Back to Villeneuve – Introduction to field work

by Mailys Toussaint & Théo Marchal

The Villeneuve of Grenoble was created as a new center of Grenoble during the 70’s by a pluridisciplinary agency of urbanism and architecture named AUA (Atelier d’urbanisme et d’architecture). This urban project, significantly conceived as a social and physical utopia, have producted an atypique and complex neighbourhood, with its qualities and issues. Today concerned by a massive rehabilitation program, this neighbourhood and its inhabitants daily life are changing.

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Translation :

The Villeneuve of Grenoble was created as a new centrality of Grenoble during the 70’s by a pluridisciplinary agency of urbanism and architecture named AUA (Atelier d’urbanisme et d’architecture). This urban project, significantly conceived as a social and physical utopia, have producted an atypique and complex neighbourhood, with its qualities and issues. Today concerned by a massive rehabilitation program, this neighbourhood and its inhabitants daily life are changing.

Translation :

  • Villeneuve is much bigger than your field of study for today.
  • 1960s: expansion of Grenoble (to fit the growing demography)
  • 1964/1968: first neighbourhood built (cf. Olympic games – Olympic village)
  • AUA: Agency of Urbanism and Architecture (Paris)
  • Centre of the massive area: Grand’Place
  • Long-term construction program
  • Field study: Arlequin + “Place des Géants” (around 20 ha)
  • Building of the Arlequin: the Gallery under the building is the main point
  • They wanted to draw everything back to the gallery, conceive like a main pedestrian street. (equipment, etc.)
  • On the sides of the Arlequin (one side – parking lots – other side – park)
  • Back in the day, there was footbridges connecting the parking lots to the building.
  • Gallery = heart (place for social life)
  • Coursive = passageway/corridor in the inside of the Arlequin
  • Ongoing urban renewal (2013) – reconnect the neighbourhood to the main area (the Arlequin is perceive like a wall against the other neighbourhoods)
  • One part of the Arlequin is demolished (50 Arlequin)
  • Redevelopment of the place in front of the building
  • Scaffold – might be the beginning of the second phase of the urban (might be from the demolition process) renewal/renovation
  • Rehabilitated places/buildings/portions
  • Second phase: 2015
  • Rehabilitation of two part of the building
  • Goal: security, improvement of social diversity
  • Most of the project was already secured when the residents/dwellers were involved via consultation. Controversy.
  • Wave of surveys.

Questions?

Question 1: Want to encourage social diversity & demolition – what was the problem?

Answer: Too long to maintain for social landlords. Inside degradations. Young people squatting the staircases, fires.

Diversity: bigger bedrooms, adaptation to the new inhabitants/places. Attractive prices.

Lots of people are leaving.

Question 2: One building demolished made people unhappy, but another made them happy, so what is it?

Answer: Different ways of thinking. Not one main opinion.

Remark 3: Political/social background for the project. The inhabitants were supposed to stay put, and the housing was supposed to be upgraded and improved.

Translation by Sophie Provost


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