Cancelled // Juliette Hennequin: R-Urban - A Commons-Based Network of Civic Resilience

R-Urban is a project initiated by Atelier d’Architecture Autogérée as a commons-based network of civic resilience in Parisian suburbs. The network consists of civic hubs located in social housing estates, which are collectively managed by inhabitants. They offer opportunities (space, infrastructure, training, etc.) for citizens to develop collective resilience practices. This example illustrates one possible type of involvement architects can have in the process of the transition to commons. However, it is extremely challenging to set-up and sustain this transition in a capitalist society which has been developed specifically on the principles of privatisation and unrestricted exploitation of the planet’s resources. It is also challenging to fight against institutional blockages, individualistic mentalities, legal and economic limitations. The role of architects is therefore not only to design but also to sustain and actively defend the existing and emerging commons together with all those who are involved. In this presentation, Juliette Hennequin will go into details with the implementation of the network and the specific aspects related to it.

Juliette Hennequin is a young French architect, a member of AAA’s team since 2018, specialised in participation processes, in the design and construction phases. She works mostly with non-professional builders and vulnerable populations, trying to define a more welcoming and inclusive way of building our cities. Very interested and sensitive to the ecological footprint of constructions and their durability, she tends to work with reused, reemployed and bio-sourced materials, as well as traditional and accessible building techniques.