CityLab

Following the adoption of the French Mobility Orientation Law (Loi d’orientation des mobilités), the seven programmes in the three alliance schools have just concluded the 4^th annual CityLab. The 110 students involved worked for three consecutive days on issues raised by 11 partners regarding mobility.
The methods used are based on design thinking. 11 students were involved prior to the event and acted as facilitators. They were assisted by a team of six teachers. The students led their group to find the best solution to their sponsor’s problems.
This year’s main topic touched on one of the challenges facing the Law: intermodality or how to facilitate the interaction between different modes of transportation in a city including via waterways. Our partners have also expressed other expectations such as changes in usage: renting rather than owning, travelling in a more eco-friendly way and how this fits into different infrastructures.
The big winners at the 4^th annual CityLab were the groups that developed their proposal thinking far ahead to imagine a more sustainable and desirable future. These students worked on the issues raised by Suez (for the jury prize*) and by Inddigo (for the audience prize).
The first subject consisted of deconstructing the common view of utility vehicles as being disruptive in cities by proposing to expand upon their positive externalities. The second subject was a forecast of urban development in Mayotte. The students’ objective was to reflect on how a city can develop its activities around widespread soft mobility without resorting to vehicles.