URBAN RENOVATION OF LORMONT GÉNICART DISTRICT 79 COLLECTIVE HOUSING UNITS IN BÈGLES

Much of the social and political tension we have been witnessing lately in the world comes not so much from poverty but from inequalities. In that sense, cities very concretely and tangibly express the difference in standards that separate poor peripheries from wealthy neighborhoods. What is amazing, though, is that the deficient architectural standards, the lack of quality of the public space, and more in general the segregation from urban opportunities that are the cause of a lot of resentment come from a well-intentioned set of values and desires preached in the Athens Chapter. So, what went wrong? How can we correct these mistakes?
LAN presents two cases that start from opposite ends of the spectrum: the first case is the tabula rasa where the starting point is a razed area where all buildings were demolished; the second case is about recycling, an intervention in the already existing that enhances what is there instead of replacing it. In both cases, the challenge is to achieve enough density while rethinking the notion of collective dwelling and human scale. And both cases may contribute to forge the new set of standards, values, and desires, becoming an updated version of the Athens Chapter, where hygiene and efficiency give way to the city as a shortcut towards equality.