Avignon beyond the walls

A city of ramparts, the city of the popes, a centuries-old town, Avignon has been shaped by a rich history, growing within its fortified walls along the banks of the Rhône. From the mid-19th century, demographic growth saw an explosion of the population outside the city walls. Entire neighborhoods extended to the banks of the Durance River during the post-war reconstruction. Farmland and agricultural plots gave way to boulevards and streets, where the car became a defining feature of the city. The arrival of the SNCF train station south of the Courtines-Confluences district presents a unique opportunity: to plan the urban development of Greater Avignon around the history of this confluence area and its landscape. The goal of the project is to imagine a resilient district that adapts to today’s climatic conditions while anticipating those of tomorrow.

An urbanity of reconquest

The master plan for the Courtines-Confluences district highlights the specific challenges of this area, around which a reimagined urbanity must take shape. Our aim is to contribute within this shared framework to craft a unique urban narrative that demonstrates a sustainable, inclusive, and resource-efficient city. Additionally, we have sought to build upon and deepen certain key elements of the master plan that we consider essential, integrating them fully within the context of the ongoing climate crisis:

Develop a garden city: making the landscape a central feature of the urban project.

Preserve permeable soil: safeguarding natural soils as much as possible by minimizing the building footprint.

Rethink mobility: freeing public space from cars, rediscovering the pedestrian scale and the walkable city.

Foster vibrant neighborhood life: weaving social connections through inclusive and unifying spaces. Programming an active fabric with local stakeholders involved from the outset of the project.

Our project is at the confluence of climate, landscape, urban, and social challenges, respecting the site’s history while affirming a sustainable urban development firmly oriented toward the future.