A landscape-design cure for the struggling medium-size cities of France
Philippe Allignet Landscape architecture master thesis Academie van Bouwkunst
Think LARGE
by Philippe Allignet Landscape-architecture master thesis at the Academie van Bouwkunst of Amsterdam Feb 2019 to May 2020
Table of contents E IC O H e C m les ra ru l f nd na a io nts at e N cum do
Page
Chapters
Scale & focus
= ric cts e du en ro G et p k ar m
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Introduction
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es ir es qu ic re ho c on t si n vi re A ohe c
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16
A panorama of Vierzon and its valleys A o si vi n is
Research
a c re di on
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Revealing the valley
LARGE Concept
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L - A waterscape as guideline
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Regional scale
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M - Energising the urban valley Urban scale
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S - The Yèvre park
Design scale
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Conclusion
Approach
Design details
A walk through history and spaces in a blocked landscape
A waterscape as cure for the city and the countryside
Storing The lake landscape as new living and working space
Unlocking the flood-risk policy generating 3 valley landscapes
Adapting
The porous city and its new community living
Discharging
The meander landscape, in between nature and local agriculture
Widening Sculpting the urban waterscape
Restructuring and activating the downtown’s cityscape
Connecting
Knitting a multi-user downtown valley network
Intensifying
Clustering commercial and work functions on the edges of the valley
The urban river The downtown river front at the confluence
Iconic rebirth of the canal axis
The meandering river
A natural and playful space in a living environment
The braided river
A blooming natural riverscape at the valley cluster
Sources : Le Monde, la Nouvelle RĂŠpublique, la gazette des communes, Slate Picture : An empty street in Albi, France by Dmitry Kostyukov
Medium size cities: rise and decay A path towards disappearance ? The medium-size cities (MSC) are urban entities of 20.000 to 100.000 inhabitants. At the scale of France, they are 278 and they host a fourth of the French population. Half of these cities are currently experiencing a crisis. Located in the centre and north of France, they are in social and economical distress. This phenomenon started for most of them with an economical crisis, the departure of industries, of important public functions or simply through territorial competition with other cities attracting inhabitants more efficiently. The consequences of this crisis are population decrease, vacant and decaying city centres, impoverishment, youth exodus and ageing population amongst others. These cities are in a negative spiral. The longer it lasts, the harder it gets to rebound. In the end, it is an identity crisis, this situation questions their very meaning. Now, these cities need a spatial regeneration cure in order to change their identity and they should use a landscape approach to shape it.
Devitalised centres Youth exodus
Shrinkage
Depreciation
North
Weakened city network since de-industrialisation
Far-Center
Few metropolises Low attractiveness Low population density
The medium size cities in France Source: CGET, 2018
Ageing cities Vacancy
Impoverishment
The current solutions are urban-focused, too local and incoherent Among these difficulties, the medium-size cities react and try to adapt. City-centre regeneration and beautification projects (governmental program ‘Coeur de Ville’) are trying to make people come back to these, often deserted areas. Through urban renewal programs (NPNRU program), The “grands ensembles” have been demolished, and outdated or problematic social housings and rebuild new ones. Through the creation of industrial and commercial areas, they hope to attract new residents and economical actors, creating new dynamics. These approaches are happening everywhere from Vierzon to Dieppe, Abbeville to Monluçon, they are too urban focused and generic. They hardly make a difference from a city to another as they all compete with each other with the same tools. Cities change too slowly their meaning and identity. In the meantime, many others, more active and dynamic, prosper and adapt faster. Finally, these actions are small scale and localised. They lack coherence of a vision in order to make a difference. Aiming at transforming a city’s identity should be done at a larger scale to ensure a greater coherence and meaning.
Landscape(-s) for a larger impact Landscapes are often the base and the very meaning of a city. The presence of water, suitable grounds to grow food, the availability of specific resources, specialisations of knowledges and activities. These are the base of the History of most cities. Landscapes are large scale entities which are also subjects to specific problems. Floods and droughts, ecological weaknesses and biodiversity loss, upscaled productivity and anonymous landscapes are just a few of them. Few of many transformation opportunities. And at the opposite of large urban metropolises, the medium-size city’s (MSC) landscapes is at their doorstep, 15 minutes by bike from the center. Finally, cities are also part of landscapes. Often considered as 2 antagonistic notions, we should acknowledge that landscapes and cities are deeply connected and their problems are shared as well. These specific interactions could be used, enhanced in order to reshape and improve the identities of Monluçon, Dieppe, Abbeville, Vierzon, and many others, aiming at liveable and active landscape cities. Thanks to their largescale nature and problems, a landscape design approach could be a radical transformation driver. Could landscape be the cure for the decaying mediumsize cities?
A landscape design methodology toward singular, meaningful and rooted identities The LARGE (Landscape re-generation) approach is based on a landscape and social transformation methodology. It uses the landscape design process and project as its main tool to create, improve and strengthen the damaged identities of the medium-size city and more specifically here in Vierzon, study case of this thesis. But first we have to ask ourselves what ‘spatial identity’ is and how to influence it. The work of Henri Lefebvre is relevant here as he described the ‘social space’ as a triad of 3 elements (the conceived, perceived and lived space). Reinterpreted and applied to the MSC’s spatial identity, this triad isolates 3 base components : the physical space (or landscape), the social space and the mental space (or image). These are the key points in order to transform a spatial identity. The LARGE method proposes to transform the landscape (physical space) and to embed it in the social fabric of the inhabitants (social space) : - The physical transformation consist of choosing the relevant landscape type for the future of the city, isolate the most problematic landscape issue and solve it. This large-scale design assignment will connect more local ones and influence them. It becomes a design leverage to solve local urban and rural issues. It also acts as a guideline to ensure a coherent spatial identity through scales and projects. - The second part of this method is to stimulate the social and living dynamics of this landscape. In order to root it in the life of the inhabitants, it will be activated during the process. At completion, this coherent, active and meaningful landscape possesses all the qualities to create a new ideal of the city, achieving its identity shift with a transformed mental space.
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Mental image
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M.S.C. identity Physical landscape
Social/lived space
Choosing a
Including social
critical landscape problem as design leverage to solve
L ARG
E D es i gn a
c ti o n s
activators in the process beforehand
others
The LARGE method
Changing/strengthening the identity from the physical landscape to people’s behaviours and minds
Vierzon, the ‘French Detroit’ and its valleys Site description
To illustrate the transformation power of this methodology, I chose Vierzon and its valleys as a study case. Growing nearby as a kid, I heard a lot about the ‘French Detroit’ and its decaying evolution since the de-industrialisation. The ‘French Detroit’ (mental image)
Vierzon identity Decaying city
(physical landscape)
Impoverished, ageing city (social dynamic)
This medium-size city of 26.000 inhabitants is located in the far centre of France, a region where many medium-size cities are actually struggling. From the 70’s, this industrious city shrunk for 50 years, losing a quarter of its population before stabilising, a dramatic hit for its dynamism and its identity. There are many symptoms crystallising around its critical situation. Vierzon is a shrunken city with a devitalized centre. It is also impoverishing and ageing as its dynamism and attractivity stagnates. Its image of industrious city is quickly perishing since deindustrialisation. Here the valleys are connecting much of the city’s History and problems. I am proposing to test the LARGE approach there, as a cure to help Vierzon to rebound.
Decreasing land value
Ageing population
Depreciated city High unemployment
Impoverished population Youth
Inactive downtown area
The situation of Vierzon surrounded by its 3 main landscapes : the foresty Sologne, the valleys, the agriculture Champagne Berrichonne
Commercial vacancy Sprawling city Shrunken city
Vanishing landscapes
Floods Blocked urbanism
Climatesensitive city
Residential vacancy
Droughts Ecological missing link
Applying the LARGE methodology to Vierzon
Step 1 Choosing the landscape type able to drive the future of the territory, make an inventory of its urban and landscape issus and isolate the most critical one.
Step 2 Elaborating a spatial concept capable to solve this critical issue and create a meaningful territorial evolution
d of in t m ou of et e G tat s is
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Step 3 Generating a regional landscape-design system and identity able to solve the landscape critical issue
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Using the regional-scale design to generate meaningful, landscape-driven urban transformations
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Step 5
Detailing a meaningful space cristalizing the new
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landscape and urban transformation
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es ir es qu ic re ho c on t si n vi re A he co
The valley as the cure LARGE Design assignment
This thesis aims to bring Vierzon back to life via a LARGE design
methodology,
landscape-based
transformation
process supported by a social-inclusive design practice.
A
Choosing the valley as a study case and isolating the flood-
on si vi
risk policy as the most critical landscape issue, I will shape a waterscape able to buffer floods, reorganise the relation
is
between Vierzon and its valley and reactivate the decaying
a
city centre.
c re
di The valley of Vierzon is a depreciated space where urban
on
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vacancy, downtown devitalisation, discontinuous public spaces and generic urban developments border rural inbetween landscapes, open fields and discrete rivers. In this context, I am using the flood-risk policy as design motive, currently blocking any meaningful evolution in the valley. This design assignment is divided into 3 points : - to unlock this situation by shaping a waterscape on the broad scale. Revealing the valley, this waterscape will be able to buffer floods and droughts, to transform the city and countryside in a sustainable and meaningful manner while reconnecting these two together. - to reorganise the urban valley currently damaged by vacancy, urban sprawl and devitalisation. The waterscape will initiate this transformation by giving more space to water while transforming the urban valley in a more intense and multi-user environment. - to design the canal axis at the crossing of the new waterscape
and the downtown restructured area. This
flood-sensitive park will be the icon of metamorphosis of Vierzon, supporting and strengthening the neighbouring urban functions and uses, allowing nature to bloom in the heart of the city. The conclusion of this process should show how the LARGE method applied on the valley can positively transform the identity of Vierzon and furthermore, how it can influence other cities and landscapes as an exemplary design methodology. 15
Research LARGE process
Step 1 Choosing the landscape type able to drive the future of the territory, make an inventory of its urban and landscape issus and isolate the most critical one
Step 2
A walk through history, spaces and connected problems
Step 3
Step 4
Step 5
Research
A panorama of Vierzon and its valleys
Post WW2
1750’s
Linear extension along and in the valleys
Rapid sprawl on the hills
Post 70’s
Sprawl in the landscape leftovers
Urban area in the flooding zone
Downtown vacancy problem
Abandoned industries
A panorama of Vierzon and its valleys A walk through history, spaces and connected problems
Vierzon’s valley is the lifeline of the city since the prehistoric era, building up a cultural and active landscape-based system through time. It started from a fording site to a strategic crossing point in the medieval era, to become the support of a landscapebased industrial ecosystem underlined and link via the structural and iconic ‘canal du Berry’. But since the World War 2, this landscape as seen its cultural identity vanished with a sprawling city masking landscapes, with a modernist urban approach building over and near the rivers and with a functional landscape erasing landscape patterns. The
valley
is
concentrating
weaknesses
since
deindustrialisation, becoming the urban theatre of the decaying city centre and its high vacancy problem, the suburban victim of sprawl and in-between landscapes and a climate vulnerable space to droughts and floods. Nowadays however, the most critical element of this historic landscape is the flood-risks prevention policy. Blocking any meaningful evolution in the urban valley, it is also the landscape connect to every valley problematic. Reworking this flood related issue means large-scale, impactful changes over rural and urban spaces, it is then the major opportunity to use the LARGE design method to revive the spatial identity of Vierzon and transform its highly problematic urban valley.
Vierzon grew following its valley, fed by its landscapes ... The valleys of Vierzon have been the natural lifeline of the city, from a fording site in the prehistoric era to a strategic crossing point between North and South in a bottleneck of the valley.
The forges spurred the implantation of smaller, forgedependant industries in the city, creating an industrial ecosystem among this territory. An urban expansion followed in and along the valley.
The story of Vierzon as a city starts with the arrival of the forge industry in the valley, a landscape-based activity mining the iron from the Berry region, using the clay from the Sologne and the river as resource and transportation system. The ‘canal du Berry’ took shape around 1840 for this purpose, reshaping the space and use in the valley.
This slow rural and urban valley edification process shaped a cultural and valuable landscape identity partly visible today.
sit e
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dustrial clu
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The active downtown canal
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The canal as a powerful landscape structure, orienting the city
based Industrial com
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... until it changed for a modern and functional growth after the WW2 The post second World War era is marked with growth, modernism and functionalism in Vierzon.
and tree rows while the mining industry exploited the sand and gravels, shaping lakes.
Boosted by a growing industrial activity, the city grew and opaque sprawl on the valley, hillsides and plateaus while the arrival of the highway system allowed industrial and commercial hubs to establish close to its nodes.
The valley’s city-centre of Vierzon got deeply transformed by commercial, public and event functions developments. These got built over the valley landscape, by filling the canal on one side, on the natural confluence on the other.
The landscape got transformed as well, becoming more productive, anonymous and large-scale. The reparcelling erased traditional landscape patterns such as hedges
This period strongly impacted the valley landscape and identity masking or partially destroying its spatial structure and traditional uses.
Suburban like urban developments
Openfields landscape Periurban green edge Vierzon starts behind
The Cher valley marks the limit without entering
The Cher river and its grassy bypass
The exhibition centre and its giant car park
The Yèvre river is right there in the back
The actual Cher valley as a shy landmark
The Madeleine Sologne event space connects to the urban edge but not with the river
Generic, car friendly infrastructure
The open and anonymous valley landscapes
The asphalt confluence
Per ip
he
ra l
The valley opaque sprawl fabric
Reparc ell i
ng
-V an
is ng hi
tte pa
d canal Fille
rns U rb
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an sp r
awl up on the h
il l s
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A concrete dominated modern design is taking place over the former canal
The filling process of the canal
The filled canal and its new commercial, concrete-dominant development
tr at
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In
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Since deindustrialisation, problems are piling up ... From the 70’s on and the gradual industry departure, the city lost 1/4 of its inhabitants, and problems started to appear. The deindustrialisation movement significantly impacted the downtown area with a high commercial and residential vacancy rate, adding to the poor quality of the public spaces, empty shops and houses are punctuating Vierzon’s streets nowadays. The valley space also inherited a zoning-like space from the modernist era. Monospecific and opaque urban areas,
industrial areas in the middle of the fields are masking an uncertain and weaken valley landscape, full of pockets and in-between landscapes lacking a meaning. The valley landscape has also grown weaker to climate change events such as floods and droughts especially. Finally, an abstract and invisible element is impacting the valley : the flood-risks prevention plan (P.P.R.I.), a policy tool with freezes almost any urban developments in the valley. The valley is now the critical landscape crystallising Vierzon’s urban and landscape issues.
Vacant shops landscape Summer 2019 The canal is dry and the whole water system is under stress
Pedestrians are not particularly invited
The cars are taking all the space
Pastures and abandoned lands
Local industry
Freight hub and industries
Rare crop fields Car-only roads
The decaying and vacant city center
Aff or es
The valley in-between spaces
The droughts impacting the valley
ta tio
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l a n d s c a p es
s i de Re
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an ntial
d commercial v aca n
cy
The boundary (100y flood)
Limited urban extenstions in the blue areas : the urban valley is forbidden from evolving
No buildings in the red zones, what about the existing ones?
May 2016 A 50y flood from the Yèvre enters the city
The flood vulnerability of the urban valley
Ab
The flood-risks prevention plan (P.P.R.I.) blocking any urban evolution in the valley
an do
n e d i n du s t r i es
oo Fl da nd
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ght sensitiv e v all ey 25
The flood-risks prevention plan as critical issue The flood-risk prevention plan policy (P.P.R.I.) is the most impacting landscape issue in the valley. Blocking any meaningful urban evolutions in the valley, except a urban retreat, it has currently a tremendous power over the city’s future.
This critical landscape issue could transform into a impactful transformation opportunity if given a chance. Bridging gaps between rural and urban, a flood-resilient territory would have the power to reshape the entire valley landscape under a common, coherent and largescale gesture.
Moreover, it is also a natural connector in between many local issues : the decaying city-centre, anonymous landscapes, vacancy, climate sensitivity could be impacted by a large-scale, landscape based solution.
Car dedicated networks
Anonymous landscapes
Unused canal
26
landscape mobility
Disconnected public spaces Commercial vacancy Decaying city-centre Hidden water
Suburban generic spaces Residential vacancy
In between landscapes Floods Discontinuous ecological network
27
Droughts
LARGE concept
LARGE process
e at t iv t y ac c i to y’s g e l le ra va ve e le t h e te th e a to cr ... nd a
ing e largnsform ... a m Fro ape tral valley e r s c ru ra wat the
Step 1
Step 2 Elaborating a spatial concept capable to solve this critical issue and create a meaningful territorial evolution
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a
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Revealing the valley
LARGE concept
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2.
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Step 5
Step 4
Step 3
A waterscape as cure for the city and the countryside
ive
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Connected territory Local and diverse landscapes
Climateproof territory Increased attractivity
Flood resilience
Greater valley identity Active downtown Greater public space network
Clustered activities Lower vacancy
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Revealing the Valley A waterscape as cure for the city and the countryside
The flood-risk prevention policy is the meaningful issue connecting rural and urban problems together. It is also the meaningful design leverage needed to transform both urban and rural spaces. That is the base to enter the second step of the LARGE methodology, its spatial concept . Here in Vierzon, the LARGE spatial concept over the valley is translated in design by revealing the valley, accentuating its character and its presence by designing a new floodresilient waterscape. Its main goal is to reshape the 100-year flood boudary and unlock the flood-risks policy. As a consequence, it is transforming the rural and urban valley. It acts at the regional scale as water buffer in drought periods, brings more ecology in this territory, makes landscapes more attractive and local and creates a porous, nature-inclusive city. It acts at the urban level as a transformation leverage. Physically, it increases contact between the city and the rivers by making space for water. It creates a dynamic and extended downtown area by clustering and intensifying functions. Finally it connects this area and the broader city by creating, reshaping public spaces, strengthening the valley character within the urban spaces. Embedded into a social-inclusive method, it also creates spatial awareness and brings spaces to life. Designs and processes sensitize the inhabitant to the valley system, activate the spaces rooting uses and activities and make them defenders of the projects as co-designers or observers.
31
The base-layers of the flood-resilient, natural and functional waterscape Building this meaningful flood-resilient landscape and spine of the LARGE transformation method, is based on 3 structural and functional layers. The structural layers shaping this new valley are natural and already present : the disused, hidden or isolated water features of the valleys will be activate in order to influence the path of water in flooding period. Then this water structure will serve as a new network for the
valley’s ecological habitats, creating the natural quality of the waterscape. The last layer is functional, this landscape needs a functioning and financed system enabled by tangible, global and local actor network. This one will induce the rural and urban waterscape creation and maintenance through time.
1 - Using the disused water features ... Mobilize the exisitng meander structure ...
... and the lakes created by the sand-mining industry
2 - ... and the valley ecology Extend the current ecological network ...
... and u
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t as
th e
32
wa te r
sc
ap
es
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3 - Mobilizing a global and local actor network Concentrating efforts in order to build and maintain
Maximizing efforts in the urban transformations
the waterscape nature network The new city can take profit from funds it already In order to build this ecological network, public funds
uses from the ‘Action Coeur de Ville’ or the ‘NPNRU’
and programs are already acting in supporting these
focusing on urban renewal. Support should also be
changes.
found with the mobilisation of private developers and existing stakeholders from residents to shop, industry
The LIFE and the LEADER programs, the European
and business owners.
agricultural fund for rural development and the European Regional Development Fund, are aiming at
facilitating
agriculture
and
environmental
Making it circular
transformations in rural area. The French organisation ADEME is also supporting the ecological transition.
The waterscape will deeply influence the landscape from ground works to agriculture diversity, demolition
Private funds from carbon credits, nature compensation
& rebuilding, nature growth and its maintenance,
and nature development organisations can also be
new activities, even tourism. These dynamics need
concentrated in order to create a strong ecological
to be though in a circular way to profit from every
spine over Vierzon landscape. Consequences of this
combination opportunity and spare efforts. It requires
change will impact stakeholders such as farmers and
research and partnerships.
landowners who will be part of the process. As an example, excavated grounds can be used Rural land shapers in the valley of Vierzon include
when possible to higher agriculture grounds, valued
the sand mining activity which already shaped lakes
as a resource like the sand, raise soils for the new
up- and downstream. The maintenance can finally be
developments, can be used in the construction
done via ecological pastoralism.
process from concrete to rammed earth,...
... 33
Landscape scale LARGE process
L Step 1
Step 2
Unlocking the flood risk policy generating 3 valley landscapes
Step 3 Generating a regional landscape-design system and identity able to solve the landscape critical issue
Step 4
Step 5
Landscape scale
A waterscape as guideline
2050 +
2040 +
2030 +
2020
Discharge Adapt
36 Store
A waterscape as guideline Unlocking the flood risk policy with 3 valley landscapes
The landscape valley is now often at a distance from the city and from the countryside. An opaque suburban tissue, in-between landscapes, intensive agriculture areas are currently dividing the valley into poorly linked, cardependent areas. The LARGE approach is aiming at solving the flood-risk policy with the widespread tool to knit these spaces together into a broad waterscape. Fundamentally, it is reshaping the boundary of the flood policy at the large scale through 3 flood strategies : storing upstream, adapting the city to floods and discharging downstream. The design answer activates the hidden meanders and unexploited lakes of the valley to create a broad ecological network in the valley. It is declined into the construction of 3 major landscapes : a network of lakes upstream to store water, but also buffers it in drought periods, a porous city where space is made for water and a meander landscape in the downstream agriculture flood-plain. Within the coherent frame of the waterscape used as guideline, each of these flood-sensitive landscapes are evolving in a particular direction according to problems crossed on the way. However, they will ensure a territorial continuity and help by a broad mobility network, waterscape axes, connecting city and countryside. After detailing the waterscape system, this chapter will focus on each landscapes from the upstream to the downstream.
37
NOW - A blurred, urbanised, blocked valley landscape
Intensive agriculture
The bottleneck at the confluence and the covered canal
38
Opaque urban fabric of the valley
In between landscape
39
NEXT - A renewed, resilient, enhanced valley landscape
The downstream meanders
The canalized river
The canal axis as a bypass
3 water strategies Discharging the flood water
Adapting the city to floods
The porous city
The upstream lakes
The canal as a water buffer
Adapting the city to floods
Storing
the flood water
NOW - A flood intolerant system where the valley landscape is discrete Nowadays, the urban valley is in an illusion of protection with discontinuous dikes, however, the city is vulnerable to floods exceeding a 50-year return period. In addition, the actual 100-year flood zone is blocked by a flood-risks policy (P.P.R.I.), aiming at protecting the inhabitants during these events.
5y.
Normal water flow
10y.
2y.
50y.
100y.
42
NEXT - A flood sensitive valley landscape rewriting the city’s limits With reshaped policy boundaries (100y. flood), the new floodplain is making more space for the river, more interactions in the valley through calibrated flood spaces, in the traces of the past riverbeds. Each is reacting to the nearby context, creating meanders in between fields, urban green channels and lakes.
5y.
Normal water flow
10y.
2y.
50y.
100y.
43
The mechanisms of the flood landscape
44
45
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Storing The lakes landscape as new living and working space
Extending the current sand-mining landscape is the driver of this water storage landscape. This waterscape is framed and phased, is also unlocking new social activities and urban opportunities. Re-introducing sand-mining as a viable and profitable shaping force allows for a long-term phasing in organising the lands. As a sustainable activity, the mining industry will also create the condition for nature and ecology to bloom after its departure to a new location. The final lake landscape conveys new uses and leisure activities, from beaches to water sports, bird-watching, fishing, local actors are encouraged to develop activities. Activators such as a sailing club, nature observatories will activate this landscape, fostering the population to discover their new environment. This is eased by the waterscape axes, extensive foot and bike landscape network connected to Vierzon. Along theses axes, and as an urban-inclusive nature landscape, nature-inclusive housing, industry and office developments (and re-developments) will embody the living and working character of this landscape in a highly qualitative environment.
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Physical and social transformation process Lake by lake
1 - Making lakes The return of the sand-mining industry
Industries, crop culture, pastures, abandoned lands are juxtaposed next to each other. This is the urban fringe of the urban valley.
After relocating the rail hub and some factories, the sand starts to be mined. As it is 5m deep, this process is creating lakes, base layer of the new landscape.
Actions
0 - Actual situation Fragmented/ in between landscape
Bu
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2 - Activating spaces New uses and new nature
3 - Living and working by the lakes A urban-inclusive nature growth
The first sand mines are displaced. The lake profiles are rectified in order to create the conditions for nature to bloom. In parallel, key places are activated by temporary uses : beach, sailing school, guinguette,...
With a grown wet nature and dynamic activities, the lakes are becoming part of the city landscape. Achieving the transformation process, nature-inclusive developments are emerging. This flood resilient, high quality landscape marks now the entrance of the city. Actions
ot fo p e o rk a sc et w nd n La b i k e &
o Ec
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d an s or at ti o n v i c t Ac fu n w ne
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2050 +
2040 +
2030 +
2020
Spatial and temporal transformation
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OR BEF
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New lake Linear living structure
Cher river
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Sailing facilities
10-year bypass Nature inclusive working cluster
R E T AF 5-year bypass Watchtower/ Observatory
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The living structure of the sablières landscape Section presented here are the narrowest design option, 70m wide.
The final development step, the living dimension of the lake landscape is taking place along the landscape axis. This linear urbanisation aims at connecting with the lake ecology through nature-inclusive developments while being flood-free. The design of theses edges uses the ecological habitats as frame for the built developments. It is also site specific according to the sun orientation, nature and edge types in order to achieve a coherent identity.
New situation Northern fringe A dense and foresty water bank
Waterscape axis A multimodal, underlined street
Hard-wood forest edge
Housing developments are at the hedge of the street to harvest light and fit in the dense hedge
Bike lane underlined by a double row of Oaks
Edge path
Private 54
Road
Public
Ne
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tion
Existing situation Pastures
Simple road
Abandoned fields
Southern fringe An open and soft water bank
Hard to soft-wood forest edge
Housing developments can be further from the street, closer to the water and light
Sailing and watersport facility One of the activator of the sablière landscape
Semi - private (activator) 55
Beach
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Adapting The porous city and its new community living
In order to create a flood-resilient waterscape in this densely urbanised space, the urban tissue needs to adapt to give more space to the water. Here, it creates an archipelago-like, porous city. This urban transformation is structured via a grid of green channels parallel to the existing network. They shape the structure guiding flood-waters while bringing the valley landscape and its ecology into the urban fabric. The
urban
fabric
is
deeply
impacted
by
these
transformation. From destruction to relocation, denser urban islands are emerging. Commons are shaped, figuring a new way of living with increased urban character : the channels become common gardens and common courtyards inside that ensure the basic block functions. By a simple, yet large action, over the urban fabric of the floodplain, the city enriches itself with new landscape interactions in a flood-free, upgraded urban environment.
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Physical and social transformation process Channel by channel
1 - Showing the way Highlighting the future channels
Anonymous streets, rows of houses in the flooding areas in a neighbourhood where the price per meter-square is dramatically decreasing and at the end of a street in cul-desac, the river Cher and its natural banks.
Before each blocks gets a new land contract, the channels will be marked via visual intervention. The streets and acquired houses on the way will be turn into lines of change, preparing the inhabitants to the future urban landscape.
Actions
0 - Actual situation The city and the valley
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2 - Shaping the shared blocks Tearing down and rebuilding
3 - The living archipelago The flood free valley islands
The land contract reshuffling the private block towards a co-own one. At completion, houses on the channels are to be destroyed and new ones are built inside the block. It considerably increases the density of the blocks and defines common courtyards inside each block.
The final step is to shape the channels. Public or semi-private, they serve as block gardens in regards to the common courtyards. Financed by the new housing developments, carbon credit, nature organisations and water resilience funds, they embody the new face of the archipelago. Actions
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Spatial and temporal transformation
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OR BEF
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Common channel (5y)
Common channel (2y)
Wet forest (10y)
Cher river
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Park
Association/ neighbourhood house
Common Courtyard
R E T AF
Raised house New house
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The new block common structure Project section presented here is zoomed on the 5-year flood channel
Shifting from an anonymous, floodable, sprawl-like and privately owned neighbourhood structure, the new archipelago neighbourhood reverses present living and is a step up towards a denser city. Inspired by the densification patterns already present in the city, the new housing developments are built on the edges of the blocks or connecting to the existing ones. Creating insides, this process shapes inner courtyards, they are the utilitarian spaces gathering the block functions, car-parks, frontages, small private or common gardens. Outside are the channels, terraced back-gardens of the block, semi-private space with occasional public paths.
New situation The channel Common green space of the islands
Existing house
Private
New bridge
Semi-private
Public path
Public 64
New development
Semi-private
Private
Ne
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Existing situation Private spaces
Flood-sensitive houses
The block and its courtyard The common utilitarian space of the block
Private garden
Car parking and circulation space
Private
Semi-private
Heightened house
Private 65
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Discharging The meander landscape, in between nature and local agriculture
Downstream, the challenge is to discharge the flood water. Here, the waterscape is shaped reactivating the many meanders hidden in the landscape. Now concealed in an almost open cereal crop landscape, the current meanders doesn’t have any functions in the water system. The first action is to accentuate in order to mobilize them during floods and diminish the water pressure upstream. The design of these meanders is conditioned by flood return periods fixing its height and degree of wetness and the volume of water it can convey. These set conditions for a mosaic of low natural habitats infrastructure, financed by concentrating funds from carbon credit taxes, nature compensation and development organisations, maintained by eco-pastoralism of sheep or cows. They also allows a possible diversification in agriculture practices by cutting through the actual plot system from large parcels cereal crops to smaller market gardening ones in addition to the pastures. This bucolic landscape made accessible by the waterscape axes, dedicated to local agriculture and nature will also withstand ecotourism practices in between fields, re-introduced rows of trees, hedges and nature meanders.
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Physical and social transformation process Meander by meander
1 - Alternative land uses Reparceling and consequences
The downstream valley is an open landscape where few remnants of hedges, farms and spread houses are punctuating the horizon. Past meanders are hidden and not deep enough to play a significant role in the flood management.
With the acquisition of the meanders, the reparcelling is shrinking the existing plots and intensive agriculture is not always beneficial anymore. While meanders are turned into pastures, surrounding lands used for market gardening or orchards alongside crop cultures.
Actions
0 - Actual situation The crop lands and the valley
ed vi v e Re ca p s rn n d te la p a t
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2 - The landscape structure The gradual valley shaping
3 - Meander by meander The eco/agro superstructure
In the meantime, the road system is gradually changing, including foot and bike path. Rows of trees are replanted along the structuring roads. Vierzon and its landscape are gradually connecting.
Meander by meander, the structure and its affiliated nature are gradually developed by nature compensation and carbon credit funds. They will be ecologically managed by extensive grazing. This landscape is now the spin for local agriculture, ecology, eco/agro leisure and tourism. Actions
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Bu
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Spatial and temporal transformation
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OR BEF
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Landscape axis Eco-lodges
Cher river
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New lake
Pastured meander (5y.)
Market gardening
R E T AF Pastured meander (2y.)
Revelled Yèvre stream 73
Towards an iconic agro-/eco-structure Presented here is a meander calibrated for a minimum 2-year flood
Metamorphosing
the
present
agrarian
monotonous
landscape, the meander structure as flood and nature infrastructure is creating more diversity, richness and sustainability in bringing back the valley identity into its floodplain. Allied with the waterscape axes, they form broad network connected to the city while reintroducing lost landscape patterns, hedges and tree rows. These elements are fundamental,
as it was in its past to sequence, give
orientations and hierarchy to this bucolic landscape.
New situation The Yèvre stream A preserved water feature
Existing Yèvre
Waterscape axis Extensive, local, rural network
Double row of oaks
74
Road
Bike/footpath
Ne
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Existing situation Yèvre river
Leftover hedge
Open crop culture
Dirt road
2-year flood meander Extensive nature network
Valley low nature managed as extensive pasture
Boundary Hedge
Wet habitat
Dry habitat 75
Market gardening
Urban scale LARGE process
M Step 1
Step 2
Restructuring the downtown cityscape
Step 3
Step 4 Using the regional-scale design to generate meaningful, landscape-driven urban transformations
Step 5
Urban scale
Energising the urban valley
NOW
The undergound canal
Valley bottleneck
The blocked confluence
The impermeable city
2050
NEXT
The canal as a bypass
The meander landscape
Widening the confluence
78
The porous city
Energising the urban valley Restructuring the downtown cityscape
The urban valley currently crystallizes the most dramatic urban symptoms of decay. The high residential and commercial vacancy, the devitalized city centre, the car dominated system and the spread centralities. LARGE and its flood-resilient waterscape are offering the opportunity to work on these topics by two key actions: the widening of the confluence and the reopening of the canal as a bypass. These two locations are mainly occupied by commercial, public, working and event functions. Their relocation will be orchestrated in order to cluster and intensify spaces. Furthermore, these combined dynamics can develop an urban public space network connecting these spaces together with the waterscape as design concept. After detailing the new urban valley system, this chapter will focus on the three strategies : widening the flood system, connecting the valley and the city and intensifying the city centre.
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NOW - An urban mosaic over the valley
Train/bus station
La Franรงaise (abandoned part)
dow Curren t nto wn are a
Commercial and culture complex
The exhibition centre
Vacant shops
Vacant shops
The medieval city
NEXT - An enhanced, nature inclusive urban valley
Train/bus station
The
ext e
nde
La Française complex
dd ow nto w
The valley cluster
The Yèvre park
Downstream meanders
The natural conflue
wn a
rea
The medieval city
ence
The pedestrian his toric ax is
The commercial area
Bois d’Yèvre archipelago
Th e
The Yèvre park
The canalized river
Th e ch
The natu ral co nf l
T h e n atu r a
uence
l Cher river
The Confluence transformation From the exhibition centre and its car-park to a codesign, green confluence
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annelize
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d Yèvre
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Widening Sculpting the urban waterscape The co-design of the confluence
Located in a bottleneck of the valley, the urban valley is a key space for the new waterscape. It is also an opportunity to include the water and the valley topic and identity into the city and the consciousness of the residents. Two key actions need to be implemented in order to make the city flood-free : unlocking the bottleneck of the confluence of the Cher and the Yèvre, using the canal as a bypass. Following the LARGE method and the ambition of making the valley as an icon of the identity of Vierzon, these two places aim to be iconic in their relation to the water : one natural and educational, the other urban and recreational. This
strategy
includes
participatory
moments
and
activators in order to sensitise the residents with the valley, its ecology, its spatial diversity and flood functioning. Furthermore, co-design approaches, it stimulates their attachment to the place and space. This zoom details the opening and renaturation of the confluence.
85
Physical and social transformation process Shared and educational
1 - Making space Moving the exhibition centre
Right at the confluence, in a bottleneck of the valleys is the exhibition centre, a large rectangular building surrounded by asphalt.
The first step is to make space for the water and to relocate the exhibition centre and its car park in la Franรงaise complex..
Actions
0 - Actual situation The exhibition centre and the unexploited confluence
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2 - Drawing the confluence A custom made design overseen by residents
3 - The natural confluence An iconic ecological space
The image of the confluence as a natural space of the valley starts by sensitise and educate the inhabitants of the valley on its river system and its ecology. Follows the co-design where they can draw their ambitions .
The confluence is landscaped, being watched over by the residents. This space for the water is now an ecological highlight of the urban valley, an active site ‘owned’ by the inhabitants.
Actions
Pa
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s& ion e nt y u s e r v ra r te In po m te
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Yèvre river Reshaped road network New stream valley Dry oak forest
88
Confluence terraces
Event space & Confluence house
R E T AF
Bike path
Enriched bypass profile 89
The confluence house, social activator and event space The upper, flood-free terrace is an open, dry forest of oaks and ashes
Dry meadow’s ecology are colonising the upper terraces
90
Benches in arrow (for the water resistance) and grass paths are punctuating and connecting
The wilden bypass and its richer wet ecology The terraces in gabions sculpt the conflluence space while marking the different flood heights
91
The downtown valley
Rue des po nts
The medieval city
The Yèvre park
Th
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Rue des ponts transformation From a car road to a car-free, green street
92
Connecting Knitting a multi-user downtown valley network The shared transformation of Vierzon’s historical axis
Roads and car parks are omnipresent in the actual downtown area. This pressing presence prevents the public space to be the life theatre of the population. The LARGE method enables a consequent series of mutation in the downtown area and in the urban valley, it offers the opportunity to introduce a pedestrian and bike friendly environment by removing or downgrading the car system.
The new road system
This reshape of the valley’s public space and mobility system is linking to the broader waterscape axes. Here in the city, it is designed with a combination of nature and concrete pavement (with base materials mined from the valley!) and eventual asphalt reuse. This unique image is a step towards the inclusion of the landscape into the city’s identity. This strategy is held in communication and collaboration with the inhabitants, to make them actors and defenders of the project. This zoom details the creation the pedestrianisation of the ‘rue des ponts’, historical axis of Vierzon.
93
Physical and social transformation process Gradual and participative
0 - Actual situation A car network in a vacant street
1 - Bringing change ‘the boutique is my home, the street my garden’
The ‘rue des ponts’, iconic and historical street of Vierzon, crossing the Cher and the Yèvre is decaying. Vacant shops and houses are bordered by car parks and a busy road.
First, the vacant shops are transformed into housing. Then, residents are made actors of the pedestrianisation project.
Actions
They co-design the new street structure, from plants to formal and informal spaces. This participation makes them the first defenders of the pedestrianisation process.
Toolbox
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2 - The valley at your doorstep Reclaiming the sidewalks
3 - No cars anymore Reclaiming the street
The street is first downgraded and becomes a common street for pedestrians, bikes and cars.
After a certain time period, the road is made carfree and the bike and pedestrian lane is built.
Following the collaboration with the residents, the first realisation phase starts with plantations and urban furnitures on the sidewalks. Actions
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Toolbox
an tri es
OR BEF
E Valley paving and layout
Central foot/bike path
Repurposing empty shops into housing
96
Existing school
School yard School forecourt
Planted frontages
R E T AF Kept existing shops
97
The reactivated commercial facades repurpused into housings
98
The central path become the bike and pedestrian street, made of brushed concrete (from the valley material) and re-used asphalt
The former sidewalk become a large frontage for the resident’s use Bush-hammered concrete frontages with Infiltration and nature patches in the pavement allying colonial and valley vegetation to grow
99
La Française complex
The valley’s economic cluster
The shopping district
The downtown transformation From decaying mineral fabric to valley-based shopping district
Google street view (due to Covid-19) - position of the view indicated
100
Intensifying Clustering commercial and work functions on the edges of the valley A gradual transformation of the shopping district
Actually dealing with high commercial vacancy, Vierzon needs to cluster them in order to have a more central and intense centre. Making room for water, via the LARGE method, is creating this opportunity : the exhibition centre at the confluence and the canal axis commercial and cultural functions are relocated in the shopping district and the Française complex. The working functions are relocated in the vicinity and the ‘valley economic cluster’ takes place next to the Yèvre park. It will host companies, craftsmanships, educational and tourism activities. This strategy includes social activators during the process. It makes the inhabitants witnesses of the transformations and it introduces uses and habits that will benefit the next social and economical life. This zoom details the creation of the shopping district.
101
Physical and social transformation process Gradual and activated
1 - Changing functions From the unnecessary to the ephemeral
The actual situation is a car dominated space with few spatial qualities.
The first action is to remove the roads and car parks. Activators will be set here among the colonising nature.
Actions
0 - Actual situation A car park in the middle of the city
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2 - Piece by piece From the ephemeral to the permanent
3 - The commercial downtown An intense downtown space
New developments are coming piece by piece. It is accompanied by the valley’s urban pavement, connecting the coming commercial functions.
The activators are gone or relocated in the district as permanent. The commercial functions are set and the valley landscaped layout insures the dynamism of this clustered area.
Actions
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Toolbox
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OR BEF
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Underground parking
Double side shops, horeca and living block
River boulevard (valley paving) Canal axis
104
Intermunicipality town-hall
New housing block Kept tree row
d
New commercial , horeca and living block
R E T AF New alleyway
One-way street and requalified pedestrian space (hillside paving) 105
The smooth and curved line of the porous city, a spatial rhythm and a guide for the rain water to infiltrate The river boulevard and the Yèvre park as a backbone and connector of the downtown clusters
The pavement is made of bushhammered concrete punctuated by re-used asphalt patches
106
Intensified social and commercial space
New commercial & living development in rammed earth (re-used from the valley) Infiltration and nature patches in the pavement allying colonial and foothill vegetation to grow
107
Design scale LARGE process
S Step 1
Step 2
Iconic rebirth of the canal axis
Step 3
Step 4
Design scale
The Yèvre park
Step 5 Detailing a meaningful space cristalizing the new landscape and urban transformation
The existing canal axis area is fragmented and decaying
110
111
Before 1839 - The wild Yèvre
1839 - the canal is create
1969 - The canal is filled
Braided river
Meandering river
NEXT - The river spreads again
112
Urban river
The Yèvre park
Iconic rebirth of the canal axis The Yèvre park is the final bypass project of the waterscape, it connects the Yèvre to the existing canal, making it part of the river system. It is also the vitrine and support of the transformed downtown valley : the Yèvre park. This iconic project is reactivating an old river meander of the Yèvre where the canal took place before being filled. The park is structured first by the former canal axis where its past structure is highlighted, connecting the whole park until the confluence via 2 straight paths connecting it to the broader waterscape axes network. The second structure is the river design, reacting to the urban environment, it shapes three distinct sequences. The first one is the urban river, which reunites two distinguished city parts together. As this narrow river sequence is connecting to the new shopping district, it becomes the support and accompanies the most intense urban activities via a mineral boulevard, the river stands and the podium. The south part of the city is becoming a floodable living neighbourhood, supporting these uses in a more subtle way and marking the downtown limit. The second sequence in between two living neighbourhoods is the meandering river. The curve of the river gives space for more natural banks and less intensive recreational uses on a central lawn and on the bare ground areas of the boulevard. The final sequence is the braided river. Connecting to the flourishing economic cluster dedicated to the valley activities, the river’s nature blooms as well thanks to the increased interaction between lands and water. Ending at the valley centre, the river is then flowing through a weir into the canalized river. This part will detail the building of the part before detailing these three sequences. 113
A new river as vitrine of the downtown Vierzon
115
An organic, dynamic and flexible flood-scape
The flood-scape of the new canal axis is flexible to flood occurrences. The path networks is also reacting to these changes for a playful and safe experience.
Normal water flow
10y.
Existing 100y flood
The future downtown 100y. floodscape and its accesible flood-free networks 116
2y.
5y.
50y.
100y.
117
A unique landscape design vocabulary bringing the park and the urban valley together
h
s ed ar
et s tre
(car + bike + p
The valley identity is spread through the city with a special paving, smooth and curvy lines inspired from the land shaping work of the water over territories. This paving is a combination of valley concrete (material from the valley, two different finish), re-used asphalt and nature pockets. It introduces a new road and public space hierarchy, reinterpreting the codes of urban mobilities with a new image of streets, pedestrian crossings, bike path. It also guides the water in the nature pockets in rain periods, infiltrating it locally.
Natural paths
In the park, the paths are respecting the natural and water processes while bringing people close to the water and nature. This is design with 3 types of paths: the natural dirt paths, the stepping stones bringing the visitor close to the water surface while letting the river flow, and finally the elevated metal bar grating paths, permeable to light, water and nature. These two dimensions makes this valley design nature-inclusive, circular and design-unique. 118
ed
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The landscape’s mobility design is a balance system in between the natural valley and urban one.
B ik
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d foot netwo
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Pe
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Pe d
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estrian areas
Urban valley
er ste R iv
pping ston
Elevatedv
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Natural valley
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A 4-step transformation Phasing over 6 to 10 years
Step 1 - Building the car-parks to relocate activities Quick win - now
Destruction / relocation of the canal functions Clustering work, car-parks and culture functions in “la Française” complex
Destruction of the downtown vacant buildings Dense downtown relocation of residents over the new parking
Step 2 - Polarizing the commercial and culture centralities + 2 years
Finilizing “la Française” centrality with the supermarket
Clustering of the commercial functions
The watchtower as first activator
The watchtower as second activator
120
Step 3 - Completion of the eastern part + 4 years
Completion of the eastern river landscape
Building of the western residential edge
Building of the floodable egde of the valley’s neighbourhood
Industrial and residential destruction / relocation
Step 4 - Completion of the western part + 6 to 10 years
Transforming the factory into the valley’s industrial, educational and tourist facility
Completion of the braided river and its canal articulation Building of the economic valley cluster
121
The urban river transformation From the commercial center over the canal to the intense downtown’s river valley
Google street view (due to Covid-19) - position of the view indicated
122
The urban river The downtown river front at the confluence
First sequence of the Yèvre park, the ‘urban river’, is a narrow river space in between 2 parts of the city. On one side the valley’s neighbourhood, a partly floodable, nature-inclusive residential development, and on the other side the urban valley’s downtown. It is a key space where the natural valley enters the city centre, stratifies and furrows the shopping district, goes through streets and plazas to spread and connect with the upper city. The river is a highlight of urban leisure functions, you can go there for a quick swim at the beach, a drink on the river boulevard, playing chess with friends under the pergola, watching an open-air concert or a movie on the stands, fishing by the reeds...
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125
An intense riverfront connecting 2 city parts together
t ron
strip as the downto
wn
vi t
ri n
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he
r
i ve
a rsp
ce a
e and recr s natur e at
ion
ca
ta ly s
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T
T
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rf i ve
The new shopping district
Block yard
Canal pathway
Pedestrian street New commercial and living developments
Riverfront strip pergola + gardens
Living
Shop/ HoReCa
Living
Living
Shop/HoReCa
Shop/HoReCa
Hillside city
River boulevard 126
p ri v
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The Yèvre park
The valley neighbourhood
Elevated canal pathway Soft wet edge with pontoon
Block floodable public inner space New living edge
One way street
Living
Living
Pool profile
Narrow natural riverscape
Valley city 127
The elevated metal bar grating path, permeable to light, water and nature The nature-inclusive and flood-tolerant living edge of the valley neighbourhood
The social animal category of this intense urban river
The elevated metal bar grating path, permeable to light, water and nature
The new urban beach of Vierzon, wet and recreational river hedge The residential and commercial developments of the shopping district
The river boulevard, new frame of the living urban valley
The meandering river transformation from mineral and modern blocks to the natural and recreational river valley
Google street view (due to Covid-19) - position of the view indicated
130
The meandering river A natural and playful space in a living environment
The second sequence of the Yèvre park is tacking place in between the low rise valley’s neighbourhood and the high modernistic hillside blocks. The Yèvre snakes in a natural and subtle valley landscape, attenuating the clash between these two radical cities with distance and depth. This ‘breath’ addresses the living functions. There you can play a football or a volleyball match, read a book on the lawn or under the trees, have a picnic, play boules and rest on a chair along the boulevard, have a snack and a beer at the Greenhouse, this former activator converted into a bar, watch if their are newts near the pond,...
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A living, playful and natural riverscape
Th
e
ro erf riv
nt s
t ri p a s
informal g
at h
e ri
ng
sp
ac
e
Th
The hillside living neighbourhood
en ec
tral la
w n a s a p la y
gro
un
d
The Yèvre park
Pedestrian Riverfront strip Playgrounds strip
Greenhouse (activator)
Open lawn
Canal pathway
Canal pathway
Shop/HoReCa Bar/restaurant
Hillside city
River boulevard
River lawn
Street + green strip
134
t
t w e e n t h e r i ve r p a r
Th nde
ring arms as natura
l sp
ac
nd
th
e
va it y
e Th
a me
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yc
el ef
it b e
lle
ba
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m s li
es
The Yèvre park
The valley neighbourhoood
Wet edge and closed pond
Riverbank path
New urban edge
Existing fabric
Living
Meandering riverscape
Pool profile
135
Valley city
The wet natural edge of the right river bank
The specific river and pond biodiversity The intimate pond fabrics sourronded by the pond nature
The open recreational lawn nearing the high rise living edge The greenhouse bypass social activator
The wavy grooved canal axis pathway connecting the park (Bush-hammered concrete)
The dry natural alluvial forest and its specific ecology
The braided river transformation From a residential and industrial area to the blooming river nature and valley cluster
Google street view (due to Covid-19) - position of the view indicated
138
The braided river A blooming natural riverscape at the valley’s cluster
The third sequence of the park is connecting to the canal, entrance of the downtown Vierzon and to the new valley economic cluster. Here, the Yèvre spreads in braids through a network of islands and nature flourishes, empowered by the increased contacts between land and water. This
flourishing
environment
echoes
the
dynamic
andinnovative atmosphere of the valley cluster. In this wilderness, you can have a work meeting in front of the alluvial forest, do birdwatching hidden in between the willows and the clematis, walk on the sand banks and through the wet meadows, wander on the nature paths and stepping stones over the water, be lucky and to witness the return of the eels on their way to their spawning areas, take some distance in climbing the watchtower and admire Vierzon’s watercape from above,...
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A wild and evolutive riverscape
The valley economic cluster
La Franรงaise development
Shared street (car + bikes)
New development on the park hedge
Hard wood forest island
Living Office
Living
Office
Workshop
Workshop
Pool profile
Hillside city
Open riverbank 142
Pool profile
Braided natural riverscape
ns
iti
ve
T
r-s e
r i ve
es as biodi r profil ve r s
it y
sc
he
te r
n
Th
s ig
The Yèvre park
Soft wood forest island
he
v di
e e rs
s
e
l o o d- a n d w rk a s f ate
ep
t wo
de
s de
a t ri
e nn
Steping stone pathways
The valley neighbourhoood
Canal elevated pathway
Existing canal dike and tree row
Riffle profile
Existing fabric
Riffle profile
Braided riverscape
Valley city 143
The weir to the canalized river and the meander landscape
The Valley visitor center and the watchtower
The elevated metal bar grating path, trace of the former canal
The floodable river stepping stones connecting islands together
The river islands, their wild nature and rich biodiversity The riffle profiled river, fish hunting, breeding and spawning areas
Conclusion
From the ‘French Detroit’
To the ‘Green Venice’?
Spa
ti a l
i de
nt
it y
t ri
ad
Vierzon valley identity To a mix, active valley
E R G ct LA ff e le cia
So
LA Ph RG ys i E ca le ff e ct
To the waterscape
From a decaying, fragmented space
From an impoverished, stagnant, ageing city
The LARGE effect in Vierzon Before/After
148
The valley is the new identity Exploring the transformation potentials by a landscape architecture approach in Vierzon, the LARGE design method successfully demonstrates its strength and impact over the identity of Vierzon. In isolating the flood-risk policy, a simple landscape problem, and solving it through a waterscape, LARGE deeply influenced and transformed the physical frame of Vierzon. This waterscape, tackling more local issues on the way, transformed a decaying and fragmented territory into a greener, connected, active and attractive one. In incorporating social dynamics into the project process and in correlation with deep social and economical changes, LARGE transformed the social space of Vierzon. The waterscape social effect transformed an ageing, stagnant and impoverished social fabric into a mix and active social landscape. From now one and for the next 30 years, the completion of this spatial and social project will deeply influence the mental image of Vierzon. Via its valley landscape, the ‘French Detroit’ could become a ‘Green Venice’, a place where nature and water are flowing freely though the city, a place where the valley becomes an economic and social driver, a place where the valley is the new identity.
149
LARGER?
One step further Through the example of Vierzon and its valley, Landscape Generation and Regeneration proves, as an approach and method, that landscapes are a possible and efficient leverage to revitalise the decaying and stagnant mediumsize cities. Landscapes and leverages types being so diverse, LARGE could transform and shape a diversity of landscapedriven identities, for what the struggling medium-size cities need now is to change their paths from depreciation to fascination.
150
Next Expanding to the other landscapes of Vierzon?
A waterscape for the M.S.C.s in the Cher valley system? e Loir
Tours Romorantin
S auld
Cher
Selles sur Cher
re
Mennetou
St-Aignan
uzon
vre Yè
Fo
Lo ire
Vierzon Bourges
Indre
er Ch
Arno n
Issoudin
ron Au
St-Florent
Châteauneuf
St-Amand
Aum
an ce
Monluçon The Cher catchment area
es rd
Cher
Ta
(13.920km2)
0
10
A spreading approach for other struggling M.S.C.s in France and abroad?
A growing part is 151
20
40 km
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Inspiration books Over the medium-size cities of France Regardscroisés sur les villes moyennes, CGET Reference analitic book over the M.S.C.’s current situation
Other cities, their construction, transformations, philosophy, imaginary Invisible cities, Italo Calvino A litterary walk through imaginatory cities and their radical identities
The image of the city, Kevin Lynch Exploring city’s identities though a voacabulary of spatial analysis
La ville franchisée, formes et structures de la ville contemporaine, David Mangin Diving in urban evolutions through history and key events
Le Capitalisme contre le droit à la ville: Néoliberalisme, urbanisation, résistances, David harvey History and consequences of the building of cities in our economic system
Over the shrinking and decaying cities Atlas of shrinking cities, Philipp Oswalt & Tim Rieniets Mapping the main shrinking causes and cities
Shrinking cities, Volumes 1 & 2 (international research, Interventions), Philipp Oswalt The reasearch and design holistic atlas to shrinking cities
Future Directions for the European Shrinking City, William J.V. NEILL & Hans SCHLAPPA Extensive research over urban and landscape planning approaches to shrinkage
Design After Decline: How America Rebuilds Shrinking Cities, Brent D. Ryan A pragmatic urban-design approach in shrinking/ shrunk urban areas
Detroit future city, 2012 Detroit Strategic Framework Plan, Detroit Works project An integral masterplan for applied to Detroit.
On design processes Miniature and panorama, Günther Vogt It approach of landscape architecture through scales
Intermediate Natures, James Corner & Gilles A. Tiberghien A focus on Michel Desvignes works
On waterscape projects Room For The River. Beautiful And Safe Landscape Reference book over the Dutch River program
River Space Design, Martin Prominski & Antje Stokman Riverscapes: Designing Urban Embankments, Christoph Hölzer, Tobias Hundt, Carolin Luke, Oliver G. Hamm Two reference book on designing with river
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This thesis wouldn’t have been possible without the support and encouragments of : My mentor Roel van Gerwen And committee members Pierre-Alexandre Marchevet & Hein Coumou The additional members Berdie Olthof & David Kloet My external experts Vibeke Gieskes & Kaita Shinagawa The head of the Landscape-Architecture department at the Academie van Bouwkunst Hanneke Kijne The model maker’s and printer’s offices Studio KU+ & Cito Dartli The professionals who greatly helped me along the way Laurent Boisgard (SAGE), Floriane Duffieux & Kauline Gonzalez Pulido (CC Vierzon-Sologne-Berry), Pieter Schengenga (H+N+S+), My former school team, the E.N.P. of Blois for fuelling my fascination in the past Grégory Morisseau, Christophe Le Toquin, Céline Collin Bellier, Jacqueline Osty My supportive friends and family André Allignet, Margaux Walter, Vincent Lulzac, Lieke de Jong, Jean-François Gauthier, Despo Panayidou, Quita Schabracq, Emma Morillon, Léa Soret, Bastien Botte, Robert Younger, Kuba Jekiel, Elise Laurent, Françoise Paran, Christophe Allignet
© 2019-2020, Philippe Allignet & Academy van Bouwkunst, All Rights Reserved
