIA, Geneva
Sonia Curnier, scientist, LASUR, EPFL
Sophie Delhay, architect, Sophie Delhay architecte, Paris
Olaf Hunger, architect partner, MPH architectes, Lausanne
Oliver Regazzoni, architect, LR Architectes, Lausanne
Adrian Streich, architect, Adrain Streich Architekten, Zurich
Bertrand Vignal, partner, Base Landscape and Urbanism, Lyon
Students
Arudsagini Arutselvan, Loïse Boulnoix, Rebecca Broye, Béatrice Cattaneo, Raphaël Cleusix, Alexia De Montgolfier, Feruz Debrom Gebremedhin, Franck Ducotterd, Auriane Farine, Mathilde Forster, Juan Garcia-Bellido Ruiz, Nora Guigues, Yousra Hajoubi, Charline Hugues, Miyabi Ito, Hélène Le Hir, Edouard Lemoisson, Valérie Maillard, Aimeric Marin, Michael Mazotti, Bastian Métral, Linda Orakwe, Romain Pellin, Maxime Reol, Jérémy Steyaert, Valentina Takatch, Adrien Von Der Weid, Marek Waeber, Dominic Weber, Hiba Znaidi
Related publication
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Rhodanie urbaine, vers de nouveaux équilibres pour les quartiers fluviaux |