URBAN RENEWAL : HOW TO MAKE A COMPARISON BETWEEN DIFFERENT APPROACHS case studies : France, Italy and Spain COST C21 Dr. Chantal BERDIER Assistant professor INSA de LyonUMR - CNRS 5600 GCU - EDUBelfast, May 2006

THE FRENCH APPROACH In France, urban renewal policy usually applies to high-rise flats. This is not the case in other European countries.

URBAN RENEWAL IN FRANCE Hypothesis : good living conditions can be created only after demolition. Overcrowded regions must be dispersed to create good living conditions. Rarely, are historical centers affected.

THE CHARACTERISTICS OF FRENCH HIGH-RISE flats: - Theory: functionalism - Form : high-rise flats, buildings without roads - Isolation, breaking the social fabric - Functional requirements dictate habitat - Construction period : from 1950 to Role of the state - Public spaces neglected - Industrial techniques of building FRENCH URBAN RENEWAL / THE HIGH - RISE flats QUESTION

« Difficult » neighbourhood in every city  Segregation, trapped populations  Social pathologies, violences, crime…  Economic disaster  Disfunction of public facilities  4 million social housing units in high-rise flatss  5000 housing units destroy per year  New professional practices ACTUAL SITUATION

High-rise flats building

HIGH - RISE flats REHABILITATION

1990’s : - The functionalism doesn’t function - The rehabilitation hasn’t rehabilitated - Segregation persists District centre second crown

Demolition Reconstruction

URBAN RENEWAL ITALIAN AND SPANISH APPROACHES

URBAN RENAWAL OR THE HISTORICAL CENTERS QUESTION Usually the historical centers are appropriated by poor people. During a long time nobody made investment in this part of this town. The result : a lot of historical center are poor Urban renewal policy could be a response

WHAT ABOUT URBAN ONTOLOGY Towntology tool could permite to translate these different situations.

Towntology

HISTORICAL APPROACH FROM 1955 TO 1970

TOWNTOLOGY : UR

FRENCH HIGH RISE FLATS TOOLS

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