La Fabrique de la Cité is a think tank whose primary purpose is to contribute to current discussion on urban innovation. It favours an interdisciplinary approach that brings together thought leaders and players in the field of urban development from around the world to focus on research projects and seminars.
La Fabrique de la Cité organizes its activities around three research orientations: adaptation of existing cities, sustainable mobility, urban economy.

Looking for legacy : for a sustainable impact of major sports infrastructure

The notion of creating “legacy" has driven the development of sports infrastructure in London for the 2012 Olympic Games. These structures will be converted or entrusted to the community following the 30th Olympiad. Given the increasing interest in major sports events from the standpoint of urban planning and national economic development (2012 and 2016 Euro; 2014, 2018 and 2022 World Cup; 2012 and 2016 Olympic Games), on January 25, The City Factory has explored the potential impact of the new sports facilities being built on urban development.

Adaptation of existing cities

The reversible city

Given the current context of increasing uncertainty, how should we structure urban planning?
How do we deal with obsolete buildings, infrastructure, and uses?
Can cities be “reversible”?

The study, conducted in partnership with students from the regional and urban planning graduate program at ENPC (Ecole Nationale des Ponts et Chaussées), provides an analysis grid for rethinking urban development strategies by taking into account evolving expectations, functions, and uses.
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Mobility

New technologies and mobility

How make transportation infrastructure more effective?
How real-time data analysis can help to make urban infrastructure more effective ?

Carlo Ratti, Director of the SENSEable City Laboratory at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)presented, during La Fabrique de la Cité seminar about new technologies and mobility (Nice, november 2011, experiments currently under way in a number of large cities, notably, Venice, Copenhagen, and Singapore.

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Urban economy

What are the green growth funding solutions for the cities ?

What are the existing funding mechanisms and conditions for success for covering the incremental costs of “go-green” initiatives?
However, given significant budget constraints, what financial levers can cities use?

A study led by the OECD in partnership with The City Factory has reviewed the main funding tools for green growth and focused on several critical sectors, including transport, construction, and water and waste management.
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