Starting of the RHODANIE URBAINE design studio in Avignon
Avignon © LAST / EPFL / N. Sedlatchek
Through an approach at different levels of intervention - from urban design to constructive detail - Prof. Emmanuel Rey's studio aims at analyzing, exploring, and experimenting with the specific issues related to the contribution of the architectural project to the evolution of the built environment towards sustainability, in the perspective of urban densification near public transport and experimentation of new modes of construction. Entitled RHODANIE URBAINE, the 2021-2022 studio will conduct its investigations on the theme of new interactions between the Rhône and the urban areas that it crosses, focusing on a sector located in Avignon.
At a time of unprecedented convergence between the objectives of densification within the built environment, ecological transition, and risk management in flood-prone areas opens, an era of reconciliation between rivers and the urban areas it passes through. In this context, undervalued sites to date have proved particularly suitable for urban regeneration and the creation of new sustainable neighborhoods. Beyond the issues specific to the technical and landscape measures of flood protection and the transformation of industrial activities, multiple urban and architectural challenges question the proper project approach to adopt for the development of these new fluvial neighborhoods.
Located in the city of Avignon, the site selected for the 2021-2022 edition is situated in the immediate vicinity of the historic ramparts and the riverside of the Rhône. It constitutes a particularly strategic area for imagining new links between the city and its river. From a forward-looking perspective, the RHODANIE URBAINE studio aims to explore through the architectural project the multiple challenges and potential for the development of such a site. A close attention is given to the issue of urban housing, interaction with the surrounding neighborhood, and relevant reflections on public spaces regarding the specific river characteristics of the site.