Mariana Reis Santos – A region on the move: visions of planning, justice and everyday mobility in Greater Paris since the 1960s

This thesis analyses the role of regional planning in the transformation of Greater Paris through an examination of transport infrastructure. Adopting a historical perspective, it assesses how the ideals of socio-spatial cohesion have been consistently invoked, both as drivers and as justifications for planning strategies since the post-war period. It highlights how discourses, imaginaries and concrete planning interventions have influenced the construction of a more unified metropolitan space, whilst revealing the instances in which these same dynamics have contributed to reinforcing disparities. An examination of the geographical, social and environmental consequences of regional transport infrastructure allows us to explore how evolving paradigms and visions — associated with density, compactness, modernity, sustainability and equity — have shaped the trajectories of urban development in Greater Paris. The thesis is structured around both historical and contemporary case studies. It begins with an analysis of ‘Greater Paris’, viewed both as an administrative project and as a structuring narrative, emphasising the persistence of the centre–periphery divide and the symbolic marginalisation of the suburbs. The early regional master plans are examined to demonstrate how concepts such as density and compactness were employed to reduce inequalities (and thus counter the division mentioned), whilst shaping new urban futures. The following chapters trace the transition from car-centred planning to a rail-centred model, a transition culminating in the Grand Paris Express project, highlighting the role of environmental narratives in this transformation. An in-depth study of Bobigny also illustrates the concrete effects of the various stages of transport infrastructure development on local urbanisation, showing how these measures have simultaneously supported and shaped socio-spatial dynamics. The research also includes two inter-chapters based on walking experiences in Seine-Saint-Denis, Val-d’Oise and the south-eastern areas of the Rome metropolitan region. These case studies highlight lived experiences of accessibility and exclusion, and enrich the documentary and discursive analysis. Rome, examined as a secondary case study, offers a comparative perspective: its more fragmented and gradual adoption of transport-oriented development principles underscores the uneven dissemination of European planning models and provides a counterpoint to the more ambitious strategies of Greater Paris. By examining the notions of social imaginaries linked to planning, transport–urbanisation dynamics and spatial justice, this thesis demonstrates that infrastructure has both fostered and constrained metropolitan cohesion. It argues that the regional planning of Greater Paris is not merely a technical and territorial process, but also constitutes an ideological framework that legitimises certain visions of the city whilst marginalising others. Finally, it advocates a rethinking of sustainability frameworks based on mobility, prioritising inclusion and territorial equity, and thus proposes avenues for promoting more equitable and resilient urban futures within European metropolitan areas.

Composition of the jury

• Greet De Block, Professor, University of Antwerp, Examiner
• Laurent Devisme, University Professor, École Nationale Supérieure d’Architecture de Nantes, Rapporteur
• Xavier Desjardins, University Professor, Sorbonne University, Rapporteur
• Martine Drozdz, CNRS Research Fellow, Maison Française d’Oxford / CNRS, Examiner
• Massimo Moraglio, Senior Researcher, Technische Universität Berlin, Co-supervisor
• Arnaud Passalacqua, University Professor, Université Paris-Est Créteil, Examiner
• Nathalie Roseau, University Professor, École nationale des ponts et chaussées, PhD supervisor