Research project

Faced with the fragmented nature of historiographic publications on the Grand Paris development project and the paltry importance afforded to history in current metropolitan programmes, “Inventing Grand Paris” aims to construct an “entangled history” of this major development project. Entangled, because to capture the history of Grand Paris, we need to adopt diverse approaches that allow everyone to understand the metropolitan dynamics at work (metabolism, morphology, infrastructure, landscape, architecture, planning, institutions, sociology, etc.). Moreover, in the 20th century, this history formed part of an internationalisation of ideas and practices that require an understanding of planning in other global metropolises and the links forged with Grand Paris.

The project took on concrete form in 2012 under the impetus of a group of lecturer-researchers drawn from institutes specialised in architecture, landscaping, urbanism and the human and social sciences, around the centenary of the Commission for the enlargement of Paris, set up in 1913 by Louis Bonnier and Marcel Poëte. Four international conferences were organised at opportune dates between 2013 and 2016, focusing on key planning and development milestones throughout the 20th century that were of great importance in the approach adopted for Grand Paris and the links between Paris and its surrounding suburbs.To find out more

Scientific Coordination

Scientific Events

The website "Inventing Greater Paris: A cross-country history of metropolises"

An elaborate platform allowing access to the works already realized and providing research materials and tools in a cross-border international perspective. Find to more