Session A7 I Awards - Urban renewal projects

The « Grand Chemin » (“Great Pathway”) is a 55 kms green loop, planned to be completed by 2030. 36 kms of this pathway cross the 9 towns of the territorial public establishment « Est Ensemble ». The loop aims to connect numerous parks and green spaces of the Romainville plateau and the Ourcq’s plain. The unique aspect of this project is its integration into the existing urban fabric of these 9 municipalities, under the project management of Est Ensemble, by transforming public spaces into a path going through an “inhabited park” reconciling active transportation, ecological continuities, and the creation of biodiversity areas that can offer coolness and recreation opportunities. Water management is a key element of this restoration project: making rainwater pathways visible, reducing soil impermeability and promoting infiltration and evapotranspiration to achieve complete infiltration of typical rainfall, while also mitigating the effects of heavier rainfall through storage and regulation systems. This restoration is made possible by a thorough consideration of shared space, particularly through the transformation of existing roads into specific shared spaces called “zones de rencontre”, of which 1.4 km have already been completed.

The project involved upgrading a 2.5km stretch of road with motorway characteristics (50,000 vehicles/day) into a pedestrian-friendly avenue with restructured interchanges (demolition of an interchange and an overpass, removal of small underpasses converted into stormwater storage structures), creation of at-grade intersections, and the development of a promenade and park in place of three gas stations. The 14 hectares of roads, connected to a combined sewer system, were completely separated by the creation of horizontal swales to collect stormwater runoff, small underpasses to store this water, and a rainwater treatment park to purify and reinfiltrate the treated water.

“Le Nouveau Mons” project is proof that landscape is a powerful tool for transforming an urban renewal area. This ANRU/NPRU site suffered from the symptoms of large housing projects built in the 1960s and 70s: so-called "green" spaces, rather than "neglected" ones, and two main roads flanked by large and entirely paved parking lots where pedestrians and wildlife were unwelcome. The project completely reversed the proportion of public spaces dedicated to cars, favoring pedestrian and cycle paths and planted areas. Walking in the city has become a genuine pleasure again. Great care was taken with rainwater management: throughout the project, water shapes the design of the public space and supports biodiversity. The plant palette has been significantly diversified: more than a hundred species of perennials, and two trees planted for every one removed. Parking spaces have been moved to the shade of the buildings and onto porous surfaces; a park of almost 1 hectare has replaced a huge 300m long asphalt parking lot – this shows how exemplary the reconquest of the landscape is here!