“Urbanisms of Dissent”

In this epoch of heightened vulnerability and uncertainty, we find ourselves confronting head-on the ecological ruin wrought by human activity and the detrimental impact of industrial advancement on the biosphere. As crisis management debates gain intensity, so too do critical dialogues surrounding traditional measures of socio-political progress, notably economic growth. Yet, while the prevailing narrative of development continues to shape political frameworks and inform policy, a burgeoning cohort of activists, ecologists, politicians, and ordinary citizens refuse to acquiesce to the passive acceptance of our planet's documented degradation.

Their dissenting actions not only challenge the status quo but also lay the groundwork for novel spatial and organizational paradigms. "Urbanisms of Dissent" draws inspiration from dissenting urban movements, prioritizing principles of human dignity, energy sobriety, community, and collective action as fundamental spatial strategies. By drawing upon pertinent precedents, design activists, in the guise of students, propose speculative interventions for a contested site in Paris: the storied Chemin de fer de Petite Ceinture, affectionately dubbed La Petite Ceinture.