“Plan d’Aou?” you ask. It sounds like a secret whispered on the wind. Let me tell you the story of Avenue du Plan d’Aou in Marseille. This avenue wasn’t always the vibrant place it is today.
Back in 1970, Plan d’Aou was a housing estate. It had 915 apartments perched on a plateau. The location was amazing. Residents enjoyed stunning views of the harbor and L’Estaque. But isolation and technical problems led to demolitions in the 1980s.
A large social and urban development project started in the following decade. Nearly 870 obsolete social housing units were torn down. People were rehoused in different areas. Yet, 380 new homes were built. Over 230 of those were right here on this site. The goal was to reconnect Plan d’Aou with Saint-Antoine. The project sought to revive the village center below.
Today, the urban renewal project is almost done. The final touches are happening around the Canovas belvedere. The area is now peaceful and valued. This is due to local groups and residents’ involvement.
Plan d’Aou has transformed. It is now a true piece of the city. The area offers many services. This creates a vibrant social scene. It helps reconnect the neighborhood to Marseille. Outsiders now visit because of the public amenities. There is a social center here. You will find a children’s center too. A media center is here plus a health center and a restaurant. Housing options have increased. Business is growing which renews interest in Plan d’Aou. Some families even want to move back.
The urban renewal project aims to integrate the neighborhood. It seeks to end the need for special support after years of it. Three new roads were built. They connect Plan d’Aou to its surroundings. This makes the once isolated area more accessible. Transportation has also improved.
Since 2015, a bus serves the plateau. Also a multimodal transport hub is being built near Saint-Antoine station. This hub will link Saint-Charles station and Marseille’s city center. The ride will be less than 10 minutes.
In 2012, the vacant lots became part of the Europan 12 competition. This competition sought architectural and urban ideas. It sped up the rate of change. Winning teams developed ways to involve residents in shaping the neighborhood.
The Europan competition was innovative in more than one way. Novel ideas for bioclimatic and Mediterranean architecture emerged. Concepts for affordable homeownership also appeared. These ideas directly influenced the Canovas belvedere and the Carré Sud project.
The current project focuses on a few things. It is working to increase the variety of housing. The Carré Sud project led by Erilia is part of this. It is also working to develop the Saint-Antoine transport hub.
Vision d’Aou stands out. Concorde Architecte Urbanisme designed it. The architecture is bioclimatic. It favors local and biosourced materials. Examples are Monomur brick and wooden frames.
The overall design creates a protected central area. It is shielded from city noise. Pedestrian paths and green spaces encourage community life. The apartment buildings all have sea views.
The project also considered safety. It implemented a closed condominium. This addresses security concerns.
The program’s design involved the community. The Collectif créatif des territoires led workshops. They used a design thinking approach. This ensured residents’ needs were met.
So, as you walk along Avenue du Plan d’Aou remember its journey. This avenue symbolizes renewal community and connection. It is a testament to what can be achieved. This can be achieved with vision and involvement.