Sunday in Paris 2030: Investigating a sustainable future in urban rhythms

A Ville de Paris (Paris City Council) initiative

Economic, social and technical development have transformed the urban rhythms during the last 30 years and determining a new horizon for the cities. Among those rhythms, Sundays’one occupy a special symbolic place. On the verge of the 20th century, in christian tradition —as the Lord’s Day— Sundays are sacralized. This dimension is vanished progressively only the years until today were Sundays are just another day in the week. But are they, really? In Paris, there has been a substantial increase in activities during this day over the last decades: commercially, with many more stores opened and extended shopping hours but also in cultural activities and events, sports, and public services. Is it similar to others big urban areas? Montreal provides an interesting study site. Its localization, its development schemes and its urban rhythms are typically North-American. This francophone city proposes a large array of activities on Sunday. But Montreal is also interesting because of its “seasonality”: what consequences have harsh winter conditions on sunday activities?

This research program aims at questioning the transformation of Parisian rhythms. Specifically: How does socio-economical evolution change Sunday activities? What makes it still different from the other days of the week? Is it becoming normal to offer a city without interruption, constantly opened, on a 24/7? How will our Sundays look like in 2030? Confronting territorial changes with the customs and representations of the populations and with placed-bases projects will help to understand urban rhythms, as well as Sunday evolution trends on the 2030 horizon. The research will result in propositions in the fields of urban planning, business and publics services to design desired sustainable futures.

Contact: Sandra Mallet – sandra.mallet@univ-reims.fr