And Now What?

On April 13, 2023, Franck Boutté was invited to Nantes to introduce a series of “urban walks” programmed by Ardepa (a regional organization for the dissemination and promotion of architecture) as part of the "Fabrics of our Cities" Great National Debate event organized by Nantes Métropole, an intercommunal structure centered on the city of Nantes.

Beyond the health, social, and economic crises that are undermining the well-established models we have long employed for the construction of our cities and regions, the impact of global warming is—at last—eliciting big questions among the entire chain of actors, from designers and developers to public authorities and residents, in the broadest sense of the word.

How should we continue to envision our cities and regions? Should we continue to build? And if so, where and under what conditions? How can we design in a way that balances efficiency and habitability? How can we work collectively and consciously to address the many mitigation and adaptation goals required to factor in the impact of global warming on the ways in which we live?

Through forward-looking and engaging narratives, Franck Boutté introduced the topics explored during Ardepa’s urban walks as part of the Great National Debate, taking participants on a journey towards possible and desirable futures for architecture, urban planning, and construction.