La riconquista popolare della città storica a Saint-Macaire (Aquitania)

Abstract

The French town of Saint-Macaire, near Bordeaux along the Garonne, since 1967 has been representing an experiment site for the popular re-conquest of historic cities: from the restoration yard of the Benedictine cloister, wanted and managed by the village youth, the movement quickly switched its target towards municipal management. Over more than three decades of city government, it became possible to integrate into the historic city, read as a common good, public housing and collective facilities, re-appropriation of artisan skills and a dense cultural and associative activity, new and old dwellers. All this through forms of social self-organisation that have given rise to a fundamental grassroots planning experience.

Keywords

• urban planning
• historical built heritage
• historical city
• urban regeneration
• public housing