Neighborhood architecture: a survey from Cours Julien in Marseille
Architecture and landscape for democratic living #3
In the second session, we'll be looking at the issues raised by an emblematic public square in Marseille, the Cours Julien (1st and 6th arrondissements).
The Mucem, the venue for our discussions, echoes this theme by raising the question of its spatial design, including its gardens, and the public place it embodies in its operation. By observing the Cours Julien, we’ll explore what might constitute the architecture of the neighborhood.
Voted one of the “coolest neighborhoods in the world” by British magazine Time Out in 2023, the Cours Julien is one of Marseille’s best-loved and most frequented spots. Through a series of surveys and observations, we’ll explore the causes and reasons for its success. The emphasis will be on how the Cours Julien can be described as a “public place” rather than a public space. Architecture and landscape will be brought to the fore.
Session moderated by Joëlle Zask, philosopher, Director of Research, IUF, Aix-Marseille University.
Guest:
Nicolas Memain, title: “Promenade au Cours Julien
A specialist in twentieth-century urban planning and architecture, he has organized numerous architectural walks in several communes of the Bouches-du-Rhône region and participated in an architectural inventory for heritage departments. An urban planner without a degree, he has developed a form of local tourism motivated by a love of architecture.
In the second session, we'll be looking at the issues raised by an emblematic public square in Marseille, the Cours Julien (1st and 6th arrondissements).
The Mucem, the venue for our discussions, echoes this theme by raising the question of its spatial design, including its gardens, and the public place it embodies in its operation. By observing the Cours Julien, we’ll explore what might constitute the architecture of the neighborhood.
Voted one of the “coolest neighborhoods in the world” by British magazine Time Out in 2023, the Cours Julien is one of Marseille’s best-loved and most frequented spots. Through a series of surveys and observations, we’ll explore the causes and reasons for its success. The emphasis will be on how the Cours Julien can be described as a “public place” rather than a public space. Architecture and landscape will be brought to the fore.
Session moderated by Joëlle Zask, philosopher, Director of Research, IUF, Aix-Marseille University.
Guest:
Nicolas Memain, title: “Promenade au Cours Julien
A specialist in twentieth-century urban planning and architecture, he has organized numerous architectural walks in several communes of the Bouches-du-Rhône region and participated in an architectural inventory for heritage departments. An urban planner without a degree, he has developed a form of local tourism motivated by a love of architecture.
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