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The Arbois site is on a large limestone plateau
which stretches from Aix la Duranne to Vitrolles
This large natural area is dominated by scrubland and pinewoods
and offers a great biological richness.
However, many building and urbanization projects
are threatening this natural heritage.
In fact, it was decided to establish the arbois science technology park on this site.
Offices, parkings and residences are quickly built.
People think that the arbois site is an environmental success
thanks to the development choices which were decided when it was built.
So, is the arbois site really an environmental success?
Yes it is.
It’s a pleasant place to live in.
No pollution, no stress here.
It’s going in the right direction
because we need to build to have companies.
No, there are no green areas anymore.
There used to be some here.
When we moved in,
Jean Dominique Cassini square was a small alley with trees, benches…
At the beginning,
the Arbois site was a windy and *** area
good to treat respiratory problems.
In 1913,
the Arbois’s sanatorium was rebuilt and became a famous area
where people came to be cured.
After world war two,
the Conseil general des Bouches du Rhône bought the abandoned buildings.
In 1990,
The construction of the high speed train station
favored the creation of an environmental business district,
The “Arbois Mediterranean europole”.
In 1998,
the old buildings of the sanatorium were used for an environmental research center.
The business district developed itself to become a sustainable development model
with two new activity areas, big companies and new houses.
Within 10 years, the technology park was to become a real city.
In the morning the traffic is fluid.
In the morning it’s fast.
In the evening, it’s jammed as far as the highway.
Depending on the time, it’s a little jammed.
Not really, because, there are not enough access roads.
In fact we have to use the car
because we are far from public services.
It has become a big danger today.
We have met the communication service of the Arbois union
to learn about their building choices.
The Arbois union didn’t want to speak in front of our camera.
Here is what they told:
The Arbois technology park was a pioneering work
because its aims were to develop and promote
research activities on environmental issues.
The technology park is at the heart of an economic area.
An extension project would create 5000 jobs again
and new services like a community hall, a city hall, schools,…
So the Arbois Mediterranean science technology park
can be seen like an environmental success.
There is no public transport.
Then, we have only one entrance and everybody comes by car.
No, it’s not an environmental success.
For the time being, it’s ok
because a part of the natural area is still preserved
but we shouldn’t build too much.
Four years ago, there weren’t a lot of buildings.
Today, we build quickly. But there are no shops, there is no bakery, we have nothing.
Yes it’s well located because the highway
and the TGV station are not far.
Despite these green promises,
some political people are against this project.
The Arbois plateau in the 60s was identified not only
as a biodiversity reservoir
but also as a green lung against the urbanization
between Aix-Marseille and the Etang de Berre.
Wetlands are very important in the Mediteranean ecosystem
because they host new species.
These habitats, which are common in France,
but unique in the world, are declining because of human actions.
The lack of space is an argument used to support the development of urbanization
but it is not valid as far as sustainable development
and urban turnover are concerned.
The difference between farmland
and a building land is a simple piece of paper:
the land value can be multiplied by one thousand.
Despite these controversial arguments,
it seems that High environmental quality constructions architects
took part in the environmental success by working
on the science technology park project.
In fact, ecological innovations were developed on the site:
a wind turbine, solar panels, electric cars,
rainwater tanks, sustainable materials
and the modern design show a real conception to protect the environment.
To verify this, we interviewed two environmental independent architects.
On these buildings , I can see a lot of prefabricated materials on the façade,
some glass, a lot of metal and wood.
They are fashionable materials.
It is certainly unsuitable for Provence;
it’s an ecological heresy
The Arbois site has been a Natura 2000 area since 2003.
It’s a reservoir of biodiversity,
where remarkable species like Bonnelli’s eagle
and the great horned owl are present.
On the Arbois site, because of urbanization,
the ecosystem is irreversibly lost.
It’s a degradation.
Today, if the process continues,
most of remarkable Mediterranean ecosystems like scrublands,
pine forests or oak groves will disappear under the concrete.
To sum up, the Arbois site is an urban failure.
It is used in Geography classes like a bad example in terms of urbanization.
If this expansion and if the over-consumption of land continue,
it will be an agricultural, environmental and a human disaster.
The Arbois site is an exceptional area in favour of biodiversity
but it has been impacted by many town plannings.
These are described as environmentally-friendly plans.
Furthermore the Arbois site is an eco-label.
In reality, the Arbois site is both an ecological and a town planning disaster.
It’s just green-washing.
In fact, another 70 acres of natural scrubland will soon be eaten away.
In the future, the buildings should be more ecological
and well-integrated into the landscape.
Despite all of this, the Arbois site remains a unique place.
It’s a real green lung between Vitrolles and Aix-en-Provence
and that’s why it’s necessary to preserve it.