7.3. The consequent influence of the starting situation

7.3. The consequent influence of the starting situation

The historical and political situation at the moment of the decision is such as important that we can almost already evaluate the success of the projects. Through the histories of these projects, it is easy enough to distinguish three axes that would have been determined their success capacity. Theses decisional and influencer axes are taking shapes around a social, political and local axis. The social axis corresponds to the global appreciation of the project by the citizens at its promulgation and its study. Where Copenhagen launched its project without a real citizen consultation and facing the disapprobation of the associations, Nantes’s project built itself in relation to the citizens, by doing a guide plan and conferences to discuss it. Even if they were a necessity it is possible that it has not been heard in the same logic in the quotidian of citizens conversely to the Nantes’s project. “Its closed business style formula largely alienated the project from Copenhagen's social, civic and cultural domains, who were also upset about the fact that the project was partly planned in a protected green area—a restriction that was overruled by the government.” (Majoor, 2009) “There has always been a lot of opposition against Ørestad. People don't understand what Ørestad is and why it is build. And it is far away [from the city centre] and it is out in the poorest area of Copenhagen.” ((CPD), 2013) The political axis defined the position statement of the political groups in the next years. The apparent rivalries during the layout of Ørestad project certainly had consequences on its future, fortunately, the creation of the Ørestad Development Corporation allowed the easing of tensions. From a local axis, they are completely different. By local axis or aspect, I want to point out from where they come from and what was their heritage. As we know, before Ørestad there was nothing there and they had to build everything from zero and this change completely the relation between Nantes and Ørestad. Indeed, the island of Nantes is situated near to the old town and the city centre and had its own history which has been built during years. As the supervisor of the project, was saying "It's a series of travel, visit. All the memory of the place is visible on the terrain and it is not limited to a single story but a series of stories that are all present". (Chemetoff, 1993) Ørestad project was a creation and the “île de Nantes” a transformation but both wanted to create an urban mix.