spatial dynamics and development

7/23/2019 Spatial dynamics and development

1/10

1

Spatial dynamics and development

in France and Britain

Case study: Lyon

Introduction: the sustainable city

In times of urbanisation, the sustainability of the process has become a major concern of any

city facing the general increase of the population and therefore the unavoidable

suburbanisation. Three pillars guarantee the long term viability of this expansion: the

environmental, social and economic pillar. Low-consummation transports, green areas,

mixed income neighbourhoods, the sustainable city must fulfil all these requirement to be

considered as such.


2/10

2

Presentation of Lyon

Lyon, capital of the Rhne-Alpes region and second region of France, is also confronted to

these issues, with an increase of its population (plus 85 000 inhabitants in the past ten

years), is very representative of the problems todays cities have to deal with ; as Lyon has

recently acquired the status of metropolis Grand Lyon. Being one of Frances biggest cities,

Lyon, just like any other metropolis has an important political, economic and cultural

development. Concerning its economic aspect, Lyon is bordered by three European

countries and is directly linked to 112 other metropolises making Lyon a crossroads city

favourable to trade, and easy to access. Culturally, Lyon has been nominated as capital ofculture in 2013, and its international schools enhance the European direction of the city.

Finally, Lyons youth is a committed one: in 1996 the city council created the conseil de

jeunes allowing them to have a real part in the citys life.

1. The Stade des Lumires and Lyon Confluences projects: new insights for

Lyon

Source 1 :http://yourzone.beinsports.fr/ol-grand-stade-decines-enjeux-travaux/

Source 2 :http://www.liberation.fr/sports/2013/07/30/pierre-moscovici-se-pose-en-fervent-soutien-

du-grand-stade-de-l-olympique-lyonnais_921839
http://yourzone.beinsports.fr/ol-grand-stade-decines-enjeux-travaux/http://yourzone.beinsports.fr/ol-grand-stade-decines-enjeux-travaux/http://yourzone.beinsports.fr/ol-grand-stade-decines-enjeux-travaux/http://www.liberation.fr/sports/2013/07/30/pierre-moscovici-se-pose-en-fervent-soutien-du-grand-stade-de-l-olympique-lyonnais_921839http://www.liberation.fr/sports/2013/07/30/pierre-moscovici-se-pose-en-fervent-soutien-du-grand-stade-de-l-olympique-lyonnais_921839http://www.liberation.fr/sports/2013/07/30/pierre-moscovici-se-pose-en-fervent-soutien-du-grand-stade-de-l-olympique-lyonnais_921839http://www.liberation.fr/sports/2013/07/30/pierre-moscovici-se-pose-en-fervent-soutien-du-grand-stade-de-l-olympique-lyonnais_921839http://www.liberation.fr/sports/2013/07/30/pierre-moscovici-se-pose-en-fervent-soutien-du-grand-stade-de-l-olympique-lyonnais_921839http://www.liberation.fr/sports/2013/07/30/pierre-moscovici-se-pose-en-fervent-soutien-du-grand-stade-de-l-olympique-lyonnais_921839http://yourzone.beinsports.fr/ol-grand-stade-decines-enjeux-travaux/


3/10

3

To see how important Lyon is as city from a national and a European point of view, we will

study two wide-scale projects. The Stade des lumires will be one of Frances best and

largest football court. This project first announced in 2007, and beginning the construction in

2012 will not only be about the stadium in itself but it will also feature hotels and many

other sport related recreations. The project was conceived in order create more profit than

the previous stadium, pulling the clubs benefits from 21M to 100M per year, helping the

club financially as audio-visual fees were lowering. Another positive aspect would be the fact

that the stadium is using many new and advanced ecological infrastructures such as the

rainwater collection from the roof which would, then, be re-used for the toilet flush as well

as the watering of the pitch, or the numerous solar panels.

The ambition of the stadiums construction was to raise it to a European level, responding to

the numerous standards of modern football and the supporters satisfaction. The projects

main target was to aim Frances 2016 European cup and enhance the general tourism by

bringing fans and supporters not only from all around France but also from all aroundEurope and especially fans coming from the various countries that surround Lyon.

The project will cost approximately 640M of euros, the price split between institutional and

non-institutional players. Indeed, the fee will be paid by both parties; the club in itself

(Olympique de Lyon), and various private companies. The costs will mostly be covered by the

Conseil gnral du Rhne, but will also come from national and private funds (OL, investors,

architectural companies), showing the multiplicity of institutional and non-institutional

players.


4/10

4

Source 3 :http://modulhabitat.com/urbanisme-flips-flops-ecoquartier-france/

Source 4 :http://www.youphil.com/fr/article/06770-lyon-confluence-developpement-

durable?ypcli=ano

Source 3, 4 and 5 introduce Lyon Confluence, source 3 allowing to compare it to older

ecodistricts to see how Confluence is different and trying to avoid previous mistakes.

The other major project of Lyon is Lyon Confluence we can see in source 4 and 3, a brand

new neighbourhood on the banks of the Sane. Corner stone of Lyons ambition to make

Confluence be the very European model of a smart city, concept reuniting sustainable

development requirements as well as cooperation between actors, the new reference for

future commercial, environmental and architectural structures.

Private and public investments mingled, the costs go up to 1.2 billion of euros, and praised

by every all around the world in international media like the New York Times, Confluence

was the concentration of many expectations of the new sustainable city. The whole process

was, and is still, followed all the way by advertisings and media drawing attention to the

citys efforts to fit in the new standards, also attracting inhabitants in the district.

Re-imaging a former brownfield, the expectations for the project were multiple: as seen insource 3, 4, 5 and 6 sole use of renewable energies with wood boilers, solar panels, green

lights, common transports, 2200m2 of green spaces; 25.000 new job offers, implantation of

165 companies; an intergenerational neighbourhood with 25% of social housing, Confluence

has gained the title of first sustainable neighbourhood by the WWF (World Wildlife Fund). To

be a new symbolic centre of Lyon, the city focused on concentrating there every aspects of

citizens life such as cultural with the Muse des Confluences (source 1) for science and

societies, commercial and touristic with bars, shops or restaurants connected with

transports such as the shuttle boat the Vaporetto, even welcoming many important public

institutions like the Htel de Rgion and many others.
http://modulhabitat.com/urbanisme-flips-flops-ecoquartier-france/http://modulhabitat.com/urbanisme-flips-flops-ecoquartier-france/http://modulhabitat.com/urbanisme-flips-flops-ecoquartier-france/http://www.youphil.com/fr/article/06770-lyon-confluence-developpement-durable?ypcli=anohttp://www.youphil.com/fr/article/06770-lyon-confluence-developpement-durable?ypcli=anohttp://www.youphil.com/fr/article/06770-lyon-confluence-developpement-durable?ypcli=anohttp://www.youphil.com/fr/article/06770-lyon-confluence-developpement-durable?ypcli=anohttp://www.youphil.com/fr/article/06770-lyon-confluence-developpement-durable?ypcli=anohttp://www.youphil.com/fr/article/06770-lyon-confluence-developpement-durable?ypcli=anohttp://modulhabitat.com/urbanisme-flips-flops-ecoquartier-france/


5/10

5

Source 5 : Lyon Confluencehttp://www.economie.grandlyon.com/immobilier-entreprise-lyon-confluence.165.0.html

Source 6 :

http://www.economie.grandlyon.com/fileadmin/user_upload/fichiers/site_eco/200805_gl_i

mmobilier_durable_lyon_confluence_fr.pdf

2. Future challenges for Lyon

Source 7 :http://www.rue89lyon.fr/2014/09/22/grand-stade-ol-bon-projet-agglomeration-vos-avis/
http://www.economie.grandlyon.com/immobilier-entreprise-lyon-confluence.165.0.htmlhttp://www.economie.grandlyon.com/immobilier-entreprise-lyon-confluence.165.0.htmlhttp://www.economie.grandlyon.com/immobilier-entreprise-lyon-confluence.165.0.htmlhttp://www.economie.grandlyon.com/immobilier-entreprise-lyon-confluence.165.0.htmlhttp://www.economie.grandlyon.com/fileadmin/user_upload/fichiers/site_eco/200805_gl_immobilier_durable_lyon_confluence_fr.pdfhttp://www.economie.grandlyon.com/fileadmin/user_upload/fichiers/site_eco/200805_gl_immobilier_durable_lyon_confluence_fr.pdfhttp://www.economie.grandlyon.com/fileadmin/user_upload/fichiers/site_eco/200805_gl_immobilier_durable_lyon_confluence_fr.pdfhttp://www.rue89lyon.fr/2014/09/22/grand-stade-ol-bon-projet-agglomeration-vos-avis/http://www.rue89lyon.fr/2014/09/22/grand-stade-ol-bon-projet-agglomeration-vos-avis/http://www.rue89lyon.fr/2014/09/22/grand-stade-ol-bon-projet-agglomeration-vos-avis/http://www.rue89lyon.fr/2014/09/22/grand-stade-ol-bon-projet-agglomeration-vos-avis/http://www.economie.grandlyon.com/fileadmin/user_upload/fichiers/site_eco/200805_gl_immobilier_durable_lyon_confluence_fr.pdfhttp://www.economie.grandlyon.com/fileadmin/user_upload/fichiers/site_eco/200805_gl_immobilier_durable_lyon_confluence_fr.pdfhttp://www.economie.grandlyon.com/immobilier-entreprise-lyon-confluence.165.0.htmlhttp://www.economie.grandlyon.com/immobilier-entreprise-lyon-confluence.165.0.html


6/10

6

Source 8 :

Both of these projects, as innovative and technologically advanced in terms of structures as

they might be, many issues of theirs have been pointed out. In the case of the stadium,

many inhabitants have been raising the long term problems the project would cause to the

city of Dcines.

The two sources above are very helpful to grasp the stakes of the stadium for the one reason

that we can a different point of view on the project, showing what the contestants of the

project felt the urge to protest against it.

Among these drawbacks, there are the different kinds of pollution that would come along

with the stadium, there would be of course the normal kind of pollution brought by the large

amount of cars coming in and out from the city to visit the stadium as well as the auditorypollution greatly disturbing to the population living in this area. In the case of Phillipe Layat

in source 9, the city council and the club are accused of stealing land from individuals in the

process.

The last major issue mentioned by the trade unions was the traffic: the area occupied by the

stadium is already a red zone for traffic, the stadium only worsening the situation. The city

council and club eventually found a middle ground: as we can see in source 3 (map) the city

has made an effort by creating new tram lines, roads to connect the stadium to the rest of

Lyon.


7/10

7

We can also find the citizens frustrated against this important expense, which basically is

money cut off from public funds to be used only serving private companiesinterests ; and

they resent the political power for the lack of consultation.

Source 9: Lyon Confluence: a lack of life

Le week-end il y a du monde, mais la semaine, a fait peur

Mais ds que lon sloigne des quelques grandes enseignes qui font la fiertdUnibail Radamco, la situation est beaucoup moins vidente. Interrog sur ce point,le directeur du ple commercial Jrmy Desprests est visiblement moins laise :

Cest vrai que la situation est plus difficile pour les commerces indpendants que pour les

grandes enseignes. Pour certains, il faudra plus de temps.

De nombreux petits commerants indpendants, qui constituent la majorit du centre

commercial, sont dans une situation proccupante. Au rez-de-chausse, un vendeurde prt--porter confie :

Il fait trop froid dans le centre, on est oblig de mettre le chauffage fond. Les gens rentrent

plus dans le magasin pour se rchauffer que pour acheter. La priode des soldes a t trs

mauvaise. On a surtout des touristes qui viennent voir quoi ressemble le quartier, mas ils ne

sont pas l pour acheter.

Pour un autre commerant, spcialis dans la vente de repas emporter, les dbutsdu centre commercial sont catastrophiques.

Regardez autour de vous, il ny a personne. Pourtant, lendroit est magnifique, tout est l

sauf le client, et en attendant, il y a un loyer payer.

Le week-end il y a du monde, mais la semaine, a fait peur, ajoute le serveur

dun restaurant proximit. Derrire les sourires de faade, le centre commercial de

Confluence nest pas encore le paradis familial de la consommation et du loisir quilambitionne de devenir.

Unibail Radamco, le leader europen de limmobilier commercial annonce quilinvestira prochainement 3 millions deuros supplmentaires pour rendre les faades

des restaurants du deuxime tage du centre plus attractives. Le quartier et lecentre commercial se cherchent autant que nous , conclut une commerante.

Lyon Confluences project, also has many issues of its own: this neighbourhood built ex nihilo

does not have the dynamics expected at first, for example its main mall of Confluence and

the shops involved are in tough position, close to bankrupt. Source 10 points out an empty

area where people only come to visit and therefore do not consume.

Safety deficiencies due to the presence of prostitutes, critics of an exaggerate will of

architectural modernity actually insignificant inside the accommodations, an area closer to


8/10

8

an experimental laboratory of sustainability and a showcase than an actual place to live,

Lyons inhabitants are not far from disillusion.

Source 10: Transports in Confluence

http://www.lyoncapitale.fr/Journal/Lyon/Politique/Ville-de-lyon/La-Confluence-est-elle-completement-enclavee

"Une trs probable saturation des lignes de tramway"

Mais, pour que le report s'opre sur les "modes alternatifs la voiture", il faut uneoffre comptitive de transports en commun. C'est le cas proximit de Perrache oles habitants ont l'embarras du choix : mtro A, deux lignes de tram et bus. Mais lereste du quartier est surtout irrigu par le tramway, pens comme la colonnevertbrale de la Confluence. Ne desservent les autres rues que le bus n8 (SteFoy/Caluire) et la navette 91 qui accde jusqu' la Sucrire.

L'avenir ne laisse pas entrevoir des amliorations suffisantes. Des progrs pourraientvenir du prolongement du T2 jusqu' Montrocher (le terminus est aujourd'hui Perrache) et surtout du T1 jusqu' Debourg en 2014. Il y rejoindra un pled'changes avec le mtro B qui ira jusqu' Oullins. Mais, selon la Dreal, "cesoptimisations risquent d'tre insuffisantes long terme sans le dveloppementd'autres lignes fortes de transports en commun (bus haut niveau de service parexemple)". Les services de l'tat en concluent en "une trs probable saturation deslignes de tramway T1 et T2 long terme".

Un avenir pour le mtro ?

Voil qui conforte l'opposition municipale quand elle remet en cause le choix dutram, prfr au mtro. Un transport souterrain aurait soulag le cours Charlemagneet aurait surtout assur un dbit suprieur de voyageurs. "La premire dcision del're post-Collomb, ce sera de lancer des tudes sur le mtro", pronostique DenisBroliquier. "La priorit tait de prolonger le mtro jusqu' Oullins, o il y a plus degens desservir et avec la perspective d'aller jusqu'aux Hpitaux sud", indique GillesBuna. Selon Jean-Louis Touraine, le choix du tram ne devrait pas tre remis encause dans les quinze ans qui viennent. Soit, mais aprs ?
http://www.lyoncapitale.fr/Journal/Lyon/Politique/Ville-de-lyon/La-Confluence-est-elle-completement-enclaveehttp://www.lyoncapitale.fr/Journal/Lyon/Politique/Ville-de-lyon/La-Confluence-est-elle-completement-enclaveehttp://www.lyoncapitale.fr/Journal/Lyon/Politique/Ville-de-lyon/La-Confluence-est-elle-completement-enclaveehttp://www.lyoncapitale.fr/Journal/Lyon/Politique/Ville-de-lyon/La-Confluence-est-elle-completement-enclaveehttp://www.lyoncapitale.fr/Journal/Lyon/Politique/Ville-de-lyon/La-Confluence-est-elle-completement-enclavee


9/10

9

Source 11: Map of Lyon Confluences district

Moreover, what this study made by an independent firm and the map show, is the most

serious of all these challenges, undoubtedly, the transports. The article above mentions the

long term saturation of the insufficient tram lines, and the choice of tram over metro

whereas the goals of these transports were to offer an efficient alternative to pollutants

vehicles.

Conclusion

To conclude, even if it is true that these projects offer a new modernity to the city of Lyon,

many flaws are left to be taken care of, and question the appropriateness of the choices

made by the city, nowadays when citizens tend to grant less and less trust to public powers.

Nevertheless, both initiatives give the metropolis of Grand Lyon an exceptional attractivity

to the metropolis of Grand Lyon, not only in France, but acknowledged in all of Europe as

shown by the WWF label, or the organization of Euro 2016 in the Stade des Lumires. They


10/10

10

offer Lyon the chance to play a significant role in the top-down development as well as an

opportunity to compete with a city like Paris, consequently in favor of the decentralization

process.

Map of Lyons future projects

ARIELLE NISAND AND YASSINE HARISS

FROM NAT 1

spatial dynamics and development

Documents