Politique Internationale — What are the major difficulties facing a business district like La Défense in terms of sharing the public space? Are the broad outlines set in stone?
Georges Siffredi — La Défense was designed more than 60 years ago in an era when cars had a virtual monopoly on mobility issues. They were an absolute symbol of progress and freedom. The “split level” type of urban planning that is the hallmark of La Défense was the answer to a functionalist approach to Paris, with traffic flows separated according to usage. Underground: cars, deliveries and public transport. Above ground: pedestrian flows. This approach created pedestrian areas that were free of all motorised or bicycle traffic, but which were also disconnected by several meters from the public spaces on the natural ground. La Défense was an island, separated from neighbouring towns by a circular boulevard that it was impossible to cross.
P. I. — You talk about La Défense being an island in the past tense, which implies the situation has evolved...
G. S. — Lifestyles changed subsequently, and we have gone in a new direction for developing the district. The circular boulevard is becoming more urban and really connects La Défense and Courbevoie.
It is now up to the southern circular boulevard in Puteaux to reinvent itself, driven on by the teams from the Hauts-de-Seine Department. The health crisis has acted as a tremendous accelerator for expanding cycling at La Défense, as has been the case everywhere in Greater Paris. Six kilometres of bike path have been created in conjunction with all the relevant public actors, and numerous soft-mobility services have been rolled out on the esplanade.
P. I. — So, several players have taken their seat around the table…
G. S. — This collective momentum is the sine qua non for success. We will make our region more attractive and resilient by sharing and working together with public and private stakeholders. On January 1, 2018, the governance of the business district was transferred from the state to the local authorities on the Paris La Défense Board of Directors.
P. I. — La Défense’s nerve centre is its circular boulevard: it’s almost an institution…
G. S. — La Défense’s circular boulevard, now renamed Boulevard Patrick-Devedjian, became a departmental road in 2017. Today it is at the centre of a comprehensive redevelopment project to adapt it to new mobility uses. The aim is that pedestrians, cyclists and car drivers can circulate there in complete safety, and to turn it into a greener urban space with better connections to the surrounding towns. In fact, over the years the road has become less suited to the needs of users in terms of travel.
P. I. — How has this road opened up to innovation?
G. S. — The Hauts-de-Seine Department wanted to make Boulevard Patrick-Devedjian an innovation demonstrator. A call for projects was launched in 2019 in partnership with Cerema and Paris La Défense: RD993 LAB. The aim was to implement and study the evolution of innovative solutions for the roads of the future. Four projects are undergoing trials at present: Flowell: a leading-edge signalling solution; smart traffic management to improve traffic flow; Luciole®: “on demand” public lighting; and SOFFT Solutions: Systems for Optimising Traffic Flows at Traffic Lights. These projects are being carried out by major companies: Colas, Citeos (a subsidiary of VINCI Energies), Qucit, Eiffage and the Aximum group.
P. I. — How does tackling global warming serve as an accelerator for spatial planning schemes?
G. S. — The fight against global warming is forcing us to optimise and exploit what already exists. We can no longer systematically demolish in order to rebuild, as we could a few years ago. We need to have a more integrated, sustainable approach. La Défense boasts a terrific built heritage that can be transformed and adjusted as needs change. Tackling global warming gives a new impetus and different objectives to our projects. The user friendliness and modern characteristics of the spaces were the key factors for interpreting the success of the infrastructure facilities. They have now been improved with the addition of new features: we systematically assess the reduction of heat islands, unsealing the soil, and re-using existing materials when designing our projects. Transforming our practices is a gradual process, but we have already come a long way.
P. I. — Do you have specific goals for carbon neutrality?
G. S. — The aim we have set ourselves is designed to make Paris La Défense the first post-carbon business district on a global scale. One of the practical applications of this commitment is to halve greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, i.e. 10% more than provided for in the Climate Law.
P. I. — Are the hundreds of thousands of people who criss-cross La Défense every day grateful to you for all these efforts? Do you have any first-hand accounts to that effect?
G. S. — We gauge the satisfaction of our users on a regular basis with a satisfaction scale that we have employed annually for the past eight years. This is how we assess the impact of our actions on the major issues. Eighty percent of employees think that the district has changed for the better, and 91% find it friendlier.
In terms of green spaces, 94% of respondents are now satisfied with the quality, while only 59% were in 2013.
P. I. — What can be done to ensure that these major programmes are not a burden on the budgets?
G. S. — Our investment programmes for modernising and transforming La Défense are based on a 10-year timescale, with the Hauts-de-Seine Department contributing 360 million euros. Although this is a significant investment, it corresponds to the challenges and benefits represented by Europe’s leading business district.
P. I. — Do all the decision-makers around you share this same determination to transform the district or do you constantly have to explain the policy so they understand?
G. S. — Paris La Défense is a showcase for the French economy. Our public and private partners are all aware of how important it is that the district is attractive, with its exceptional concentration of French and foreign companies. The desire to transform and maintain the district’s leading position is shared and sought by everyone. This goes without saying.
P. I. — How do you let La Défense users know about the scope of these developments? Are they aware of it themselves? Or do you conduct organisational communication campaigns?
G. S. — Information about the developments at Paris La Défense is systematically given to our users in advance. It is essential for us not only to keep them informed, but also to involve them in our projects. We have just unveiled the Park project that will be implemented on the esplanade at La Défense. Prior discussions with the various local stakeholders were fed into this project. Residents, employees, retail traders and local businesses all helped to improve the situation analysis that our project was built on. These discussions fed into our development plans and help us provide public spaces that are suited to the needs of our users.
P. I. — In your role as an elected representative, do you derive any political gain from this development policy?
G. S. — The policy is a long-term project. It will only deliver results after many years of fine-tuning, finding financial balances and launching construction sites. You don’t do this kind of project for political gain; you do it in the general interest.
P. I. — Do you look at what is happening in these areas in other major business districts around the world? Contrariwise, is La Défense a source of inspiration for other districts?
G. S. — Environmental concerns are very real in Europe, but still only very tentatively addressed in the rest of the world, especially in Asia. The issue of transforming districts into living spaces is shared across the board. It has been fast forwarded by the health crisis, with a number of initiatives emerging in the four corners of the globe: leisure and cultural venues have been opened up, new housing has been built and so forth. The single-function business districts of the 20th century are no more.
P. I. — You spoke about the last 60 years; with the new developments, are we set for another 60 years? Or more or fewer?
G. S. — La Défense will never stop reinventing itself. It mirrors the changes in the way we live and work.