Design Competition for Bordeaux Puts Nature First

As the city of Bordeaux, France, makes plans to move up the list of major European cities, it's calling on a multidisciplinary design competition for ways to revitalize its city from the top down by integrating "natural areas."

1 minute read

August 30, 2012, 5:00 AM PDT

By Emily Williams


As issues of global warming and climate change continue to play a prominent role in planning and political discourse, more cities are looking to nature for its sustainable and restorative qualities. A design competition in southern France called Bordeaux 55,000 challenges five multidisciplinary teams of designers to come up with the most innovative idea of "how best to transform 55,000 hectares (136,000 acres) into natural areas," reports John Thackara.

The teams include specialists in the areas of architecture, landscape, geography and ecology, to name a few, and are focusing their attention on revitalizing the major areas of focus which include "the heart of the city; major adjacent agricultural and forest areas; enhancement of wetlands or flood plains; and various wastelands."

One of the major challenges faced with these sorts of design competitions, writes Thackara, is creating a design that is more than just a pretty idea, but can actually be translated into reality. What sets this competition apart from many others are requirements for the five multidisciplinary teams to integrate the "concept of resilience, and the design principles of permaculture, in developing their proposals."

Wednesday, August 22, 2012 in The Design Observer Group

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 2, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

White and purple sign for Slow Street in San Francisco, California with people crossing crosswalk.

San Francisco Suspends Traffic Calming Amidst Record Deaths

Citing “a challenging fiscal landscape,” the city will cease the program on the heels of 42 traffic deaths, including 24 pedestrians.

July 1, 2025 - KQED

Google street view of red brick multi-story power plant building in Pittsburgh, PA.

Defunct Pittsburgh Power Plant to Become Residential Tower

A decommissioned steam heat plant will be redeveloped into almost 100 affordable housing units.

July 4 - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Cyclist on protected bike lane in middle of street in Washington D.C. with Washington Monument obelisk visible in background.

Trump Prompts Restructuring of Transportation Research Board in “Unprecedented Overreach”

The TRB has eliminated more than half of its committees including those focused on climate, equity, and cities.

July 4 - Streetsblog USA

Blue and silver Amtrak train at small station.

Amtrak Rolls Out New Orleans to Alabama “Mardi Gras” Train

The new service will operate morning and evening departures between Mobile and New Orleans.

July 3 - New Orleans City Business