A theory of the project in urbanism

Abstract

Le projet est l'un des instruments privilégiés de l'urbanisme pour transformer et organiser les fonctionnalités, le fonctionnement et les usages de l'espace. C'est une activité ancienne. Elle se métamorphose dans le temps avec l'évolution des conditions et des enjeux de la fabrique urbaine. Les projets d'urbanisme se caractérisent à la fois par leur diversité et par leur singularité. Ce trait permanent questionne le rapport à la théorisation. Comment construire des cadres conceptuels et des systèmes interprétatifs en mesure de rendre compte de la cohabitation de la diversité et de la singularité dans les pratiques et processus de projet ? C'est le sens de la réflexion conceptuelle élaborée dans cet article. Adossé à une posture actioniste et à une analyse comparative de l'activité de projet dans des cas contrastés, ce cadre conceptuel est organisé autour des propriétés qui transcendent les diversités et autour des paramètres qui, au contraire, expliquent les diversités observables dans les pratiques et processus de projet.Mots-clés : cadre d'analyse, projet d'urbanisme, propriétés du projet d'urbanisme, théorie.

Assessing Transit-Oriented Development Implementation in Canadian Cities: An Urban Project Approach

“…Second, it refers to the new modalities of urbanism production. In such a specific environment, the "urban project" is defined as an urban planning framework that fosters the collective mobilization of various actors around a unifying strategy over a relatively long period of time (Arab 2018;Pinson 2004). As such, it is considered a contemporary urban action instrument focused on resolving issues specific to the territory to which it is applied.…”

“…The different components of the urban project concept take into consideration changes that made to urban planning approaches (Arab 2018;Pinson 2004) in a societal environment that has become increasingly complex to manage. According to Pinson (2004), the urban project essentially refers to a city's forms of action and production, both collective and voluntary.…”

“…The urban project is far more than a simple urban composition or design. It is, first and foremost, a set of processes negotiated with a view to debating and reformulating the issues and challenges that must be resolved as well as defining options and solutions that can be brought to the table (Arab 2018).…”

Planning context: Flexible plans and mayoral authority in French urban planning

“…This proposed shift in Bordeaux aligned with ambitions by the national government to reform urban planning legislations to transfer "from an urban planning based on rules, to an urban planning oriented around projects (urbanisme de projet)" (Minist ere de l'E ´cologie du D eveloppement Durable des Transports et du Logement, 2011). Bordeaux's revised PLU and propositions to reform urban planning legislations are episodes within a longer history of ambitions by the national government and urban experts summoned through the notion of projet in opposition to the plan, to signify a transition away from centralized, prescriptive planning towards a more strategic and prospective planning relying on collaboration between public actors, private actors and civil society (Arab, 2018;Ingallina, 2008;Pinson, 2006).…”

Towards regenerative neighbourhoods: An international survey on urban strategies promoting the production of ecosystem services

“…Urbanisation reshapes natural ecosystems, reducing their potential production of ecosystems services and nature's contributions to people (Alberti, 2005;IPBES, 2019). The urban design practice transforms the space and its dynamics, directing a site towards a preferable situation through urban interventions and strategies (Arab, 2018;Ataman & Tuncer, 2022). These interventions touch on several aspects: public space, urban morphology, architectural specifications, urban features and services, and even urban regulations.…”