Banlieue regeneration

One of the more positive responses by the French government to the riots that spread across French cities in Autumn 2005, was to suggest the much-needed regeneration of the banlieues in urban centres, and the tackling of high unemployment and a shortage of affordable housing.

When this article was published in 2006, there were 4 million social units with 1.3 million on the waiting list for HLM residences.

In 2000, the socialist government of the time, passed a law called 'Solidarite et Renouveau Urbain', requiring 20% of all new housing to be social housing by 2020, in towns of more than 3500 residents, and Chirac's centre-right majority subsequently also reinforced this policy.

To avoid demolition, the architect Chartier-Corbasson proposed the refurbishment of a derelict HLM in the Marais district of Paris (above left), while Jean Nouvel designed this HLM (top right) as a low-rise alternative in Mulhouse, eastern France.