Urban Renewal In Lyon Confluence

Urban Renewal
in Lyon Confluence
How to transform an unused industrial area to the new eco-quarter?
Zoltán Gábor Virányi
VIA University College
2010 November

Urban Renewal in Lyon Confluence
How to transform an unused industrial area to the new eco-quarter?
A bachelor thesis
C Zoltán Gábor Virányi 2010
VIA University College, Horsens, Denmark
Consultant: Roger Howard Taylor
Front cover picture by: Nesos C
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Note: This dissertation was compiled as part of an Architectural Technology and Construction
Management degree course – no responsibility is taken for any advice, instruction or conclusion
given within!

To Marcel,
who will grow up in the towns of future

4
Urban Renewal in Lyon Confluence Abstract
Abstract
This study analyses the possibilities to redefine an urban district in an ecological way. The
basis of the research is a case study of the urban renewal project carried out approximately
from 2000 to 2020 to convert the area formed by the confluence of the Rhône and Saône
rivers in Lyon, France.
The dissertation gives an overview of the development of the district in order to see the
historical reasons that made the project necessary. The Confluence area played an important
role in the industrial development of the city, but became unwanted as it was in the end of
the 20th century. It is in a strategic location, therefore the local authority aimed to develop
it into the extension of the current city centre forming a valuable area with mixed use.
In order to analyse the ecologic aspects of this development, the report attempts to clarify
the idea of sustainability. It shows the development of the theories through a chronological
review of the important studies, movements, conferences and agreements. Some of the
relevant certificates and evaluation tools are introduced to gather practical indicators of
urban sustainability. A framework of analysis is established by principles restricted to the
ecologic aspects of sustainability.
The case is examined through these principles. Finally further suggestions are made in
connection with the current renewal project that can be used during future ecologic
development of neighbourhoods.
Key words
sustainable, urban, ecologic, redefined function, renewal, case study, development, Lyon,
district, Confluence

5
Urban Renewal in Lyon Confluence Problem statement
Problem statement
This dissertation was written as part of the final semester of the education as Bachelor of
Architectural Technology and Construction Management.
Sustainability is one of the most exiting subjects of today’s architectural technology,
demanding an urgent solution. The different levels of authorities have to cooperate with
urban planners, architects, constructors and the inhabitants of cities.
As I have the opportunity to complete the final semester of my Bachelor’s education as an
exchange student in Lyon, France, I have more insight to the French strategies of ecological
urban renewal and a remarkable project, the redefinition of the Confluence district of
Lyon. I will examine the opportunities of urban revitalization through this example.
I defined three research questions:
1. How did the Confluence develop in the past?
2. What is an ‘eco-district’?
3. How to change the Confluence to be an eco-district?
The first part will be a brief introduction to the geography and history of the area. I will
show the functional evolution of the quarter through the last 250 years, and examine the
conditions that made it possible to completely redefine the role of a district in the centre
of a great city in the beginning of the 21st century. I will also explain why it would be
unfortunate to ignore those possibilities and leave the area in its industrial character.
The next section will define the concept of eco-districts; compare the different national and
local strategies. After giving an overview of the evolution of the idea of sustainability, I will
introduce some of the most important certifications and their principles along with urban
management tools that can be used in such projects. I will concentrate on the French (and
especially Lyonnais) approach, but put in perspective of international schemes.
The last part will present the possibilities of changing the Confluence to an eco-district, and
the way the tools were used and the principles implemented in the project. A comparison
of the functional and ecological properties of the district before and after the renewal will
be made.
I contacted companies and associations involved in the development, design and
management of building in the area in order to make interviews with professionals and
have direct information of the project. I also gathered online and printed sources – i.e.
articles, books, press realises – to have a wide knowledge about the subject from several
points of view.
The range of this dissertation did not allow me to go deep into subjects such as social or
economical sustainability.

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Urban Renewal in Lyon Confluence Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Abstract 4
Key words 4
Problem statement 5
1. 250 years of the confluence 9
1.1. Geography 9
1.2. History and development 9
1.2.1. Conquest of the land from the water 9
1.2.2. Infrastructure 11
1.2.3. Ideas for rehabilitation in the 20th century 13
2. Eco-district 16
2.1. Chronology 16
2.1.1. The 1970s: Inception 16
2.1.2. The 1980s: Beginning of implementation 17
2.1.3. The 1990s: Popularization 17
2.1.4. The 2000s: No other choice 19
2.2. Initiatives, tools 20
2.2.1. PETUS 20
2.2.2. CONCERTO, RENAISSANCE 21
2.2.3. Haute Qualité Environnementale 22
2.2.4. EcoQuartiers 22
2.2.5. Ecological footprint, One Planet Living 22
2.3. Principles 23
2.3.1. Energy 23
2.3.2. Waste 23
2.3.3. Transportation 24
2.3.4. Water 24
2.3.5. Health 24
2.3.6. Green areas 25
2.3.7. Education and public participation 25
3. The green confluence 26
3.1. Overview 26
3.2. Story of the project 30
3.3. Analysis of ecologic principles 33
3.3.1. Energy 33
3.3.2. Waste 34
3.3.3. Transportation 34
3.3.4. Water and health 35
3.3.5. Green areas 36
3.3.6. Education and participation 36
3.4. Critics and suggestions 37
3.4.1. Artificial and natural barriers 37

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Urban Renewal in Lyon Confluence Table of Contents
3.4.2. The unforeseen future 38
3.4.3. The prisons 39
4. Summary of Working Process 40
Bibliography 41
Appendix 1: Interview at HESPUL 44

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Urban Renewal in Lyon Confluence Table of figures
Table of figures
Fig 1. Geographical description of the city of Lyon and its surroundings, 1659 by Simon
Maupin (Source: Archives Municipales de Lyon)
Fig 2. General plan of the city of Lyon showing the new quarters in 1773 by Louis-Martin-
Roch Joubert (Source: Archives Municipales de Lyon)
Fig 3. General plan of the territories of the Perrache Peninsula with proposal of the railway
in 1847 (Source: Archives Municipales de Lyon)
Fig 4. The Perrache train station on a postcard from the beginning of the 20th century
(Source: Archives Municipales de Lyon)
Fig 5. Plan of the Perrache peninsula in 1863 by Langlumé (Source: Archives Municipales
de Lyon)
Fig 7. The Confluence on a postcard from 1930 (Source: Archives Municipales de Lyon)
Fig 8. Aerial view of the Gare Lyon-Perrache in the middle of the middle of the 20th century
(Source: Archives Municipales de Lyon)
Fig 9. Aerial view of the Gare Lyon-Perrache in our days (Source: Microsoft Corporation)
Fig 10. A plan from the project of Claudius Condemine that won the 4th price of the
competition of SEL in 1925 (Source: Archives Municipales de Lyon)
Fig 11. An overview from the project of Heuillard that won the 3rd price of the SEL
competition in 1927 (Source: Archives Municipales de Lyon)
Fig 12. An overview of the project as it will look like after finishing (Source: Herzog de
Meuron )
Fig 13. Promenade on the bank of the Saône (Source: Depaule/PAD/Asylum)
Fig 14. Detailed masterplan showing each site of the project (Source: SPLA Lyon
Confluence)
Fig 15. Phases of the project (Source: SPLA Lyon Confluence)
Fig 16. Perspective over the Place Nautique (Source: Depaule/PAD/Asylum)
Fig 17. View on the three blocks - A, B and C - that form subject of the CONCERTO project
(Source: Depaule/PAD/Asylum)
Fig 18. Plan of the trafic in the area (Source: SPLA Lyon Confluence)
Fig 19. The Place Nautique (Source: SPLA Lyon Confluence)
Fig 20. Le Champ (Source: Herzog de Meuron )
Fig 21. Proposal for the new sections of motorways and modification of the existing parts from
2009 (Source: Agence d’urbanisme pour le développement de l’agglomération
lyonnaise)
Fig 22. Aerial view of the Prisons Saint-Paul and Saint-Joseph (Source: Microsoft
Corporation)
9
10
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12
13
13
13
14
15
26
27
28
30
31
33
34
35
36
37
39

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Urban Renewal in Lyon Confluence 250 years of the confluence
1. 250 years of the confluence
1.1. Geography
Grand-Lyon is a conurbation of 1.4 million inhabitants, the second largest in France and
is located close to the Swiss and Italian borders. At the heart of Lyon is the peninsula, the
Presqu’île formed by the Rhône and Saône, Lyon’s two rivers. Lyon-Confluence is the name
of the southern part of this peninsula.
1.2. History and development
The current is not the first great project of the history of the area, on the contrary: its whole
development is characterised by pioneering ideas and grand works. It is rare to find such
a great territory available in the centre of a so densely populated metropolis. The keys for
this opportunity can be found in the past, when the development of the area had paradox
results: the strategic location accessible from two rivers, by train on France’s first railway
line and later on modern motorway resulted as much in economic progress as in ignoring
the district in the second half of the 20th century. To understand this duality and to learn
from the often experimental urban improvement projects of the past it is necessary to have
an overview of the history of the district.
1.2.1. Conquest of the land from the water
250 years ago the land, where today’s
confluencelaysdidnotexistyet.Thetwo
unregulated rivers met approximately
where present day’s Perrache Station
is, forming the uninhabited Mogniat
Island and some smaller isles.
It was Michel-Antoine Perrache - a
sculptor and engineer, member of the
Lyon Academy, who the district was
later named after - who planned the
expansion of the peninsula and the
city to the south using some elements
of the plans of Jean-Antoine Morand.
He enjoyed the support of Jacques-
Germain Soufflot, the Kings Architect
and the soon Controller of Buildings
and Improvements in Lyon (from
1773), when he presented his project
to the local leaders in 1769.
Fig 1.
Geographical
description of the
city of Lyon and its
surroundings, 1659
by Simon Maupin
Today’s Conflence area
does not exist, part of
the Mogniat Island is
visible

10
He drew the confluence back to La Mulatière by filling in the Rhône by building an
embankment and a highway, banked up the land that formed the previous river-bed, and
built a dock, a longitudinal canal that linked it to the rivers and a new bridge (Morand
Bridge, finished in 1775). Although the most impressive idea of these plans are the
establishment of the end of the peninsula, even Perrache leaves the southern part out of
some of his drawings, while the residential area north of the Cours Bertin is very well
defined. The importance of the project to the city lays in the regulation of the rivers,
especially straightening the Rhône that gained increased importance for the identity of
Lyon. It introduced the concept of urban planning and the use of private finance to fund
real-estate ventures. The works began in 1772 under the supervision of Soufflot.
Perrache dies in 1779, his company bankrupted, leaving the project uncompleted. Although
it did not bring the expected financial success, it had a special role in the development of
the city of Lyon, and it is the reason to make Perrache remembered, the new district
wearing his name.
The development was reanimated in the beginning of the next century, when Napoleon
plans an imperial palace in Lyon, placed by some schemes on the southern part of the
peninsula. It was an excellent opportunity to ensure the funding of the re-banking and
diking of the Saône, but the collapse of the empire in 1814-15 caused to stop the works
once again.
Fig 2.
General plan of the
city of Lyon showing
the new quarters in
1773 by Louis-Mar-
tin-Roch Joubert
The plan shows the
regulated rivers, and
the filled banks with
the docks and the
channel

11
1.2.2. Infrastructure
In 1826 a project is accepted by mayor Marquis Jean de Lacroix-Laval to sell parcels of
land of the south end of the confluence by public auction. Special conditions were imposed
on the future owners: banking of the public highways, priority given to the establishment
of industrial activities. The programme is translated to several European languages: an
attempt to diversify the range of activities in the Lyon factories by drawing new industries
to the site. Arrival of railway to the tip of the peninsula, the accessibility of the multi-modal
transport services to the site, the proximity of combustible fuels and raw materials, the near
completion of the banking of the “new district” and commitment from the Mayor’s office
to continue the re-banking of the southern part.
In 1827 in exchange for the lands around the future dock the Seguin Brothers Co.
undertook to bank up the roads and to create 14 industrial establishments, prolong the
railway on the peninsula and build a new bridge at La Mulatière that could sustain rail
traffic.
In 1832 the railway arrived on the end of the peninsula, the banking was completed in
1840. The railway road connected the whole Loire coal fields to the Rhône and thereby
reducing the cost of raw materials. Moreover, it was largely responsible for structuring a
new economic district, which was reinforced by the partial relocations of the Lyon factories
in the outer district of the city, also at the beginning of the 19th
century.
The activities of the district developed principally around the considerable increase in coal-
bearing rail traffic, the Seguin brothers’ construction yards (the main French company
to build locomotives), as well as the new and important industries such as a chemical
plant, the numerous coal depots, and the commercially successful and powerful steamship
companies.
In 1842 the Legrand law established a radial structure of the new national railway network
centred on the capital, with a major artery passing through Lyon from Paris to the
Fig 3.
General plan of the
territories of the
Perrache Peninsula
with proposal of the
railway in 1847

12
Mediterranean. Although the great steamship companies and the outer districts opposed
to build a station on the peninsula, the new central station was placed there.
In 1857 the Perrache station was opened to the public, controlled by the Paris-Lyon-
Méditerranée group (before this the Paris-Lyon and the Lyon-Marseille line was managed
by two different companies). It was built across the peninsula on a raised landfill, creating
an east-west boundary, dividing the peninsula in two and placing the south end “on
the wrong side of the tracks”. Local people often use the expression “derrière les voûtes”
(“behind the vaults”) referring to the dark, vaulted tunnels that connect the southern area
to the city centre under the station. The Gare Lyon-Perrache functioned as the main station
of the city for 125 years; it’s northern side (Cours de Verdun) becoming a centre of social
life with many bars, restaurants, circus, fairs and tramway, the south left to be an industrial
transportation central. After the completion of the station the erection of the city’s two
prisons - Saint-Paul and Saint-Joseph – was decided, they were also placed to the area.
Fig 4.
The Perrache train
station on a postcard
from the beginning
of the 20th century
Fig 5.
Plan of the Perrache
peninsula in 1863 by
Langlumé
The docks are partially
filled and the railway
runs where it is today

13
The docks had filled in steps: partly in 1857, when the Perrache Station was built, totally
in 1926.
The rest of the large logistic infrastructures had been built in the 20th
century: in 1926 the
Port Rambaud – a commercial harbour, in 1928 Perrache II – a goods station, in 1961 a
wholesale market – once the biggest of France, and in 1978 a post sorting centre.
The further separation of the district was the result of the national motorway programme
decided in 1955. The Paris-Lyon and Lyon-Marseille stages were built between 1961 and
1970. At the same time, the city suffered by traffic-flow problems through the Croix-
Rousse tunnel. The solution was decided to be a new tunnel under Fourvière, connecting
the two motorways next to the Perrache station and making Lyon the second city of the
world that would have a motorway without a single red-light flowing through its middle.
The connection of the roads took place in the ‘Perrache-Lyon Transit Complex’, an ‘urban-
bridge-station’ built between 1972 and 1976 and had its exemplar in Seoul. The highway
continued south from the complex along the right bank of the Rhône, to the tip of the
peninsula, cutting the district from the river. (Godde Brihaye, 2000)
1.2.3. Ideas for rehabilitation in the 20th century
In the first decades of the 20th
century Lyon was the field of pioneering urban-planning
ideas of Tony Garnier, supported by Édouard Herriot, the mayor of Lyon from 1905 to
1957 (except 1942-45) and three-times prime minister of France. In spite of many plans
considering the Confluence from several architects and urban-designers, the ideas of a
modern city were only implemented in other districts of Lyon such as Gerland or Les États-
Unis. Garnier was the Chief Architect of the International Exhibition of City Planning in
Fig 7.
The Confluence on a
postcard from 1930
The area has an indus-
trial character, in the
foreground the two
bridges leading to La
Mulatière can be seen
Fig 8 and 9.
Aerial views of the
Gare Lyon-Perrache
in the middle of the
middle of the 20th
century and in our
days
The ‘Perrache-Lyon
Transit Complex’ has
been built next to the
train station to con-
nect the motorways

14
1914. He had two projects for the Confluence: a war memorial in 1920 and a cinema in
1924. Both of them stayed hypothetical.
Herriot created a Municipal Commission for the Study of the Plan to Extend and Improve
the City of Lyon that came up with plans to use the area but none of them has been realised.
Four annual competitions were announced by the Société d’Embellissement de Lyon (SEL
– Society for the Improvement of Lyon) between 1924 and 1927, in order to examine
the relation between the traditional and the modern city. Very interesting proposals were
made for the new layout of the city expanded on both sides of the Rhône, suggesting
rehabilitation of the special location at the Confluence.
The only materialised innovation from this time over the port and the new goods station
was the Pasteur Bridge finished in 1922 connection the district to Gerland.
The debate on the role of the Confluence was reopened by the Compagnie nationale du
Rhône (CNR – National Rhône Company) in 1979. It announced a competition for the
redevelopment of the Rhône from Lyon to the sea. 22 teams of an architect, a landscape
Fig 10.
A plan from the
project of Claudius
Condemine that won
the 4th price of the
competition of SEL
in 1925
The plan gives a
special role of the
modified rivers and the
rearranged Confluence

15
designer and a sculptor accepted the challenge to design a
centre-piece for the confluence which is visible from the
motorway, when arriving to the city from the south forming
a recognisable icon of the city. Alain Dufau’s project received
first price, but it was never carried out.
1983-84 René Gagés, architect of the Transit centre,
proposed a project “The Lyon Confluence, an International
Metropolis”, stressing the intercultural values of Lyon and
suggesting ways to redefine the Confluence. Some years
later, in 1987 the American organisation “Partners for
Livable Communities” from Washington were looking for
European cities in search for material for new ideas. They
established a cooperation, “Partners-Europe”, ten American
and European experts working together on proposals for
urban renewal, experiences that can also be used in the
United States. (Lyon Confluence, 1998)
None of the latest projects were called by the local
government, maybe this is the reason for them to remain
on paper. Finally in April 1997 Greater Lyon Community
Council invited agencies to develop “Perrache-Confluence”
to be the new city centre. After planning, designing and
consulting with the inhabitants of the city, the construction
of the Phase 1 is close to its finish, the Phase 2 starting next
year, completely redefining the district for 2020 with the
longer-term works including improvement of the public
transport. It ought to be the new exemplary eco-quarter
of the city, realising the biggest urban development project
in France, one of the biggest in Europe to form a district
of different functions such as service activities, residential
complexes, leisure zone, shops, public services and facilities.
Fig 11.
An overview from
the project of Heuil-
lard that won the
3rd price of the SEL
competition in 1927
The Conflence was
seen as a new city
centre with public
functions and housing

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Urban Renewal in Lyon Confluence Eco-district
2. Eco-district
There is no clear definition of eco-district, but most of the users of the term agree on
ecological sustainability as the key feature. This expression is vague as well, and permanently
changing with the development of scientific, political and social evolution. Therefore to
have a clear understanding of the subject, I will examine the chronological progression of
the terms of sustainability and the practice of developing eco-districts along with national
and European initiatives. This will show the most important principles and make it possible
to examine the qualities of an urban area that defines its impact on the environment.
2.1. Chronology
2.1.1. The 1970s: Inception
Sustainability started to become an important and global issue in the beginning of the
1970s. Some of the most essential milestones were born in 1972. Scientists and political
actors started to consider development not only an opportunity but a danger. Growth of
population and technical evolution was faster than ever in the history of human; every
statistic showed exponential increase.
The Club of Rome commissioned the famous report ‘The Limits to Growth’ that studies
how this extreme growth interacts with the finite resources. Five variables were examined,
on the assumptions that exponential growth accurately described their patterns of increase,
and that the ability of technology to increase the availability of resources grows only linearly.
These variables are: world population, industrialization, pollution, food production and
resource depletion. (Meadows et al., 1972)
The United Nations’ first major conference on global environmental issues was held in
Stockholm with the attendance of 113 countries’ representatives. It is widely considered as
the beginning of modern political and public awareness of global environmental problems.
(Baylis et al., 2008)
The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) introduces the
‘polluter pays principle’, which later became known as ‘extended producer responsibility’
and is a method to shift the responsibility for the environmental impact of products through
the product life-cycle from the governments to the producers and importers, motivating
them to change their polluting practices. (Organisation for Economic Cooperation and
Development (OECD). Environment Directorate, 2006)
The 1970s energy crisis (including the two largest in 1973 and 1979) showed the economic
dangers of dependence on fossil fuels. They generated researches on renewable energy
sources. (U.S. Energy Information Administration, 2010)

17
2.1.2. The 1980s: Beginning of implementation
In the next decade the environmental movements were still considered alternative, but their
ideas began to be supported by local and national political actors and put into practice.
Eco-villages, providing ecologic living in rural areas, became more known and in some
countries – such as Germany, the Netherlands or Austria in Europe - their experiences
were used to form eco-quarters or to rehabilitate existing neighbourhoods in cities with
environmental considerations. (Souami, 2009)
One of the examples is the urban renewal in the Kreutzberg district of Berlin in 1987 with
the aim of improving the quality of living and environmental awareness. The results were
decreased energy and water usage, an upgraded waste collection system and increased green
areas, partly with green roofs. It is considered as a successful project also because of its
integrated concept for all environmental media, involving and educating the inhabitants
as well as considering social and economical aspects of sustainability. The Internationale
Bauastellung IBA and the Bauastellung Berlin GmbH (both founded in 1979) are only
two examples for the institutions that made wider discussion and such urban rehabilitation
possible in this period. (Reichmann Schuchardt, 2001)
The term ‘sustainable development’ was first used as a central subject by a report issued
by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources. (IUCN,
UNEP, WWF and UNESCO, 1980) Seven years later the so-called Brundtland Report,
‘Our Common Future’ gave the most often quoted definition of sustainable development
as “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of
future generations to meet their own needs”. The importance of this report can be found
in having a holistic view on sustainability; discussing environment and development as one
single issue. The publication laid the groundwork for the so-called Rio Declaration. (World
Commission on Environment and Development, 1987)
2.1.3. The 1990s: Popularization
The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) was held
in Rio de Janeiro in 1992. The Rio Declaration, produced on the summit, contains 27
principles defining peoples’ rights to development, and their responsibilities to safeguard
the common environment. Some of the most important points clarify the role of human in
the global changes, the need of state cooperation and public participation, open economic
system, the environmental effects of warfare and special roles of groups like women, the
youth or indigenous people. (UN General Assembly, 1992)
The other considerable product of the so-called Earth Summit was the Agenda 21, a
blueprint on future development, listing 2500 recommendations including foundation of
international institutions, for example the Commission on Sustainable Development. The
agenda was adopted by 170 countries. It also underlines the, at this time more and more
accepted, idea that governments can only assist in the changes making them possible, but
the most important role is on the individuals and personal choices, for example changing
consumption patterns. (UN General Assembly, 1992)
In 1996 Mathis Wackernagel and William E. Rees published the book ‘Our Ecological
Footprint: Reducing Human Impact on the Earth’ introducing a calculation method and

18
measurement tool to compare different lifestyles and their impact on the environment
in perspective of the nature’s ability to provide sources for them. It represents the area of
biologically productive land and water, a population (or individual, city, country or all
of humanity) requires to provide the resources it consumes and to absorb its waste, using
prevailing technology. (Wackernagel Rees, 1996)
The French Association pour la Haute Qualité Environnementale (ASSOHQE –
Association for High Environmental Quality) was established in 1996 to control the HQE
standard. The HQE certification is awarded to buildings with low impact on the outdoor
environment and healthy indoor environment. (Association HQE, n.d.)
The Kyoto Protocol was adopted in 1997; it sets binding targets for 37 industrialized
countries and the European community (called the Annex I countries) for reducing
greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions with the aim of combat global warming. These amount
to an average of five per cent against 1990 levels over the five-year period 2008-2012.
Under the Treaty, countries must meet their targets primarily through national measures.
However, the Kyoto Protocol offers them an additional means of meeting their targets by
way of three market-based mechanisms, called emission trading or ‘the carbon market’.
Currently (in October 2010) there are 191 states and the European Union have signed
and ratified the protocol. The total percentage of Annex I Parties emissions is 63.7%.
(UNFCCC secretariat, n.d.)
In the nineties the urban ecological movements enjoyed increased popularity, new ones
came to existence promoting cooperation between towns or neighbourhoods. One of the
most known of those movements is Cittaslow founded in 1999 in Italy. It does not focus
on districts of big cities but on small communities, promoting high quality of life lived
‘slow’. The idea behind it that distinguishes it from other ecologic trends is the preference
of regeneration and reuse over modernisation or development. While other theories study
the different lifestyles’ effect on environment, Slow Cities concentrate on the environment’s
effect on the life of the residents. (Cittaslow International, 2009)
Amsterdam is known for its bicycle-friendly policies; one of the most innovative town-
planning projects of the decade was introduced here, 3 kilometres from its centre,
containing special ideas for transportation. The GWL Terrein, which was completed in
1998 on the former site of the municipal water company, is a 6 ha car-free neighbourhood
with 50-50% of owner-occupied and publicly subsidized housing. The residents signed a
non-obligatory declaration of support of the car-free nature of the area. There are only 110
parking places for the 591 dwellings, all of them are on the boundary of the complex and
were distributed by lottery. This forced the residents not only to leave their cars unused
but to sell them (the surrounding neighbourhood requires a permit for on-street parking).
The solutions they were provided with are extensive bike-storage possibilities and a unique
car-sharing system: about 60 people use two rented cars; all of them has their own keys
and pays for the usage per hour and per kilometre. The old industrial buildings had been
transformed to common spaces, offices and workshops, green areas had been established
with less paved surfaces then usual and vegetation used on roofs. Rainwater is used to flush
toilets and composting is supported. (Scheurer, 2001)

19
2.1.4. The 2000s: No other choice
For the new century – or even from the middle of the 90s – sustainability became the
central issue of every urban renewal project in the western world. The stronger national
regulations forced the professionals to consider environmental (with social and economic)
aspects of building and town planning, while sustainability and ‘green construction’ became
buzzwords and could help to sell buildings. Those issues seem to be broadly accepted.
While in the previous periods, investors had to choose between ecologic responsibility and
profitability, for today successful models are constructed to actually save money on green
methods. The spread of environmental-friendly techniques made their prices lower, and
the growth of energy-costs turned the attention to long-term returns.
One of the most oft-referenced principles of sustainable construction and product design
was prepared by the American architect William McDonough and the German chemist
Michael Braungart for the Expo 2000 in Hannover thus the name Hannover Principles.
The statements support the idea of taking responsibility for the environmental impact of the
product (e.g. building, district or city) through its whole life-cycle. (William McDonough
Architects, 1992) The thought of taking nature as an example resulted in their 2002 book
‘Cradle to cradle’, giving examples of using clean raw materials, that not only reduces
waste during the production and after the life of the product, but provides raw material
for another product or ‘food’ for plants. (They often reflect the method as ‘waste equals
food”.) (McDonough Braungart, 2002) (Waste = Food, 2005)
In 2002 the World Summit on Sustainable Development was held in Johannesburg, where
the so-called Johannesburg Declaration was adopted. It is built on the Brundtland Report
and the Rio Declaration with special focus on multilateralism and eroding poverty. (United
Nations, 2002) A Plan of Implementation was also accepted. (United Nations, 2002)
On this summit the Melbourne Principles were also adopted. They were developed by 40
experts, who met in the Australian city for a charrette. The 10 principles form a flexible
guide for decision-makers to reach sustainable solutions for their communities. They
support long-term thinking in the town-planning, cooperation with local people as well as
other cities and building on the distinctive characteristics of the areas. (UNEP International
Environmental Technology Centre, Environment Protection Authority Victoria, 2002)
Both of the initiatives for sustainable lifestyles One Planet Living developed by WWF
and the Aalborg Commitments were laid down in 2004 and had been followed by many
cities worldwide since. The One Planet Living contains 10 principles using the ecological
footprint as the key indicator for sustainability, while proposing solutions for making
the quality of life better. The framework is adaptable and free to use and the site www.
oneplanetvision.net, operated by BioRegional, is filled with real life case studies and useful
free tools like the One Planet Action Plan sustainability toolkit for businesses, communities
and regions or an ecological footprint calculator for individuals. The principles suggest
consuming locally using zero-emission waste, transport, building and water-management.
(WWF, 2004) (BioRegional, 2004)
The Aalborg Commitments were adopted by delegates to the June 2004 Aalborg+10
Conference and have been signed by hundreds of Local Governments. They support

20
European Local Governments in their implementation of the Aalborg Charter agreed at the
1994 Aalborg Conference and set 10x5 very clear policy guidelines for local sustainability.
They are primarily seeking to reinforce existing Local Agenda 21 processes and to generate
the energy to move from agenda to action over the next 10 years. The document was signed
by more than 600 European communities committing themselves to implement actions
to reach their targets based on their own priorities and the common guidelines. (Aalborg
Commitments Secretariat, 2004)
In 2007, another Danish town, Copenhagen hosted the 51st International Federation
for Housing and Planning (IFHP) world congress on the subject ‘Futures of Cities’ in
collaboration with the foundation RealDania and the Ministry of Environment. Mandag
Morgen (Monday Morning), a Scandinavian think-tank prepared the ‘Copenhagen
Agenda for Sustainable Cities’ by consulting with 50 of the world’s leader thinkers and
expert in urban development about the future of our cities. The result is a special issue with
(once again) 10 principles that urging the restructure of urban decision-making systems,
involving the most-affected, having a multi-disciplinary thinking, and cooperative aspect.
(Mandag Morgen, 2007)
The most discussed report of its kind, published in 2006 by the economist Sir Nicholas
Stern, chair of the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment
at the London School of Economics for the British government, converts one key aspect
of sustainability –environment – to another that usually motivates decision-makers more
– economy. The Stern Review tries to summarise the economic impacts of global warming
and recommends actions to avoid them – as these impacts are negative and very serious.
The key numbers show that the world will lose 5 to 20% of its GDP by 2050 unless 1%
of it is not invested annually to reduce greenhouse gas emission. The report stresses that
the action needed is immediate, in other cases every country will be affected by climate
change, but the poorest countries will suffer earliest and most. This is where finally global
responsibility, economic growth and ecologic changes are strongly connected, but we do
not have to choose between them anymore. (Stern, 2007) (Osborne, 2006)
2.2. Initiatives, tools
After summarizing the history of the idea of sustainability, the goals and themes should be
clearer, but as the principles aim to be universal to any city of the world, their statements
are too general. Any local (or national) government needs much more practical tools if
they want to carry out effective changes. As somebody, who received technical education,
I can appreciate the measurable ideas. So even if we know what is the problem of most
of today’s urban communities, we need instruments to set target values and evaluate the
changes made.
2.2.1. PETUS
The European Union seems to implement the idea of sustainability in the common
legislation. Since the above mentioned Brundtland Report, there is an undeniable evolution
of the awareness of environmental issues. This although resulted in a huge number of new
laws and guidelines framed by the European Sustainable Development Strategy (Council of
the European Union, 2006), including the Thematic Strategy on the Urban Environment

21
(European Commission, 2006), that makes it hard to follow even for the really committed
town-managements.
The Practical Evaluation Tools for Urban Sustainability (PETUS – available at www.petus.
eu.com) is a collection of all the relevant European regulations and an impressive number of
case studies with several practical tools to help decision makers to orientate in the labyrinth
of sustainability. The initiative is supported by the European Commission’s Directorate-
General for the Environment Information Centre. The cases, tools and directives are sorted
in 6 different categories: energy, water/sewage, waste, transport, green/blue structures,
buildings and land use. (Jensen Elle, 2007)
There are four types of tools. The Process Guides contain ideas and examples how to manage
such projects; frameworks, environmental assessments, policies, strategies and programmes
as well as checklists for procedures. The Calculation Tools help to understand the outcome
of different chosen solutions through exact results. They provide life cycle analysis with
other environmental calculation methods, economic and social evaluation tools along with
system simulation tools. The Assessment Methods offer multi-criteria assessment tools to
prioritise between different (economic, ecologic or sustainable) aspects of sustainability,
evaluation processes, surveys and public discussions in order to ensure public legitimating
of a certain project. The last type is of the Monitoring Tools that consist of indicators,
benchmarks and accounting tools for monitoring the implemented changes. (Cremasco,
2007)
2.2.2. CONCERTO, RENAISSANCE
CONCERTO is also an initiative launched and co-founded by the European Commission
under the 6th
and 7th
Framework Programmes (FP). It supports local communities, as
clearly defined geographical areas or zones to develop strategies concentrating on energy
efficient constructions and renovations (EE), establishment of renewable energy sources
(RES) and innovation of these fields, for example on the issue of efficient energy storage.
Throughout the 22 participating CONCERTO projects of 58 communities the focus is
primarily on demonstrating the environmental, economic and social benefits of integrating
renewable energy sources together with energy efficiency techniques through a sustainable
energy-management system operated on a community level.
RENAISSANCE stands for Renewable ENergy Acting In SuStainable And Novel
Community Enterprises, and it is a project for the consortium of Zaragosa’s Municipality
(Spain), Region of Lombardy (Italy) and the Grand Lyon (France) within the CONCERTO
programme. This three exemplary developments are motors of innovation in the field
of sustainable energy researching and applying innovation, addressing all phases of the
building process from planning, building design, construction and life time operation.
The project develops and demonstrates the technologies and mechanisms necessary to
monitor and evaluate the energy flows and performance of the communities involved and
to contribute to a joint programme of work, the Concerto Plus, to establish standards with
other CONCERTO communities. CONCERTO projects are expected to produce well
monitored field experience of energy supply and demand patterns to be communicated for
the benefit of other CONCERTO projects and serve as a basis for future actions.

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2.2.3. Haute Qualité Environnementale
High Environmental Quality (HQE) is a green building standard from France controlled
by the Paris based Association pour la Haute Qualité Environnementale (ASSOHQE).
The certificate is given to buildings that considered sustainable based on 14 environmental
quality targets.
The first group of goals are related with the impact on the external environment. The
construction is considered ecologic if it has a harmonious relationship between the building
and its immediate environment, if an integrated choice of building products and materials
had been made and if the site works had a low nuisance-level. During the usage of the
building the ecologic management of energy, water, activity-derived waste, cleaning and
maintenance has to be possible.
On the other side, the house has to provide a high quality of indoor environment. This
means hygrometric, acoustic, visual and olfactory comfort, together with a healthy
atmosphere that has a satisfying level of sanitary conditions of spaces as well as air and
water quality. There is ongoing discussion about the fifteenth target, biodiversity.
The certification helps to evaluate the quality of building projects, while motivating
designers and constructors for environmental concerns, while providing guidelines to
planners of project to follow the example of awarded buildings. (Bidou, 2006)
2.2.4. EcoQuartiers
The competitions EcoQuartiers and EcoVilles were introduced by the French Ministry of
Ecology, Energy, Sustainable Development and the Sea. Projects were called in different
categories; districts with less than 500, less than 2000 and more than 2000 inhabitants that
show examples for sustainable development based on the ecologic, economic and social
pillars. Guidelines contained committed local governments, diverse but cohesive society,
promotion of mixed functions, optimal and pertinent funding of projects with avoiding
risks, ecologic transportation, HQE and guarding biodiversity.
The national Grand Prix went to Grenoble, and 18 other awards were announced in
different categories: waste, biodiversity and nature in the city, mobility, energetic sobriety,
density and urban forms and ecologic construction. Special prices were given to nine further
candidates for future plans, small towns and rural projects. (Ministère de l’Écologie, de
l’Energie, du Développement durable et de la Mer, 2010)
2.2.5. Ecological footprint, One Planet Living
Calculating the ecological footprint of an individual, a district, city or a nation is another
good way to turn ideas and universal principles to numbers, that can be monitored and
draw consequences from. The method measures how much land and water is needed to
produce the resources we consume, and to absorb the wastes we produce.
The Earth has about 12 billion hectares of bio-productive land – that’s about 2 hectares
for every man, woman and child on Earth. However, the amount of bio-productive land
needed to produce what is consumed by an average American citizen every year is about
10 hectares. In other words, if everyone in the world had the same lifestyle as an average

23
American, the world’s population would need 5 planets-worth of bio-productive land in
order to feed, clothe and shelter everyone. (Approximately 3 Earths for the lifestyle of an
average European.) A sustainable lifestyle, or ecological footprint, is therefore one where
the rate of consumption can be sustained by 2 hectares of bio-productive land.
This is the base for the joint effort of WWF and BioRegional, One Planet Living that
aims to provide way for us live in our only planet Earth. Their 10 principles are zero
carbon, zero waste, sustainable transport, sustainable materials, local and sustainable food,
sustainable water, land use and wildlife, culture and heritage, equity and local economy,
health and happiness. The One Planet initiative consists of a range of practical projects and
partnerships that demonstrate how we can live within our fair share of the earth’s resources.
They established a network of neighbourhoods with healthy, high quality lifestyles that still
use a fair share of resources. On their several websites (wwf.panda.org, www.bioregional.
com, www.oneplanetcommunities.org, www.footprintnetwork.org) tools, calculators and
promotion of sustainable lifestyle can be found.
2.3. Principles
Based on the historical and practical understanding of the sustainable urban planning
methods, we can set up our own principles to conclude the studied aspects of developing a
district to be an eco-quarter. The principles have to result in practical ideas, concentrating
on the level of a district. Local actions have to be found that have both local and global
effects. As it has been shown above, the most important issues are the following.
2.3.1. Energy
This is a two-sided question consisting of the reduction of energy usage and the production
of needed energy. The amount of used energy has to be lowered without a negative effect
on the quality of life; that means increased efficiency. A large part of the energy efficiency
depends on the designers of the buildings, as this sector uses the biggest part of energy.
The resources used to keep the buildings warm or cool can be reduced by insulating the
walls and roofs – the building-envelope – well or to use passive solar methods by placing
shades and windows considering the position of the sun. Energy-saving lighting can also
help a lot. An incredible amount of energy is used to carry out the rebuilding or renewal of
a whole quarter, so the technology of construction has to be well analysed.
Although most of the consumed energy is produced today in power plants for whole
regions, a quarter cannot have a considerable impact on the energy-producing practice
of the nation or the region; therefore the district should be self-supplied with renewable
energy. Geothermal energy, wind and wave power are dependent on geographical
conditions, and can play significant role in the energy supply of a department, but hard
to utilise in urban environment. Biomass and different techniques of solar energy (solar
heating or photovoltaic) can be used easily in cities. Solar cells can be used from the level
of one family house.
2.3.2. Waste
Each step of the waste management process needs to be considered including collection,
transportation, separation, processing and recovery or disposal. Even before this, the first

24
stage is to reduce generation of waste; it should be started at the design of products. A
leadership of a district has not much impact on this, but can use the power of choice in
the object used by the public. Next step is reuse of objects when possible for the original
or different, creative purposes. When reuse is not possible, through recycling, value can
be still recovered from the materials. To enable this, the infrastructure of selective waste
collection has to be provided. Only if none of the above offer an appropriate solution
should waste be incinerated without energy recovery, or disposed of to landfill. This should
be managed very carefully to minimise the impact on the surrounding environment in a
socially and economically acceptable way.
2.3.3. Transportation
From the 1960s 5 km/day/person the mobility in France increased to 45 km/day/person for
the 1990s. (Viard Rollin, 2006) Although some see this as the reason for private car use,
but more than 30% of trips made in cars in Europe cover distances of less than 3 km and
50% are less than 5 km (see the campaign of the city of Malmö: ‘No ridiculous car trips’).
A management of a district should focus on these short distance journeys, and provide
alternatives. Public transport network has to be reliable and answering the real needs of
its users. It has to provide good connection between the different modes of transport.
Car-usage has to be reduced to the occasions, when it is really needed, cycling has to be
promoted and enabled by a good and safe bike lane system. Proven car- and bicycle sharing
methods are also available.
2.3.4. Water
Water sector has the multiple role of providing water supply for the community, safe
transport of waste water and storm water, treating the wastewater to a hygienic and
environmental acceptable standard while preserving the aquatic ecosystems.
The usage of water-efficient toilets, washing machines, taps etc. is the shared responsibility
of the users and the designers, while a lot depends on the individuals’ life-styles: how
long showers do you take, how often do you wash your car, or how do you water your
plants. Collection of rain-water or grey water recycling are also ways to use less of other
resources and can be participating in the decentralisation of water-service. Understanding
and restoration of natural water-cycles are also necessary.
2.3.5. Health
A healthy quarter has to provide the basic environmental conditions - air, soil, water,
purified water, etc. is in order and under control. The healthy city has minimized traffic
and recreational accidents, and provides easy access and opportunities for physical activity,
also for the disabled.
Reducing pollution and providing healthy indoor environment is as important as promoting
healthy lifestyles. Local and natural food can be (but not necessarily is) a source of health
and happiness, which are two of the most important measures of quality of life for most
of the people.

25
2.3.6. Green areas
Planted areas are often referred as the lungs of cities. They play an important role in the
health of the inhabitants; not just because of their capacity of cleaning air, hold water, cool
the city in summer and support biodiversity, but also for often providing space for sport
and other healthy activities. Parks and gardens, green roofs and walls (sometimes called
vertical gardens), green streets and corridors, urban nature, sports and play spaces and
surplus land are considered as green areas.
In many cases blue areas, the surfaces of water are managed together with green areas, as
they are also natural spots increasing biodiversity, cooling the city and can help to protect
human health.
2.3.7. Education and public participation
As we saw, the efficiency of many of the above mentioned solutions highly depends on
personal choices. It is really important that the residents understand and use the provided
infrastructures and their working methods. Their cooperation with each other and the
management of the district is needed in order to become truly sustainable. They have to
be involved in the early stage of planning and design, as well as constantly consulted with
as they are the users of the final product; they are the main reason for the project. Only
public agreement can legitimate such great projects, and it cannot exist without education
and promotion. Advertising ecologic project also increases public awareness and demand
for further environmental solutions.

26
Urban Renewal in Lyon Confluence The green confluence
3. The green confluence
3.1. Overview
Today the biggest urban development project – one of the biggest in Europe – is being
carried out in the Confluence of the Rhône and the Saône. The city centre of Lyon will
be doubled aiming exemplary high quality in terms of urban planning, architecture,
landscaping and environmental impact, using 150 hectares of industrial area. The Perrache
district is consist of an active working-class neighbourhood, called Sainte-Blandine,
industrial territories of the previous Port Rambaud and the so-called Market area that was
France’s biggest wholesale market once.
Fig 12.
An overview of the
project as it will look
like after finishing

27
The quarter will have very diverse functions. The new heart of the district will be the Place
Nautique, where the water will flow in the land reminding the historical but filled docks.
Today there are 7000 people lives in the area; this number is expected to grow to 10500 for
the end of the first phase of the project and to 17000 with the second phase. There will be
wide range of housing; the three central blocks of new buildings will contain 44% luxury
homes, 33% standard and mid-price rental and 23% social housing. New offices will be
built, increasing the number of 7000 jobs to 14000 then 27000 for the end of the second
stage. Local parks – i.e. Berges de Saône riverside park –, new squares – including the Place
des Archives at the renovated and expanded building of the Municipal Archives – and sport
facilities will be created. The buildings of the harbour will be renovated and will give place
for cultural activities, to the very tip of the peninsula the Coop Himmelb(l)au designed
the Musée des Confluences, a new 25000 m2
museum with emblematic shape, devoted
to sciences and society. Cultural improvements also include the renovation and expansion
of the Municipal Archives, establishment of schools, new university buildings, youth
community and cultural centres. The new Headquarters of the Rhône-Alpes Regional
Council will also be established here, near by the Place Nautique. The retail and leisure
zone will house recreational activities, cinemas and shopping centres.
Phase 2 will take place on the east side of the Confluence next to the Rhône (but divided
from it by a motorway). Many of the existing market buildings will be kept and renovated,
to give the area a distinct look and identity and to provide affordable rental spaces for
workshops and other small businesses. This new area – the Market quarter – is planned
as a mix of homes, shops and offices in a network of streets and courtyards. Between this
territory and the museum at the end of the land, a green area, called Le Champ (The
Field) will be created segmented by small streams, covered by grass and plants recalling the
original marshlands, and expected to support biodiversity. Fig 13.
Promenade on the
bank of the Saône

28

29
Fig 14. (on the previous page)
Detailed masterplan showing
each site of the project
Place des Archives
1. Place des Archives
pedestrian public space – 6 500 m²
2. Carpark at the Archives
public underground car park : 632
spaces / 8 levels
3. «Time Square»,
offices and shops on the ground
floor – 3 600 m²
4. «Espace Confluence»,
offices and shops on the ground
floor – 3 580 m²
Perrache – Sainte-Blandine
5. Regional Headquarters of
SNCF
offices
6. 17–18–19 quai Perrache
undefined
7. «Patio Presqu’île », angle
Bayard/Delandine
110 “standard”first time buy homes
8. CRCI, quai Perrache
offices
Bayard
9. Pôle Sud
offices – 1 300 m²
10. 26 rue Seguin
93 homes (unrestricted rental) – 8
200 m²
11. Sonny Anderson football
pitch and club house
sport facilities
12. «Au fil de l’eau», Block E1
57 dwelling units (31 social rental,
26 social first-time buy) – 4 800 m²
13. Block E2
Head Office of Banque de France – 6
400 m²
14. «Amplia» Block E3
66 dwelling units (51 unrestricted
and 15 “intermediate” first-time buy)
– 5 600 m²
15. «Le logis vert », Block E4
77 homes (43 unrestricted and 11
“intermediate” first time buy, 23
social rental) and shops on the
ground floor – 7 000 m²
16. Poste RTE (extension)
extension of existing electrical sub-
station
17. Block F1
66 dwelling units (33 social first-time
buy, 33 social rental) and shops on
the ground floor – 5 200 m²
18. Périer School, Block F2
Nine-class school with footbridge
between elementary and primary
sections – 4 700 m²
19. Athletic field
sport facilities
20. Voiries Bayard – Bichat –
Denuzière – Road C
roads and public spaces – 22 500 m²
21. Parc de Saône
Green surface of 14 hectares total
area, comprising : Saône-side
walkway, three water gardens,
neighbourhood gardens, garden
at centre of block, and landscaped
treets and small squares
Place nautique
22. «Saône Park», Block A
220 homes (incl. 19 for social rental)
and shops on ground floor – 19
500 m²
23. «Lyon Islands », Block B
292 housing units (229 unrestricted
and 32 social first time buy, 32 high-
support social rental) and shops on
ground floor – 30 800 m²
24. «Le Monolithe», Block C
152 homes (44 unrestricted first time
buy, 28 “intermediate” rental, 80
high support social rental), offices
(14300 m²) and shops on the ground
floor – 28 200 m²
25. MJC et capitainerie
Youth and Culture centre (Lyon
Perrache) and port captain’s office
for Place Nautique, 1300 m² total
net floor area
26. Place nautique
Four-hectare public marina
27. Fixed footbridge of the place
nautique
62 m-long, 80-tonne footbridge
28. Mobile footbridge of the
place nautique
footbridge with reduced mobility
access
29. Leisure and commercial
centre
63000 m² total net floor area incl.
25000 m² (leisure and cinema
complex), 19900 m² (shops) and
7000 m² (restaurants and services) +
3-star hotel (7700 m²) – 70 700 m²
30. Hôtel de Région
Headquarters of Rhône-Alpes
Regional Council – offices – 44000
m²
31. Roads Perier -Montrochet
roads and public spaces – 24000 m²
Port Rambaud
32. Le Progrès + TLM
33. Eiffage
Head Office of construction group
Eiffage – 15600 m²
34. Pavillon de « l’ancienne
capitainerie » (P1)
undefined
35. Pavillon «des Radios » (P2)
offices – 4000 m²
36. Pavillon des Salins (P3)
Refurbishment (Le Bec restaurant
and food mall) and extension
(Groupe Cardinal offices) – 6 300 m²
37. Pavillon des Douanes: « 45
quai Rambaud» (P4)
Refurbishment to create offices ands
art galleries on ground floor, and a
restaurant – 4 700 m²
38. Pavillon «La Sucrière» (P5)
Refurbishment to create large-
events venue – 9000 m²
39. Pavillon 6 (P6)
hotel – 6 700 m²
40. Pavillon 7 (P7)
41. Pavillon 8 (P8)
offices – 8000 m²
42. Pavillon «Z» (PZ)
undefined – 1000 m²
43. Public Places of Port
Rambaud
public space – 3,8 hectares
44. Musée des Confluences
Museum devoted to sciences and
society – 25000 m²
Marché / Phase 2
45. Central square
public space – 7000 m²

30
3.2. Story of the project
The discussion of the renewal project started in 1997 by Grand Lyon’s local government that
started an initial consultation about the development of the area. In 1998, the basic plans
were made under the title ‘Lyon Confluence: Projet Urbain’ (Lyon Confluence, 1998) Next
year a mixed enterprise, the SEM Lyon Confluence (‘société anonyme d’économie mixte
locale’) was established to implement it, and the clearing of the area is started. Architect
François Grether and landscape designer Michel Desvigne were chosen to draw up the
overall plan for the territory. They proposed the realisation of a 340000 m2
project on 41
hectares.
In 2003 Grand Lyon accepted and launched
the first phase with a legal construction,
called ZAC. It is abbreviated from ‘zone
d’amenagement concerté’ and is “a zone
in which a competent local authority or
public body decides to intervene in order
to implement infrastructure works, (...)
the procedure is used for large projects
in which it is necessary to know only the
general orientations of the development.”
(Wood Williams, 1992) The work on
the tramway was also started this year. Real-
estate developers and designers were called
for tender that, at this time, did not contain
the idea of establishing an ecological district.
The main guidelines gave only the idea of
a new high-tech district, a new city centre
with distinctive, modern building designs
and public spaces. It was going to be a new
Part Dieu – Lyons large business district with
high-rise office buildings, a great shopping
mall and the central TGV station – but this
time for a mixed use, mainly housing.
For the initiative of HESPUL, a non-profit
association specialised in renewable energy
sources and rationalisation of energy-use,
Lyon together with Lombardy (Italy) and
Zaragoza (Spain) applied to the European
Commission’s CONCERTO programme, forming the RENAISSANCE project. In
December 2003 a proposal was submitted to the European Commission relating to
the first three blocks of housing (called A, B and C blocks – or îlot in French) to be
constructed in the area. The objectives set out in this proposal were a maximum energy
consumption for heating of 60 kWh/m²/year (40% less than the then French regulation,
RT2000), 80% of heat and domestic hot water demand from renewable energy, 50% of
electricity demand for communal areas from renewable energy. When, in March 2004,
the European Commission evaluated this proposal and ranked it in first position, SEM
Fig 15.
Phases of the project

31
Lyon-Confluence immediately upgraded its’ guideline for the selection of developers that
provided architectural and environmental requirements with the technical details of the
proposal.
In January 2005 three developers were selected to each build one section of the estate,
following the architectural, environmental and energy guidelines provided. Buildings
designed by each developer included wood chip fired boilers, solar thermal systems and PV
in order to comply with the renewable energy requirements of this guideline. (Gaiddon,
2007) In 2005 the tram was put into service on the Cours Charlemagne, the ‘main street’
of the Confluence. The work of realignment and reduction of the old railway tracks began.
Construction of new railway bridges and viaducts made possible the extension of existing
routes to the Saône. The works were accompanied by rehabilitation of polluted soil. The site
was chosen to give new home for the Headquarters of the Rhône-Alpes Regional Council.
In 2006 the works began on the site of the future Place Nautique, including the digging
of the new docks after the prefectural approval of the plans. Works had been carried out
on the south of the place, on the site of the Port Rambaud (renamed as Quai Rambaud),
on the point of confluence for the museum and on the northern part of the district, at
the Municipal Archives. The wholesale market was moved to the outskirts of the city, the
project’s public communication centre, Maison de la Confluence was opened, and the first
flats were sold.
In 2007 developers and designers of the Blocks E3 and E4 (on the north of the Blocks
B and C) were selected. Following the example and success of the ecologic properties
of the first three lots, they were designed to be even more energy efficient, gone beyond
the requirements of HQE to achieve a Very High Environmental Quality (THQE) using
renewable energy from 35% to 100%. (In Lyon, the HQE limit for renewable energy
Fig 16.
Perspective over the
Place Nautique

32
is 20%.) The public consultation and planning of the second phase about the ‘Market
District’ began in the same year, while some of the designers were also chosen.
The next year the SEM Lyon Confluence became a public development company (SPLA).
The public discussion of the Phase 2 continued with the exhibition ‘Ma ville demain’ (My
city tomorrow) and the invitation of comments of the project. The water from the Saône
was let to flow in the docks and the first apartment building was inaugurated on 26 rue
Seguin.
In 2009 team Herzog De Meuron was selected to design the urban project of the second
phase. In order to decrease the quality differences in the new and old parts of the quarter, a
study for eco-friendly renovations Sainte-Blandine district was launched. It will effect 7200
people and 100000 m2
of buildings. The two prisons were moved from their historical
buildings to Corbas, south-east of Lyon. Some of the office buildings – for example the
striking Pavillon des Salins by the architects Jakob+MacFarlane –, along with the restaurant
and market of the two star chef, Nicolas Le Bec in the renovated building of the docks, the
first kilometre of the walk along the Saône and the Jardin Aquatic Nord – part of the Park
Saône – were opened, attracting people to the area. (Bolitho, 2010)
In 2010 the ZAC for the second phase was launched for 35 hectares of land. The Place
Nautique is partially, the Blocks A, B and C are completely finished, the car-park at the
Place des Archives and the Parc Saône are opened to the public. Grand Lyon signed
cooperation with WWF France in order to develop the Confluence district to the first
WWF One Planet Living certified neighbourhood of France in the next 5 years. To achieve
this, wider view of sustainability is needed then concentrating only on energy efficiency;
targets about drastic reduction of greenhouse gases and waste, development of sustainable
transportation, protection of cultural and natural heritage are agreed on.
In the following years the Leisure and Commercial Centre, the Blocks E and F, all the
pavilions along the Saône, the rest of the first phase’s public spaces, the Périer school
complex and the MJC youth hall community centre are planned to be delivered. The
revision of the local plan in connection of the finished first and starting second phase is
scheduled for 2011. Until 2014 the tramway will be extended to Gerland, the quarter on
the other side of the Rhône that will be possible to reach also on a footbridge for this time,
and the Musée des Confluences will be handed over. (The construction of the latter is
halted by technical and financial difficulties, so the date of deliverance is unsure.)
The project is planned to be completely finish for 2020, until this date Transverse, a
passageway connecting the far ends of the two rivers through the Confluence, will be built,
the Market quarter and the Field will be finished and the district will be fully occupied by
the thousands of its new inhabitants.

33
3.3. Analysis of ecologic principles
3.3.1. Energy
This aspect is the source of the idea of implementing ecological considerations in the
Confluence, and this is the one most comprehensively applied. The CONCERTO
programme concentrates only on energy issues, so they were taken into account in an
early stage of design. The other principles had been considered only with the start of the
partnership with WWF on the One Planet Living initiative, therefore they will be applied
from the second phase of the project.
The central Blocks (‘Îlots’) A, B and C are the first in the district to be designed in High
Environmental Quality; they are the subject of the RENAISSANCE project. The three
adjacent lots contain 660 apartments, 18000 m2
of office space and shops on the street
level (approximately 75000 m2
altogether) shared among 21 new buildings.
The houses are designed to be energy efficient with the following target values. The
residential areas are expected to use less than 60 kWh/m2
/year for heating (in opposite to
the national average of 110 kWh/m2
/year), 25 kWh/m2
/year for the domestic hot water
supply (instead of 40 kWh/m2
/year) and consume 25 kWh/m2
/year of electricity (instead
of 50 kWh/m2
/year). The offices are planned to use a maximum of 40 kWh/m2
for heating,
5 kWh/m2
for hot water, 10 kWh/m2
for air conditioning and 35 kWh/m2
for all the other
electric installations every year. This project is the very first one in France on this scale to
reduce to this extent the consumption of conventional energy (-77% compared to the
current regulations laid down in RT 2000).
Innovation is more based on technical aspects because a huge metering campaign has been
displayed. Altogether, 2800 meters will make able to follow energy flow (meteorological
data, real conditions of constructions, energy consumption) and target the maximum
of ‘explanative parameters’. The evaluation will enable a better understanding of green
Fig 17.
View on the three
blocks - A, B and
C - that form subject
of the CONCERTO
project

34
buildings’ behaviour and the users influence from the energetic point of view. The results
are planned to be used on following phases and in future projects.
The energy generation for heating and domestic hot water is solved through the combination
of solar thermal panels (489 m2
), on-site wood-fired boilers (with a total a 2,160 kW
power) with natural gas back-up. Photovoltaic panels installed on the three blocks of houses
generate 89 MWh of electricity every year. The investment costs for these energy supply
technologies were covered by the developers whereas their maintenance and operation will
be taken over by a special association of co-ownerships (“Association Syndicale Libre”). In
particular, this association will benefit from selling electricity, meaning that the owners will
have reduced running costs.
3.3.2. Waste
The objective stated in the agreement with WWF is to reduce the ratio of non-recycled, non-
recovered and non-composted waste to 30%. This is going to be achieved by cooperating
with the shops, for example in the shopping mall and by providing possibility to separate
waste. Specifications of building block will contain proposal for local composting solution.
A study is launched on collecting the compost across the district. The Ministry of Ecology
recently launched a wide media campaign to convince people to reduce their household
litter.
Further results could be reached by following the
example of another One Planet neighbourhood,
BedZED that collects and recycles the offices’ paper
waste, and runs a swap shop for unused clothes and
furniture. Latter can be used for charity, supporting
social sustainability and strengthen community.
3.3.3. Transportation
The nearby shops and services are promoted and the
short trips are made possible to be taken on foot.
Public transport will be developed; the objective is
to have a stop in a maximum distance of 500 meters
from anywhere in the district. The tramway will
be extended and joined to the metro in Gerland
through one of the new bridges. Alternative ways
of transports, such as water-bus or shared electric
vehicles are subjects of a study. The private usage
of motorised vehicles causes the biggest problem
of fluidity and pollution in cities, attempts will be
made to reduce it. This will happen partly through
limitation of parking places, the final target is to
have 0.6 parking place per dwelling unit and one
for every 100 m2
of office space. There are plans to
promote Inter-Enterprise Travel Plans, cooperation
with the companies moving in the area in order to
reduce their unnecessary travels.
Fig 18.
Plan of the trafic in
the area
Red - Motorway
Orange - Main streets
of the district
Yellow - Secondary
streets with limited
trafic
Green - Pedestrian
area, forbidden for
motorised vehicles

35
Although there are new velo’v stations are to be placed, to make it easier and more effective
to use Lyon’s popular bike-hire system, I could not find plans to extend the existing bicycle-
road network. Currently there are two longitudinal lines are in the quarter, one on the
Cours Charlemagne along the spine of the peninsula and one along the Saône, but they
are not connected crosswise. By bike the district is accessible only through the dark and
stinking vaults of the Perrache station. On some long-term planning the quay of the Rhône
is also a promenade for pedestrians and bicycles, but today it is separated from the district
by a busy motorway.
I think, the most necessary improvement would be the relocation of this highway. It is
responsible for a lot of noise- and greenhouse gas-pollution, and even if it is paradox to
say about a road, obstructs the movement, in and around the area. The potentials of the
local authorities are very limited, as the operator of the road is the national enterprise of
motorways. In their – quite reasonable – opinion it cannot be removed until the western
peripheral ring is not built around the city. The time of this is undecided.
3.3.4. Water and health
The requirements of High Environmental Quality certification contain guidelines for
water management. They demand a healthy, good quality drinking water and a leakage-
free supply system. These are necessary for good health and indoor climate, but do not go
further than what any homeowner would expect today. Such a huge and ambitious project
would be a perfect field for exemplary innovations, like grey-water reuse or collection
of rainwater. Water-saving installations would have a remarkable effect applied in such
scale. The area is directly surrounded by the rivers, this should also lead special interest to
the alternative use of water. The innovations supporting the healthy environment partly
contained in the development of transport, water management and green spaces, partly
provided by establishing leisure and sport facilities.
Fig 19.
The Place Nautique
Inhabitants are
encouraged to use
the public spaces for
healthy activities

36
3.3.5. Green areas
The Confluence contains approximately 35 hectares of green spaces. Part of the first phase
is the Parc de la Saône occupying 3 hectares and containing the Jardin aquatique (Aquatic
garden) planted with a flora of over 3000 plants of local species. The biggest green surface
of the project will be Le Champ (The Field), a park created in the second phase with small
natural flowing waters, expected to attract birds and wildlife. Biodiversity will be constantly
monitored, information about the natural heritage provided to the inhabitants and visitors.
3.3.6. Education and participation
There is a considerable attention on the public participation. The opinion of the inhabitants
is invited and appreciated since the early stages of design. Next to the websites advertising
and explaining the project (www.la-confluence.fr and www.lyon-confluence.fr) there is one
dedicated for the public discussion on the renewal (www.laconfluenceonendiscute.fr). The
Maison de la Confluence is an office on site created to welcome interest and civil opinion
as well as providing information about the plans. There is an informative model of the
district, all the press-material is available along with films projected about the project.
The sub-contractors, including their on-site craftsmen participated in training sessions
about the new techniques and ecologic solutions in order to carry out the work in the
expected quality. The residents also received education and handed-out booklets to get
information about the urban project as well as to increase their public awareness and
knowledge about becoming a ‘green citizen’ of the city. There will be material provided to
the operators of the building in order to avoid problems of maintenance of the installation
such as boilers or solar panels. Attempts are being made to strengthen the community of
the residents to motivate each other for a responsibility towards the environment.
Fig 20.
Le Champ
The Field

37
3.4. Critics and suggestions
3.4.1. Artificial and natural barriers
As I see, the principal problem of the area is being strictly closed, an issue that have not
been solved in the project. It can be considered as a triangle, with rivers on two sides and
the railway with the Gare de Lyon-Perrache station on the third.
The barrier of the rail tracks is doubled by the highways meeting in the ‘Perrache-Lyon
Transit Complex’. The historical passages under the train station that once represented the
connection are lengthened to dark and long tunnels by this complex, forming an almost
impermeable obstacle. The more pleasant way to access the quarter from the north is the
one what pedestrians chose; to go up, over the tracks and roads. This also underlines the
effort has to be made to enter to the Confluence rather than attracting people.
The premier goal of the renewal project, to extend the city centre of Lyon, is not reached
until these structures form such barriers. Today – and in the last 300 years – the hearth of
the city is around Place Bellecour,
north from the Perrache district
isolated from the Confluence.
It seems that the only way to
extend it to the south until
the end of the peninsula is to
demolish the existing motorway
junction complex that forms a
weight oppressing the city. The
enormous scale and the structure
of this building – mainly in-situ
reinforced concrete – makes
this almost impossible or at
any rate extremely expensive. If
the western peripheral ring of
the motorway would be built
around the town, leading at
least part of the traffic out of
the city centre, the complex
would lose its important role. Its
rehabilitation and the conversion
to a different function could
form the subject of another
great-scale urban project. Until
this the management of the city that aims to double the centre should find solution for the
access to the Confluence on the ground level therefore attractive alternative usage of the
tunnels. If they would have a clearly defined function that fits in the centre of a European
city, for example shops, the Bellecour area could be really joined – more than divided – by
them to the Confluence.
Fig 21.
Proposal for the new
sections of motor-
ways and modifica-
tion of the existing
parts from 2009

38
Until the existing artificial barriers exist, in my opinion, the Lyon will have not one
extended but two competing city centre. In some cases, this could be considered as a
positive result but here it will just strengthen the proportions of Lyon. The so-called Grand
Lyon is a conurbation formed by several different towns that has already many – maybe too
many – focal points. There are two historical centres, Vieux Lyon (Old Lyon) on the right
bank of the Saône and the hill Croix Rousse that close the peninsula on the north. There
is a business-centre, Part-Dieu, an educational centre at La Doua and there is Gerland that
meant to form the new industrial centre in the plans of Tony Garnier and Édouard Herriot
in the first half of the 20th
century.
The proximity of the rivers is holding more opportunities than challenges. Their limiting
functioncanbetakenawaybybridgesthataregivinggoodchancetoarchitectsandengineers
to design aesthetic and practical link to other parts of the city. The coast of the Saône will
be given to the public as park and promenade. Unfortunately the Peninsulas other banks,
those at the Rhône are strictly divided by from the quarter by the motorway. One of the
nicest ways to spend a sunny afternoon in Lyon is to go for jogging, biking, having a
romantic walk or to watch your children play outdoors. All of these can be done on the
left bank of the Rhône, on the quay running along the city, giving home to playgrounds,
bike- and jogging-paths, skate park, public swimming pools as well as cafés and restaurants
floating on the river. As long as the motorway exists in the city, the other side of the river
will be not only geographically the opposite of this promenade.
3.4.2. The unforeseen future
The mentioned issues highlight another possible challenge. The problems of today are
rooted in the great innovation projects of yesterday, because of the town planners’ disability
to see the long-term changes of urban lifestyles. Attracting industrial activities was a
pioneering improvement of the city in the middle of the 19th
century, but is problem for the
inhabitants today, because factories do not belong to the idea of a city-centre. The building
of the Perrache station generated busy social life on its northern side, but stigmatised the
Confluence for a long period as an industrial area. In the 1970s, the quality of modern life
was symbolised by a car; finally really everybody could own one. In this point of view, it
could seem to be a good idea to build a motorway in the middle of a city to guarantee the
‘fluidity’ and mobility for the fast new lifestyles. In my opinion it was a serious mistake of
urban planners; 30 years were enough to turn the private car usage to the biggest retardant
of free urban mobility and fluidity. The ‘Perrache-Lyon Transit Complex’, the largest
innovation of urban development of the seventies in Lyon is the principal obstacle of the
ambitions to enlarge the city-centre these days.
Today we still cannot predict how the world will look like fifty or hundred years from now.
We are not better oracles than in the ancient times of the Delphic Oracle. Today it seems
expedient to equip our houses with solar thermal collectors or photovoltaic panels due to
the known issues about them. It is highly possible to find better solution in the upcoming
decades or to have another good reason to rebuild the district. I believe that during the
design and construction of buildings we have to aspire long durability, but have to take the
end of the structures into account. We have to make the work of the demolishers easy. The
building is calculated in the embodied energy, but the destruction is not often.

39
3.4.3. The prisons
Two great buildings were built in the second half of the 19th
century in the Perrache
quarter to house the Prisons Saint-Paul and Saint-Joseph. They are between the residential
Sainte-Blandine district that is currently under renovation and the railways. In 2009 all
the prisoners were transferred to the new establishment, located in Corbas, leaving the
buildings empty and unused. (Le Figaro, 2010) The future of the blocks is undecided. An
association has been founded against the possible demolition of the historical buildings
that have high architectural and patrimonial values. They are collecting signatures on their
website (sauvonslesprisonsdeperrache.over-blog.org/) for a petition aiming to protect the
buildings.
In my opinion, this can only be reached if a new function is found. The arrangement,
structure and history of the buildings limit the possibilities of reuse, but they could be
perfect subject for a conversion for cultural or educational use. The two blocks – one
of them has a radiant organisation, the other parallel wings – could successfully house a
university or museum. By removing the high walls, public spaces could be set free and used.
(After I finished this part, the new function of the prison buildings was announced. Lyons
Catholic University will move in.) (Roman, 2010)
Fig 22.
Aerial view of the
Prisons Saint-Paul
and Saint-Joseph

40
Urban Renewal in Lyon Confluence Summary of Working Process
4. Summary of Working Process
I visited the site several times to have realistic information about the project and to make
photos. The Maison de la Confluence is also situated there. It is an information centre
where I could consult people, who have direct knowledge about the plans and ongoing or
finished works. Models and press materials were also available there.
The municipal libraries and archive provided lot of information about the history and
development of the area.
When I wanted to analyse the renewal project according to sustainability, I faced the lack
of clear definition of a sustainable district. I made a research in books and online sources
about this subject, and decided to concentrate on the ecologic aspects, and leave out the
principles of social and economic sustainability because of the size of this study. I analysed
different agreements, reports and regulations in the theme as well as results of relevant
international conferences.
There are rich online sources about the project operated by the developers, including the
SPLA Lyon Confluence. Most of the illustrations are also from there. I also found a lot of
information in the media and in articles and reports from partners involved in the project.
I sent letters to many of the participating architects, urban planners, developers and
researchers; I received answer only from HESPUL, a non-profit organisation that initiated
the ecologic development of the area. I interviewed one of their associates, who gave
me valuable direct information and honest opinion. This interview can be found in the
appendix of my report.

41
Urban Renewal in Lyon Confluence Bibliography
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44
Urban Renewal in Lyon Confluence Appendix 1: Interview at HESPUL
Appendix 1: Interview at HESPUL
HESPUL is a non-profit organisation specialised in renewable energy sources and rational
use of energy. The initiative of applying ecologic ideas to the conversion project of the
Confluence by joining to the European Commission’s CONCERTO programme came
from this association. One of the associates, Malorie Clermont answered my questions.
How did this urban project start?
The project started back in the nineties. The aim was to extend the city centre in a procedure
called ’zone d’aménagement concerté’. It is related to the participation of inhabitants, to
give their point of view about the development of the area.
Why did they have to change the area?
The developers faced every kind of problem that this kind of area can have. The quarter is
much closed between the railway, the motorway and the rivers. There was heavy industry
with a lot of pollution.
How the idea of an eco-district came up?
At the beginning they didn’t really know what they want to do with the area. In 2003
they called the architects and real-estate developers for tender to plan the first phase. The
main criterion for the tender was high quality of architectural design. They wanted a
distinctive place with special structures, and diversity in function, social housing as well as
luxury apartments, offices and other buildings. The environmental criteria came after. The
European Commission announced the CONCERTO programme about energy objectives.
At this time the objective of an eco-district was not named. HESPUL is very involved in
European project, so we heard about this proposal and suggested to participate to Grand
Lyon. The local authority was really interested, so they adopted it for the first three blocks
of the project.
The ecologic targets were applied on the on-going project? Did this cause difficulties?
Did you see the buildings? They have very particular design. The plans that were already
drawn for the houses, the shapes of the buildings were not really compatible with energy
efficiency. The îlot C, the Monolith is very compact, so it was easy to apply the ideas on,
but the other two were not. The problem was that the designers and developers were
selected already in 2003, but the environmental programme was accepted only in 2005,
when the discussion with the European Commission and the negotiation of the budget
finished. Than the architects had to modify the plans, because they were not aware of the
strict energy objectives; only the HQE criteria in the original specifications and the French
energy performance regulation, Réglementation Thermique 2000. With the arrival of the
CONCERTO, they modified the plans to fit the new RT 2012.

45
Urban Renewal in Lyon Confluence Appendix 1: Interview at HESPUL
What were the other objectives and requirements?
For the CONCERTO programme, the involvement of the local authority was very
important; they wanted the politicians to be really involved. Another requirement was
to integrate energy efficiency and renewables in the energy policy and the monitoring of
technology. For the contract, we had to set energy objectives: less consumption than 25
kwh/m2/year, provided by at least in 80% of renewable energy sources. I think they were
very ambitious objectives. It was going to be a programme for 5 years, but our project will
be extended to 7 years to last until 2012.
How did the ecologic ideas expand from these only three blocks?
The CONCERTO project was so successful that the developers of the next buildings in
the E and F blocks wanted to go even further, to create zero energy and positive energy
buildings. This was the first effect of our project. They are also working on refurbishment
of old buildings in the Sainte-Blandine districts. There are two reasons for this: not to have
two different areas, a new and an old, and to decrease the high energy consumption of the
old houses. The same team, who is working on the RENAISSANCE project, is involved
in the renovations. They have chosen some buildings to experiment on the technology and
on the interaction with the inhabitants, in order to use the results for the whole confluence
and expand it for Grand Lyon. So another effect of the CONCERTO programme is to
motivate more efficient construction and renovation through setting example.
Later WWF and Lyon signed a contract for cooperation for 4 years. This is extended for the
whole district, not only for the mentioned blocks, and follows every principle of WWF’s
One Planet Living, not only the issues of energy.
I think, transportation in French cities is a major issue. What are the plans for the development of
this?
For the end of the project, they want to reach 0,7 parking places per flat. The already
built houses have 1 or sometimes 2 places per apartment, because it would be really hard
to sell the apartments without parking possibilities. The tramway will be developed, and
new stations will be made for the Vélo’v, Lyon’s bicycle rent service. The innovation of
transportation is not very well planned yet. The people also have to grow in mind and take
those aspects into account. It is very difficult for people to change their habits. The first
step was the energy. To realise that we cannot continue our habitual way of life any further.
Are the partners concerned about these matters?
We have public partners, like universities or associations, who are easy to agree with on
environmental considerations, but there are also private, business-oriented partners, like
real-estate developers. It was an ambitious point in the CONCERTO contract to oblige
them to respect the energy objectives of the programme. We want also to study within
the programme the changes it generates; the changes in the way of developers to select
architects, to see new projects or to think about efficient buildings.
Who are the different partners participating in the project?
It is coordinated by Grand Lyon, the local authority through its public development
company, SPLA Lyon Confluence. The partners include HESPUL; INSA, the National
Institute of Applied Sciences that is part of the university that supports the project with

Urban Renewal In Lyon Confluence

Urban Renewal In Lyon Confluence

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