international closed-loop, bottom-up urbanism
2012-2015 / Paris, France and London, UK / with Atelier d'Architecture Autogérée and Public Works


R-Urban is an urban regeneration programme centred on supporting self-organised, bottom-up practices of urban living, such as recycling, urban agriculture and co-housing.

The project seeks to cultivate social networks of individuals, societies and institutions anchored in built facilities that include an urban farm and recycling facility alongside start-up business units, workshops, teaching spaces and residential accommodation.

Funding was initially provided by the EU Life+ programme for environmental governance, with the intention to become self-funding in the medium term. The main prototypical facilities are located in the Paris suburb of Colombes, with a satellite project located in Hackney Wick, east London, designed to demonstrate transferability of concept, in line with funding requirements.