Our Project

For the past decades historical centers have been suffering from an important loss of interest, whereas old european cities met THE sustainable urban model, thanks to urban density, high architectural quality, diversity and proximity of urban facilities. The LINKS project aims at reconciling patrimonial and environmental qualities to get a sustainable and desirable housing environment in the heart of the cities for a diversified population. 

The cities involved in LINKS project aim to replace their historical cities into a dynamic of residential attractiveness while preserving the architectural identity cultural heritage and historical values. The challenge is to improve quality of life in old centres and to create a comfortable, affordable and sustainable housing seeking out a good balance between preservation requirement and evolution need.

The Old European City as THE sustainable urban model

Challenges

The main expected outputs of the LINKS project are :

  • develop an approach of the social request in urban housing environment based on city centres' way of life analysis to define these expectations and to answer to them.
  • define the state of the knowledge of the traditional architectures in particular to highlight intrinsic environmental qualities of protected architectural and urban heritage.
  • give an analysis of ancient buildings heritage' situation faced with the different standards.
  • determine, energy performances' objectives as well as opportunities for restorations respectful of building heritage and environment.
  • establish an inventory of all the mobilisable financial tools allowing eco-restoration.

Key point of focus

The old European town is already showing some advantages : urban density, high architectural quality and thrifty constructions in natural resources, diversity and proximity of urban functions as well as economical, cultural and educational development potential. All these assets make it THE sustainable city model. That's why revitalization and valorisation of ancient quarters is the main challenge for sustainable urban development.

A word from the lead partner

For several years, the City of Bayonne works toward highlighting its historic center and have gained a reputation of intransigence in patrimonial conservation, arguing that, at the risk of disappearing, ancient architectures cannot undergo normalization and technological evolutions without distinction.

To see there a backward-looking attitude means not to know the real stakes : the historical, architectural and urban heritage is by nature a factor of sustainable development. Its preservation and revitalization represent evolution prosprect which remain to explore. This is what the LINKS project aims to do.