SOCIOLOGY OF ECODISTRICTS
Within this tutorial class of sociology, we were able to choose a subject on which we had build a press pack during the semester. I chose the production of the sustainable urbanism. This is indeed in the heart of the current ecological concerns. Eco-districts represent the archetype of this mode of town planning.
Those benefit from a very positive image with the french population. However critics often appear, in particular sociological, attacking eco-districts on their capacities to solve the social problems that they have to face
PETIT TITRE
Helvetica Light est une police d'écriture claire, facile à lire. Les lettres sont étroites et hautes et s'adaptent à tous les types
de sites.
What is the place of the inhabitant in the sustainable transformation? – Traits Urbains n°63, sept./october 2013, p. 16-27
Here the article shows that the inhabitants sometimes have difficulty in becoming integrated into the environmental projects such as eco-districts, in particular because they are not consulted. To build an ecological building the architect has to think of those who are going to live there and to leave them a potential of appropriation of the space.
Helvetica Light est une police d'écriture claire, facile à lire. Les lettres sont étroites et hautes et s'adaptent à tous les types
de sites.
They live in an housing that correspond them – Ouest-France, 18/08/2013
This article explains the principle of participative housing in particular the eco-district «les prés». The interest that can be spotted is that a kind of cohesion is developping itself between the inhabitants while preserving their individuality. Although trying to reduce the costs to makes it accessible for everyone, they emphasized the ecological aspect of those housing.
The ecology as the opportunity of social valuation - passive Be in July 16th August September, 2013
The article describes the environmental and social qualities of the district of Venning in Kortrijk, showing how the new construction becomes integrated into a old and industrial context. The architects want to erase the ghetto’s aspect of the built and so to stop the social stigmatization of the district. Furthermore, inside, they create collective living spaces allowing the meetings.
READING NOTES
Through these criticisms I wondered if eco-districts are very capable of solving these problems as the public opinion seems to believe it. Thus I looked for more answers in a specialized book: «éco-quartiers secrets de fabrication» of Taoufik Souami.
EXTRACT FROM READING NOTES
« Contrary to the north-european countries, and despite the political operations such as the Grenelle of the environment, France does not register the construction of eco-districts in a national sustainable development policy. The problem is to know where the initiative has to come from.
The private enterprises of the btp are very inclined to build these ecodistricts (improvement of their image, masters new techniques of ecological construction, certificates allowing the access to advantageous banking price). The first inhabitants of these districts hope they can take advantage of the good image of these districts. But their ecological awareness is rarely total (numerous examples of problems with the ban of
the intramural cars)
Is it necessary to imitate the models of the north-european countries or should we search our own approach?
Answer of the author: we have to take advantage of the teachings of these countries but be careful not to copy too much certainly inappropriate models.
First step: destroy preconceived ideas to drive things forward and better inform the population.»