Design of a master plan for the site of the former Renault factory in Boulogne Billancourt, Paris.

Evy Demeyer Supervisors: Stéphane Beel, Pieter Uyttenhove

I. ASSIGNMENT recreational program can easily be introduced in the already existing network connected Our assignment was to create a new master with tourism associated with the Seine. The plan for the site of the former Renault factory Seine can serve as a new way of transporting in Boulogne Billancourt in Paris that’s people in a new, original context. To further become free after demolition of the factory. develop this network the infrastructure needs to be extended. In the region of Ile-de-France

II. ANALYSIS there is a strong need for more landing stages The Paris center is department 75 of France and facilities for the pleasure cruising sector. and is defined by the Boulevard Périqhérique, We create two new landing stages on the site, the important arterial road of Paris. one on Ile Seguin and one on le trapèze. Department 75 also contains the two green We also want to create a new place to work lungs, Bois de Boulogne and Bois de on the site. The program of a university Vincennes, outside the Boulevard combined with a research center can fit in the Périphérique. People living inside the network of universities and research centers boulevard call themselves ‘Parisians’, while in Ile-de-France. they call the people living outside the The site has the inherent ambition to boulevard ‘the others’. In reality however the become Haut-de-Seine’s number one tourist administrational borders do not count as real attraction and to take the place of la Défense. boundaries. The Paris network, as well on the La Défense is now the department’s number level of public transport as on the level of one tourist attraction, but counts only 250000 motorways, is very well equipped. Where visitors a year. We also want to give the previously the distance between two spots people of Boulogne Billancourt and was determing, now the travelling time is surroundings a place to relax in the form of a more decisive for travelling from one place to green open space that reconnects the Parisians another. The site that is connected by this well with the Seine equipped network with the Paris center and Paris is a dense city, with little left space to ‘the others’ can take advantage of it and form create new things. The 50 ha that has become a unique place in the Paris network. free after the demolition of the Renault The site is located along the Seine River factory, has the possibility to become a new facing the hills of Meudon in the municipality unique place in the Paris network. The Boulogne Billancourt. Boulogne Billancourt visibility of the island from the hills of is a part of the 92th department Haut-de-Seine Meudon and from the Seine enforces the of the region Ile-de-France, the focal point of connection of the site with the Paris center France. The site is connected to the Paris and her surroundings. center and la Défense by the bleu vein, the Paris possesses 3000 ha of planted green, Seine. Because of the favourable position of which comes down to 5, 8 m² for each the site of the former Renault factory in the inhabitant or 14, 5 m² when we count in the municipality Boulogne Billancourt a two big green lungs. In comparison to other European capitals, Paris has still little green space. The craving for more green in big cities is a sign of the changing role of nature in the city. Urban green is no longer wished for only aesthetic or health reasons, but can improve the life condition of the city’s inhabitants. Boulogne Billancourt has now few, small and split up green zones. A new big green area is a welcome addition to the existing green. That way the site becomes the biggest green park of Boulogne Billancourt.

III. HYPOTHESIS To fit in the network and to come up to the ambitions on the three scale levels; Ile-de- France, Paris and Boulogne Billancourt, we put as hypothesis the program of a zoo, combined with a research center and university, and a city providing employment. A zoo in the middle of the city offers the inhabitants a link with wild animals and keeps the debate on conservation vivid. The zoo can be integrated in the network of already existing zoological gardens or musea of Paris. These old-time zoos are little appealing to the imagination and the interplay between people and animals is superseded. We want to conceive a plan for the combination of a zoo with a city, where animals and people can coexist, where the interaction goes further than only the visible, where inhabitants of Boulogne Billancourt and her surroundings, tourists and people who work there can enjoy the new green space that is created.