ChandigarhWorkshop on Historic Urban Landscape Management

December 2007

Brigitte Bariol ( Epures urban planning public agency of Saint-Etienne / Firminy urban area)

Le Corbusier’s heritage in Firminyurban management

-Firminy : Le Corbusier’s heritage and urban management-institutions and history- the buildings - urban project and heritage management

-Saint-Etienne Métropole : territorial strategy based upon heritage of industry and modernity

- heritage strategy in town planning - culture tourism and economic development

summary

Firminy Le Corbusier’s heritage

Territory

Industrial territory from 19th and 20th centuries with a rural hinterland

Local Authorities

Firminy Community 20,000 inhabitantsSaint-Etienne Metropole urban area 400,000 inhabitantsLyon St-Etienne metropolitan area 3,000,000 inhabitantsRhône-Alpes Région 6,000,000 inhabitants

Epures, urban planning public agency of the urban area (working with institutional partners on planning and territorial development issues)

Firminy and Saint-Etienne Metropole

Firminy is the story of the meeting of two men: Le Corbusier and Eugène Claudius Petit, French Minister of reconstruction and Mayor of Firminy (1953– 1965)

Firminy’s History

© FLC

The most important Le Corbusier’s works collection in Europe

Firminy’s History

Civic center :- Cultural Center (Maison de la Culture)- Sports Stadium- Saint-Pierre’s Church

1 Dwelling Unit (Unité d’Habitation )

Edifices for human main functions : living, spirit ad body culture, sacred things

Firminy-Vert : 4,000 inhabitants district designed from the Charter of Athens (CIAM) principles by four young town planners

Firminy’s History

Firminy’s History

Firminy’s History

Le Corbusier’s buildings

1954 Le Corbusier’s project for a Cultural Center1965 Inauguration of the Cultural Center by Le Corbusier

Listed as historical monumentThe Cultural Center is still used as a concert hall,

theater, auditorium, dance and plastic arts space, music school, as well as for exhibits and congresses…

2007 Project to run a section into tourist information spaces

The Maison de la Culture (Cultural Center)

© FLC © FLC © FLC

1954 Le Corbusier’s project for a sports Stadium in front of the Cultural Center

1968 Inauguration of the Stadium

The Stadium still operates (4000 seats)

The sports Stadium

© FLC

1961 Le Corbusier started the project for a catholic church 1965 Le Corbusier died

1970’s Beginning of the constructionThe concrete basis is builtFinancial problems stopped the constructionSubscription attempted to fund the church completion

1996 The unachieved church is listed as Historical Monument

Saint-Pierre Church

© FLC

2001 New municipal team elected in Firminy Both Firminy community and Saint-Etienne Metropole urban

district decided to lead a development project based upon Le Corbusier’ heritage

2002 Saint-Etienne Metropole financed the church’s completion, supported by the French government, Europe and all local authorities

Jose Oubrerie, architect of Le Corbusier’s studio was nominated architect

Saint-Pierre Church

2006 Saint-Pierre church’s inauguration The edifice gathers

upper level : the church ground level : permanent exhibit for the

Saint-Etienne Modern Art Museum (Le Corbusier’s paintings, furniture and buildings models)

Saint-Pierre Church

1959 Le Corbusier’s project for 3 Dwelling Unit at Firminy 1967 The Dwelling Unit’s opening

a vertical garden-city of 400 apartments for underprivileged people and a school on the roof

1983 Half of the apartments were vacant and the school was closed. Inhabitants mobilized to preserve the unit

1984 Listed as Historical monument

The Dwelling Unit (Unité d’Habitation)

The Dwelling Unit (Unité d’Habitation)

2003 Project for Dwelling Unit’s renovation a new original program

Rental dwellings (60%), current renters can buy their apartments at a low price, some apartments are sold to private investors, hotel rooms are reserved for tourists, the school on the roof is used for exhibits

The Dwelling Unit (Unité d’Habitation)

Firminy Urban Project and Management

2003 Local authorities decided to prepare a candidacy to UNESCO World Heritage with help of Roger Aujame, architect who worked with Le Corbusier and UNESCO

The main ideas was to recognize and value the architectural heritage of Le Corbusier and Firminy Vert as a living district implementing the Athens Charter ideas

The application to UNESCO’s List Inscription

UNESCO’s List Inscription application

ZPPAUP Firminy Vert Heritage Management Plan

Firminy Master Plan

Saint-Etienne Métropoleterritorial strategy based

on industrial and modernityheritage

Saint-Etienne Métropole Heritage Management

Saint-Etienne urban area : rich industrial and modern heritage of 19th and 20thcentury

factories, housing buildings…

A threatened heritage with many abandoned industrial zones and demolished building

Territorial development plan for regeneration and new urban developments

The occasion to launch an heritage management system - Knowledge (inventories and studies)- Projects of regeneration- Education ( consulting)

Localization of exceptional sites, remarkable sites, and sites to monitor

Saint-Etienne Métropole Heritage Management

Heritage interest

•Historical interest

•Architectural interest

•Landscape interest

•Urban interest

•Symbolic interest

Usage interest

•Built-up Condition

•Durability/Stability

•Reuse potential

Critères d’évaluation

Heritage knowledge: Marking and description of buildings and sites on a Geographical Information System (GIS)

Saint-Etienne Métropole Heritage Management

Duralex Glass-worksRive de Gier

For example: Site offering a high heritage interest and restoration potential, but in bad condition and therefore a demolition risk

Saint-Etienne Métropole Heritage Management

Economic strategy based upon research in Design and creative technolgies

Urban projects on industrial ancient site’s reconversionSaint-Etienne Design Center built in ancient munition factory

Mining Museum and park built in the ancient mine shaft

Saint-Etienne Métropole urban and economic strategy

Every year : 100,000 visitors in Firminy

Saint-Etienne Metropole’s tourism strategy:Firminy an emblematic tourist site

The promotion of the urban area as a tourist place based upon modernity, industrial heritage and design

- Le Corbusier in Firminy- Museums in Saint-Etienne- Cultural events (design exhibits, urban festival...)

Culture and Tourism

Lyon / Saint-Etienne metropolitan area : a network of modern heritage : “utopias made real”Famous 20th century architects’ works

- Le Corbusier’s work at Firminy and La Tourette - Tony Garnier’s works at Lyon

Culture and Tourism

Integrated policies of heritage, urban planning, culture and tourism

Partnership of all local authorities and the french governement for the project success: Firminy community, Saint-Etienne Metropole district, Rhone Alpes Region

conclusion

Firminy and Chandigarh Two main Le Corbusier heritage’s sites in the world

Monumental heritage but also “living cities” who need to both preserve the spirit of the Charter of Athens heritage and to change with social economic and urban evolutions (way of life, housing, sustainable development, …)

With unesco ‘s inscriptionthe opportunity ofcooperation on the same issues

Firminy and Chandigarh