GrandAngoulême HUB-IN_CARAVANE CREATIVE LAB
A new roadmap will guide the enhancement of GrandAngoulême’s heritage through the creation of an urban regeneration hub
GrandAngoulême is an urban area with a strong industrial history that has been for decades transformed into a creative territory. Located in the Southwest of France in a rural region, just 30 minutes from Bordeaux and 2 hours from Paris (with the TGV train), GrandAngoulême gathers 38 municipalities with 141.000 inhabitants.
For 50 years, this area has been well-known among creative professionals for hosting the annual International Comic Strip Festival, gathering every year around 200.000 participants for 4 days. Thanks to the growth generated by this festival, the local economy has been reoriented towards creative industries. Today, there are more than 100 enterprises focusing on the image sector (animation studios, sound studios, local comics editors, video games) and 14 secondary schools focusing on the image and creative industries (documentary films, animation, video games, comics and illustrations, mangas). Furthermore, Angoulême joined the UNESCO Creative Cities Network in 2019.
AN INDUSTRIAL HERITAGE TO BE ENHANCED AND PRESERVED
GrandAngoulême HUB-IN project aims to fight against the neglect and abandonment of the industrial heritage and the lack of preservation of the inhabitants’ memory.
The urban identity of this territory is very marked by the industrial period of the 19th and 20th centuries, and particularly that of the paper industry. The Charente River crosses the territory and has an intangible heritage still valued among the inhabitants. To improve the quality of life, GrandAngoulême wants to restore the Charente River from an environmental, economic and heritage perspective via sustainable initiatives dedicated to citizens and tourists.
Different heritage components are scattered throughout the territory on an inter-communal scale. They need to be mapped because some of them are still unknown and could risk disappearing unless preserved. For this reason, the historic urban area involved in the GrandAngoulême HUB-IN project goes beyond municipal limits and includes several communes.
GrandAngoulême’s future development must be part of its long history. In addition to safeguarding its heritage, it is of utmost importance to acquire a better knowledge of it. The regeneration process needs to focus on the know-how, traditions, and elements of the industrial period to make this tangible and intangible, built and natural heritage a source of inspiration.
As CEO of the Angoulême-Poitiers “École européenne Supérieure de l’Image”, I see in the Caravane Creative Lab and the Metropolitan Trail a very good opportunity to cross-reference our work with the other members of the Image Sector. For years we have been trying to work in connection with the territory of GrandAngoulême and its historical and urban issues. The HUB-IN project offers us tools and a framework for cooperation that we did not have before. – Marc Monjou
THE CARAVANE CREATIVE LAB: AN INNOVATION HUB ON URBAN REGENERATION
GrandAngoulême HUB-IN strives to establish a physical, virtual and symbolic long-lasting link between the different urban spaces and neighborhoods, across municipalities, through the setup of an innovation hub on urban regeneration.
Implemented by GrandAngoulême municipality in partnership with the Metropolitan Trails Agency, the Caravane Creative Lab is the heart of the project. It consists in a creative, inclusive and shared space dedicated to residents and local actors. A network and a platform for cross-fertilisation, inter-learning, training, and creation with the aim of discovering the territory, its heritage, its historical and ecological issues. A place where realizing editorial, audiovisual and playful projects anchored in the territory and the times we live in.
The core instrument used by the Caravane Creative Lab is the Metropolitan Trail. This is a hiking trail that will offer new experiences and knowledge of the city and its surroundings accross a creative route – co-designed together with citizens and stakeholders – that reveals forgotten stories and places, and values vernacular heritage and traditional practices.
The Caravane Creative Lab is both an immaterial and material hub. It is not a building, a street or a district, but urban transects highlighting the diversity of GrandAngoulême’s heritage. At the same time, it is a project platform that regularly meets outdoors via the Caravan scoutings: walking meetings and workshops to discover different types of heritage elements and to have a better understanding of the history and identity of the territory. The monthly group walk will be a chance for stakeholders to create links and start new projects. The hub also includes virtual spaces (website, apps, blogs).
A roadmap will define the path to transform and regenerate GrandAngoulême’s historical urban spaces while preserving its unique social and cultural identity and environment. Have a look at the roadmap to learn more about the concrete actions that will be implemented.
