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Local Supply Chains and Co-Design Processes. A Project for a Potential Transformation of the Pechiney Industry in the French Alps

Silvia Lanteri et Roberto Dini
Traduction(s) :
Filiere locali e processi di co-design. Progetto per una possibile trasformazione dell’industria Pechiney nelle Alpi francesi [it]

Résumé

Dealing with mountain territories does not only mean dealing with a disused vernacular heritage: conducting research and design in these complex territories weakened by recent history pushes us to deal with the theme of production -a pervasive and strongly characterizing dimension of the entire Alpine arc- understood on the one hand as large physical legacies linked to old industries, which require reflection on possible forms of spatial recovery; on the other as a challenge of the project to imagine new forms of production to reactivate territories in crisis, in the process of abandonment and depopulation.
The definition of a design strategy for the recovery of these areas is necessary not only to foresee a new use, but also to outline development prospects on a local, territorial and cross-border scale, capable of encouraging cooperation, returning the site to the surrounding territory, enhancing its identity places through processes of
reuse, reappropriation and re-signification of the space.
This paper –situated in the field of architectural studies– intends to use the recent process of rethinking the former metallurgical factory of Pechiney, located in L'Argentière-la-Bessée (FR), as an emblematic case through which to start a reflection on the potential resources and fragilities that characterize these complex territorial palimpsests, and consequently the processes that try to settle there, articulating around the following questions: what does it mean to reactivate abandoned industrial sites by finding new forms of production, not only of material goods but of culture? What potential cross-border relations do these new forms of production based on the principles of sustainability and valorization of local resources introduce? How can we return these intrinsically closed spaces to the surrounding landscape and community, creating hybrid uses between welfare and production? What is the role of time and participation?

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Texte intégral

1In the interpretation of Alpine regions, a simplistic dichotomy is too often employed, contrasting extensive metropolitan forms—intended as places of leisure and tourism—with natural environments characterised by wilderness. This interpretation is accompanied by a recent narrative of marginality that identifies the “middle” valleys—that portion of territory between the plains and the peaks, including the piedmont regions and the initial parts of the valley systems—as resilient realities rooted in traditional spatial and relational forms (Lanzani et al., 2021), and which contribute to the construction of a cultural dimension of these regions (De Rossi, 2016). This second interpretation seeks to portray a complex landscape in which the modernisation processes that occurred between the second half of the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century were grafted onto long-term historical processes (Bätzing, 2005; Viazzo, 2001; Mathieu, 2000). These processes have shaped the Alpine and pre-Alpine environment over the past centuries, producing significant economic, social, cultural, and environmental transformations.

2In these stratified intermediate territories, the issue of reclaiming abandoned industrial areas emerges following a period of transformation in production systems, resulting in the relocation of a large number of factories that had settled in the mountain and foothill areas (Modica, 2022; Sega, 2018; Sposito, 2012). This heritage has been crucial, starting from the second half of the nineteenth century, in characterising the landscape and the economic and social structure of many valleys across the entire Alpine arc and, once disused and abandoned starting from the last decades of the twentieth century, has contributed to their progressive depopulation and the consequent weakening of socioeconomic relations between the various elements and communities that composed them.

3Within the Alpine panorama, France is a particularly significant country with respect to these issues thanks to the vast number of large-scale abandoned industrial sites—immediately after Italy and Austria, according to the parameters identified by Modica (2019)—affected not only by disuse processes linked to the mutation of mountain economies, but also by decades of centralising policies that have led to an even deeper marginalisation of its “edges” in comparison with the large metropolitan centres. Indeed, numerous examples of abandoned industrial heritage are scattered throughout the French Alps, a region that experienced significant development during the economic boom of the 19th and 20th centuries, particularly due to the growth of the mining and metalworking industries. Production space in this region has often had symbiotic relationships with the surrounding environment, helping to shape not only the physical landscape but also local social and economic dynamics.

4The abandoned productive heritage of the French mountains includes mines, mills, woodworking factories, and metallurgical plants, many of which were abandoned following the economic crisis of the 1970s and late 1980s. It is estimated that the closure of approximately 60% of companies active in traditional sectors in the French Alps has led to a drastic decline in the population, with significant social impacts (Modica, 2019). In addition to job losses, many Alpine communities have faced the haemorrhage of young people moving to cities in search of better opportunities, leaving the valleys with an increasingly ageing population.

  • 1 MUSÉUM (Musée de l’histoire industrielle) located in Alès, created in a former coal mine, which pre (...)

5In recent years, there has been a growing interest in the redevelopment of these abandoned industrial areas, both within the scientific debate and in the direction of policies and investments1. Thus, recovery and reuse projects are multiplying, seeking to transform these empty spaces into new economic and employment opportunities. However, the challenge remains: how to balance the recovery of industrial heritage with the need to preserve and enhance the surrounding natural environment?

6In this context, it seems important to pay attention to avoid mere capitalisation operations that risk aesthetically freezing these assets (De Rossi, 2020; Corrado, 2014), and to consider whether it makes sense to redevelop this legacy without first examining how the territories and communities can reclaim it. Even before initiating a recovery project, it is necessary to undertake adequate and shared reflection on possible reuse programs, rethinking these spaces and artefacts in relation to the role they can play in the contemporary mountain landscape, involving a variety of stakeholders.

7This paper is situated in the field of architectural studies and aims to introduce some reflections within the framework described above through the description of a specific case study. This is a situated exploration, an observation from the field, following a research-by-design approach (Sequeira, 2011; Candy, 2006; Schön, 1993) in which the project itself—carried out by the authors of this article—becomes a tool to investigate and to engage participation through its shifts in direction, showing how these processes are rarely linear.

  • 2 Beginning in 1950 – through the Schémas Directeur de l'Aménagement du Territoire (SDAT) in particul (...)

8The industrialisation and subsequent decommissioning that characterised the area of L’Argentière-la-Bessée, France, are therefore emblematic. Here, we intend to recount its recent history, reconstructing the participatory process that has brought the former Pechiney factory to the forefront over the past five years, proposing it as an example of a potential countertrend to the centralisation policies that characterised French territories in the second half of the twentieth century, concentrating a large portion of the economy in metropolitan areas2. The article is structured around a reconstruction of the main steps of this recent planning process and the stakeholders involved, highlighting the role of architectural design in generating and directing such complex processes.

9The case study allows us to stimulate a broader reflection on the potential revitalisation of Alpine territories. However, the aim of this work is not to construct a replicable methodology, nor to present an exhaustive overview. Instead, it aims to spark a reflection on the role of architectural research within complex social, economic, and cultural contexts, in which the issue of economic sustainability in revitalising abandoned buildings inevitably needs to be addressed alongside environmental sustainability issues related to resources and supply chains. Furthermore, these are territories where involving the local community is less foregone than in urban areas, making the project a potential catalyst for change in these territories’ perceptions of themselves and their future.

The Case of the Former Pechiney Industry and Its Territorial Impact

  • 3 Such as Les Sablons and L’Iscle.

10L’Argentière-la-Bessée—a small town of just over 2 000 inhabitants on the outskirts of the Écrins National Park—is located in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region, inside the Hautes-Alpes department. The village is situated along the Durance River near its confluence with the Gyrond, along the Nationale 94 which connects Gap to Montgenèvre. In past centuries, agricultural activities were concentrated in the low valley, where ploughing was carried out as close to the river as possible to facilitate irrigation, while frequent floods brought sand and silt, as the local names suggest3. Moving away from the Durance, pasture areas gradually emerged, and on the slopes vines were exposed to the heat of the rocks. These agricultural and morphological characteristics have played a fundamental role in shaping the valley’s landscape for centuries. Between 1870 and 1880, the Compagnie des chemins de fer de Paris à Lyon et à la Méditerranée (PLM) built a railway line connecting Livron-sur-Drôme, near Valence, to Veynes and Briançon. With the arrival of this new infrastructure connecting the area to major cities, commercial and tourist activity increasingly shifted toward the valley floor, laying the foundations for the area’s subsequent colonisation by metal and electricity industries. In 1888, engineer Gilbert Planche stepped off the train at L’Argentière-la-Bessée station, attracted by the site’s potential due to its numerous watercourses and unique configuration. He then began exploring the area, measuring the flow of the streams. In 1894, he returned with surveyors and draftsmen to design a hydroelectric power plant. At the beginning of the 20th century, it bought two buildings downtown to convert them into offices and residences, thus contributing to a significant economic, urban, and social transformation of the area. In 1907, the Société Electro-Métallique Française de Froges chose this site for its headquarters, inaugurating an aluminium production plant in 1910, which used the Planche hydroelectric power plant. In 1920, the companies merged to form Cie A.F.C. In 1950, the Pechiney group took control of it modernising the factory between 1960 and 1980.

11The construction of the power plant and its subsequent implementation phases represented a pivotal moment in the history of this area. The landscape underwent significant transformations during those years, shifting from an agricultural to an industrial focus, with a lasting impact not only on the economy but also on the social and cultural life of the valley. These events were also crucial from the perspective of urbanisation: in the early 1900s, most of the workers at the hydroelectric plant were immigrants, primarily of Moroccan and Polish origin, who lived in precarious conditions in the “baraques” of Cité Aval, located south of the plant. Company management, therefore, launched a program to build new housing equipped with bathrooms, chicken coops, cellars, and common spaces, to improve the workers’ living conditions. Subsequently, new housings were built in Cité Amont. Next to these buildings were the residences of the owners and their families. This process of spatial organisation within the town reflected the emerging hierarchies of industrial society, visible through the layout of housing, which clearly separated workers from the managerial classes: the workers’ homes were arranged in parallel blocks, while those of engineers and managers were detached villas. The organisation of private gardens further showed this distance: the workers primarily grew vegetables for sustenance, while the managers preferred ornamental plants.

12The factory itself underwent a transformation from a spatial perspective, with continuous demolitions and additions, as shown in images 1-2. Today, it appears as a stratification of the different uses that have been deposited.

Figure 1: Evolution of the site over the decades, with demolitions and volumetric additions highlighted

Figure 1: Evolution of the site over the decades, with demolitions and volumetric additions highlighted

All images are produced by the authors, together with the project team formed by Eleonora Gabbarini and Alessandro Depaoli, with the support of Guido Callegari, Paolo Simeone, Cristian Dallere, Matteo Tempestini.

Figure 2: Current state. Survey of the structures of the industrial site

Figure 2: Current state. Survey of the structures of the industrial site

All images are produced by the authors, together with the project team formed by Eleonora Gabbarini and Alessandro Depaoli, with the support of Guido Callegari, Paolo Simeone, Cristian Dallere, Matteo Tempestini.

13The economic changes that began in 1970 had severe impacts on all the Pechiney group’s factories, and on the town itself. The remote location and distance from supply sources led to a rationalisation of production, making the plant obsolete. The factory closed permanently in 1985, sparking many worker protests, which, however, did not change its fate. The decommissioning of the power plant had a significant impact on the local community: the gradual closure and subsequent demolition of industrial facilities led to a dramatic decline in the population of L’Argentière-la-Bessée, from 2 500 in 1980 to 1 900 in 1987. Between 1985 and 2012, the company Aciéries Fonderies de Provence occupied and managed the site until the final close of business in 2012. Today, only a few buildings of the original complex remain, witnesses to a history marked by significant changes in ownership and transformations.

14Beginning in 1989, the municipality undertook a profound economic conversion after acquiring the land and buildings of the Pechiney group. The single-production sector, linked to factories and large infrastructures, transformed into a mixed economy, where industry and tourism began to merge. Around 1990 studies were conducted to identify the population’s expectations, leading to the conversion of the Quartz Factory into a sports centre and the transformation of the Château St. Jean into a scientific cultural centre dedicated to the mining heritage. With the restoration of the cinema and other initiatives related to the addition of additional services (highlighted in blue in the image , in relation to the project site represented in red), the population began to grow again in those years, improving the area’s attractiveness. Mountain and sports tourism developed, with recreational activities linked to the presence of water and the Écrins National Park.

Figure 3: Territorial framework of L’Argentière-la-Bessée, with the intervention site and the services present in the immediate vicinity highlighted

Figure 3: Territorial framework of L’Argentière-la-Bessée, with the intervention site and the services present in the immediate vicinity highlighted

All images are produced by the authors, together with the project team formed by Eleonora Gabbarini and Alessandro Depaoli, with the support of Guido Callegari, Paolo Simeone, Cristian Dallere, Matteo Tempestini.

The Participatory Dimension of the Rethinking Process of the Former Industrial Site

15In this context, questions arise about the role these large, abandoned, and introverted buildings could play in the territorial reinvention. The mountain community—Communauté de communes du pays des Écrins—having taken possession of the former Pechiney site, envisions the possible futures for the former factory, once the beating heart of the community, as an opportunity to rethink its spaces, opening them up to the local community, thus creating a new chapter in its ongoing transformation. This triggers a process of deviations and renegotiations, where research and design initiatives are shared with the local community, to shape collective visions and narratives related to the potential transformations of the abandoned space.

16Various funds and related research have been implemented in recent years, such as the Interreg TrAILs project4 (2018-2021), or the workshops and activities for involving and animating local communities managed by the Tiers Lab association5 (2022-2023).

  • 6 The working group includes members of the Institute of Mountain Architecture (IAM), a departmental (...)
  • 7 For further information, please refer to the final report available online: Dini R., Gabbarini E., (...)

17This article focuses on a phase of the process during which Politecnico di Torino—DAD6 led an interdisciplinary research group coordinated by the authors of this text7. The local administration, therefore, proposed the conversion of this building into a centre for higher education related to wood and its processing. The architectural study for the establishment of a European campus dedicated to these fields, known as the “Haute école du bois et de la forêt”, was commissioned by the Communauté de communes du pays des Écrins to the working group. The primary goal was to formulate a detailed architectural program and provide conceptual sketches for the new campus. Specifically, the study began in March 2022 and concluded in December 2023. It focused on a series of objectives: first, the redesign of the spaces formerly belonging to the industrial sector, aimed at producing a preliminary project to start the construction, and then drafting a dossier for the Superintendence (Architectes des Bâtiments de France) that highlights the elements for preserving historical memory and the impact on the surrounding landscape. The underlying objectives, which we will touch on in this article, are the most complex and interesting: the architectural and landscape design of the abandoned site was accompanied by a process of defining the functional program and the network of stakeholders capable of guiding not only the technological but also the cultural choices of the entire operation.

18The local administration’s request to Politecnico di Torino was to create a centre for higher education that would, on the one hand, bring specific wood-related studies back to the field, in close contact with local resources, decentralising a place for higher professional and university education away from metropolitan centres. On the other hand, a priority was the idea of supporting short supply chains, integrating technologies and materials specific to the local landscape system, to allow future students to directly engage with the materials available on site during their studies.

  • 8 Bureau d’études CONFLUENCE, SGI Compliance, Société d’Ingénierie Odissée to obtain information on t (...)

19These two objectives led to the construction of networks to support the design process—represented in image 4—creating, on the one hand, a network of universities and research centres on related topics, interested in establishing relationships and exchanges with the future centre, and, on the other, involving a series of companies working with wood from the preliminary stage rather than contacting them after the design decisions were made. A complex process was therefore undertaken, consisting of visits and ongoing discussions organised by the working group, both in person and online. Alongside these discussions, technical consultations were initiated to obtain preliminary information on the project site8. To outline the consulting process, a key aspect of involvement in the design phase was the dialogue with the local administration. In particular, the Communauté de communes du Pays des Écrins, with Florian Court as their representative and co-founder of the newly formed HEBF European Campus, played a decisive role as the owner of the property and commissioned the entire project, actively interacting with the municipality and the Architectes des Bâtiments de France, which oversees architectural, landscape, and cultural heritage.

20A non-linear process, made of constant adjustments, which requires systematising and bringing together diverse knowledge (Schuler, Namioka, 1993; Simonsen, Robertson, 2013). However, this experience has not only presented positive aspects: it has also shown many limitations, such as the difficulty of integrating divergent points of view and interests, with each stakeholder increasing the level of complexity without fully understanding the overall vision. Furthermore, the outcome is also uncertain, pending political intentions and top-down funding to align with the local vision before the project can begin.

Figure 4: Mapping of the actors involved in the process undertaken by the Polytechnic of Turin in recent years

Figure 4: Mapping of the actors involved in the process undertaken by the Polytechnic of Turin in recent years

All images are produced by the authors, together with the project team formed by Eleonora Gabbarini and Alessandro Depaoli, with the support of Guido Callegari, Paolo Simeone, Cristian Dallere, Matteo Tempestini.

Designing Inclusive Spaces and Innovative Pedagogy

21The central question underlying the process described above aimed to identify possible spatial and technological solutions that met two fundamental requirements: first, to create an open and inclusive space, available not only to the future community connected to the centre, but to the entire local population. Second, to find architectural solutions that would comply with the regulations and the school’s programming objectives, while also engaging with both the site’s historical memory, and the surrounding natural landscape, which is primarily forest. To determine the dimensions of the various spaces and the intended uses of the open spaces, a series of essential functions were identified: teaching areas (classrooms and laboratories), workshops, flexible spaces, a media library, an amphitheatre, common areas, a reception point, green spaces and playgrounds, administrative offices, meeting rooms, a restaurant area, as well as accessible and shared parking. Image 5 aims to summarise the various design hypotheses and the evolution of the concept over the months through various discussions.

22The architectural design is defined by several key aspects that highlight the project’s distinctive features:

  • restoration of valuable historical elements: emphasis was placed on the restoration of the building’s historic components, particularly the hydroelectric plant, which represents the site’s oldest infrastructure and is a significant example of early 20th-century industrial heritage;

  • conservation of existing structures: it was suggested to retain some existing structures as evidence of the site’s industrial past, integrating them into the new architectural volume and public spaces, as guidelines to define the overall layout of the new project;

  • development of accessible and inclusive public spaces: the design of open spaces aims to facilitate public uses, pushing for some interaction with surrounding businesses, such as crafts, industry, and school buildings;

  • creation of educational spaces: they will be designed for specific disciplines, promoting innovative pedagogical methodologies through an architectural project that allows for flexibility and outdoor activities;

  • development of a “prototypical” architectural solution: new volumes and spaces were conceived using innovative construction techniques, hybridising structural systems, and prioritising the involvement of materials from sustainable sources, such as local wood and processing networks.

23The aim was to create a vibrant campus that embodies both modern educational needs and an approach to raising awareness of sustainability and the valorisation of the local environmental and historical heritage.

Figure 5: Diagram of the design process, which highlights the phases and changes in direction due to the discussions described in the previous paragraph

Figure 5: Diagram of the design process, which highlights the phases and changes in direction due to the discussions described in the previous paragraph

All images are produced by the authors, together with the project team formed by Eleonora Gabbarini and Alessandro Depaoli, with the support of Guido Callegari, Paolo Simeone, Cristian Dallere, Matteo Tempestini.

24The preliminary project, designed between 2022 and 2023, proposes to reflect on the generating grid of the previous layout, locating the residential blocks to the west side, along the road, containing a series of housing typologies of varying sizes and types, and to the east several blocks primarily for educational use, restoring the power plant building and adding additional volumes for the library, café, auditorium, classrooms, and laboratories. What lies in the middle, organized by the existing industrial steel structure, is the core of the project: a concatenation of open spaces for meetings, playing sports—such as padel, ping-pong, and basketball—and experiencing outdoor learning. One of the major critical issues encountered in small mountain towns appears to be the lack of gathering spaces to support community building and leisure; the campus offers the perfect opportunity to introduce an open and inclusive urban system, capable of bringing the new student community together with the existing one, benefiting both.

25Scaling down, the choice concerning the construction systems and related technologies, maximising the use of local natural resources to reduce the project’s environmental impact. This approach developed across a variety of solutions: load-bearing timber wall construction systems for the residences, suitable for prefabrication; timber-frame systems for the teaching spaces, allowing for seamless continuity between interior and exterior spaces, with glazed exterior walls; and mixed wood-steel solutions for the auditorium and library, to accommodate large spans and heavier loads on the floors. The decision to place wood at the centre of the project stems from the desire to directly engage students on campus with the properties and potential uses of this material, envisioning the new buildings as 1:1 prototypes of different technological solutions. The idea of ​​involving both large-scale, European-level companies and local businesses in the network stems from the desire to combine innovative technologies with sophisticated know-how, while still preserving local building traditions and culture, allowing these two levels to coexist.

26The axonometric drawing in image 6 represents the final result, highlighting the key features of the architectural design as well as the intended relationships with the context.

Figure 6: Final preliminary project, submitted for the request to start work at the beginning of 2024. The different typologies that reflect the resistant industrial grid are highlighted, with the inclusion of green spaces at the core of the project

Figure 6: Final preliminary project, submitted for the request to start work at the beginning of 2024. The different typologies that reflect the resistant industrial grid are highlighted, with the inclusion of green spaces at the core of the project

All images are produced by the authors, together with the project team formed by Eleonora Gabbarini and Alessandro Depaoli, with the support of Guido Callegari, Paolo Simeone, Cristian Dallere, Matteo Tempestini.

Open Issues: Some Reflections for Future Interventions

27Starting from the assumption that pre-industrial and industrial modes of production continually coexist in increasingly complex supply chains (Lowenhaupt Tsing, 2015), and that mountainous territory itself is mainly attributable to a globalised world, this project seeks to move beyond the extractivist lens that has long viewed these areas as places to be plundered of their natural and economic resources. Therefore, it identifies these abandoned spaces as opportunities to avoid traditional vertical capitalist specialisation, enabling the emergence of innovative economies and processes based on short supply chains. More than ever, moving beyond capitalisation initiatives related to economic monoculture for example—tourism first—or the capitalisation of culture, history, and environment (De Rossi, 2020). Industrial heritage’s reuse can be sustainably planned, considering local specificities and the needs of resident communities. In a context of growing awareness about the valorisation and protection of natural resources, it is essential that industrial redevelopment initiatives do not compromise the fragile Alpine ecosystem, but rather contribute to an integrated development model capable of ensuring a shared prosperity for future generations (Corrado, Dematteis, Di Gioia, eds., 2014).

28Reflections on the redevelopment and reactivation of abandoned industrial spaces in mountainous regions—focused here on the former Pechiney metallurgical factory in L’Argentière-la-Bessée—make us consider not only the material heritage these places bring, but also the cultural, social, and economic potential that can emerge from a conscious project for these spaces. Approaching such complex issues and places through architectural and landscape design allows for the emergence of multiple levels of reflection, helpful in interpreting past or potential processes.

29These spaces can thus play a fundamental role by accommodating functions related to everyday life and work, enabling strategic reuse to reactivate the territories. It is also essential to clarify what a project like this means in a remote valley within the framework of a re-signification of the Alpine territory, focusing on “production”—intended not only as material production, but also as culture, pedagogy, and new forms of living—as a valid alternative to the mere aesthetic contemplation typical of an urban-centric and touristic approach, which constitutes the main risk of operations such as the one described. If the Alps of the twentieth century were primarily places of production in the strict sense (Ferrario, Marzo, eds., 2020), awareness of this heritage can guide us toward a future where the mountains are considered a space to be inhabited again, with their own economy able to support local communities’ survival. Living and working in such territories implies a more active involvement than simple tourist consumption, requiring the redevelopment of our mountains which, deprived of their productive values ​​in recent decades, are pushed to reinvent themselves. This is the idea behind the present proposal to reinterpret the concept of production: integrating spaces dedicated to specialised training, scientific research, and cultural production.

30In this specific case, it is impossible to predict how the restoration process will proceed: the project is currently on hold, waiting for an agreement by those who will relocate part of their research and investments on site, while the Communauté de communes du pays des Écrins is still seeking an entity to manage the spaces and the didactical plan. This is a crucial step that needs to be completed in the final stages of the project to refine the use and distribution of spaces according to specific needs. We hope that once it resumes, the site’s artefacts will once again represent an innovation training lab: an environment for innovative production, a meeting point between different technical cultures, as well as a laboratory to experience new relationships between society and the environment, a hub for the valley’s diverse wood-related industries.

31These processes, intrinsically fragile and subject to follow political will and economic boosts, are naturally prone to stalemate, sometimes to definitively quit and crumble; sometimes only to resume their journey when better conditions come.

32Moreover, this study shows how the redevelopment of an industrial site must be conceived as a participatory process, in the belief that the active involvement of the local community, the administration, and the manufacturing sector not only fosters a strong sense of belonging but also ensures the project’s long-term management by various stakeholders (Cornwall, Jewkes, 2019). The valorisation of local resources and specificities is part of the design process, pursuing the idea that the local ability to generate value through the materials and products present onsite can stimulate inclusive and sustainable development, promoting short production chains. Sustainability can therefore be approached from an integrated perspective, here more than elsewhere, not only in its environmental dimension, but also in its social and economic perspective. Policies to foster the reuse of these abandoned compounds are designed to balance the reactivation of a historic industrial heritage with the preservation of natural resources, exploring ways to avoid the marginalisation of local communities, but instead actively engage them in the process (Dempsey et al., 2019).

33Finally, time also played a fundamental role: the changes in the process, resulting from discussions with various stakeholders over the months, have highlighted the importance of developing a long-term vision, where the projects are conceived as dynamic organisms, capable of evolving over the years responding to the mutating needs of the local community, which also changes with them.

34It is essential to consider these issues both in terms of innovation in the territorial and architectural forms produced—with novel solutions and typologies—and in the innovation concerning the process that generates them, prompting a reflection on the role of design in the radical reconsideration of Alpine territories. Specifically, the case described here has brought attention to the need to go beyond the mere capitalisation of the industrial legacy around the Alps, conceiving it as a living infrastructure, enriched with new uses, capable of reactivating territories moving from the existing resources, combining a global vision with local networks (Dematteis, 1997).

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Notes

1 MUSÉUM (Musée de l’histoire industrielle) located in Alès, created in a former coal mine, which presents exhibitions on the region’s industrial history while promoting local culture, and the Route des Grandes Alpes, a cycle route that runs along disused railway lines and aims to connect tourist resorts in the French Alps, are just some of the many examples of industrial infrastructure recovery in these areas, aimed at revitalising the mountain region’s economy and tourism.

2 Beginning in 1950 – through the Schémas Directeur de l'Aménagement du Territoire (SDAT) in particular, and from 1961 with the creation of the Réseau Express Régional – the political intention to move a large part of the decision-making power and physical and political infrastructure to the areas of large urban centres became clear, disempowering many of the “marginal” territories, mountainous and otherwise.

3 Such as Les Sablons and L’Iscle.

4 Online: https://www.alpine-space.eu/project/trails/, retrieved January 15th, 2025.

5 Online: https://www.tiers-lab.com, retrieved January 15th, 2025.

6 The working group includes members of the Institute of Mountain Architecture (IAM), a departmental research centre that has been conducting design, teaching, and field research in mountainous and rural areas for years. For further information, please visit the website: https://i-am.polito.it/.For this project, the team consisted of R. Dini as scientific director, E. Gabbarini and S. Lanteri as technical coordinators, and G. Callegari, A. Depaoli, P. Simeone, C. Dallere, and M. Tempestini as consultants.

7 For further information, please refer to the final report available online: Dini R., Gabbarini E., Lanteri S., (2024), Haute École du Bois et de la Forêt. Étude de programmation en vue de la construction d’un campus européen des métiers du bois et de la forêt, Politecnico di Torino, Torino.

8 Bureau d’études CONFLUENCE, SGI Compliance, Société d’Ingénierie Odissée to obtain information on the soil, the level of pollution for remediation, and the state of conservation of the former power plant's structures. These consultations were complemented by a long-term consultation with a local design firm –Architecte ATM - AMO, specifically led by Daizy Rozan – on safety regulations and French standards. Finally, repeated discussions with the Eurecat firm allowed for a review of the urban planning regulations and requirements to accommodate the project.

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Table des illustrations

Titre Figure 1: Evolution of the site over the decades, with demolitions and volumetric additions highlighted
Crédits All images are produced by the authors, together with the project team formed by Eleonora Gabbarini and Alessandro Depaoli, with the support of Guido Callegari, Paolo Simeone, Cristian Dallere, Matteo Tempestini.
URL http://journals.openedition.org/rga/docannexe/image/16285/img-1.jpg
Fichier image/jpeg, 315k
Titre Figure 2: Current state. Survey of the structures of the industrial site
Crédits All images are produced by the authors, together with the project team formed by Eleonora Gabbarini and Alessandro Depaoli, with the support of Guido Callegari, Paolo Simeone, Cristian Dallere, Matteo Tempestini.
URL http://journals.openedition.org/rga/docannexe/image/16285/img-2.jpg
Fichier image/jpeg, 683k
Titre Figure 3: Territorial framework of L’Argentière-la-Bessée, with the intervention site and the services present in the immediate vicinity highlighted
Crédits All images are produced by the authors, together with the project team formed by Eleonora Gabbarini and Alessandro Depaoli, with the support of Guido Callegari, Paolo Simeone, Cristian Dallere, Matteo Tempestini.
URL http://journals.openedition.org/rga/docannexe/image/16285/img-3.jpg
Fichier image/jpeg, 859k
Titre Figure 4: Mapping of the actors involved in the process undertaken by the Polytechnic of Turin in recent years
Crédits All images are produced by the authors, together with the project team formed by Eleonora Gabbarini and Alessandro Depaoli, with the support of Guido Callegari, Paolo Simeone, Cristian Dallere, Matteo Tempestini.
URL http://journals.openedition.org/rga/docannexe/image/16285/img-4.jpg
Fichier image/jpeg, 349k
Titre Figure 5: Diagram of the design process, which highlights the phases and changes in direction due to the discussions described in the previous paragraph
Crédits All images are produced by the authors, together with the project team formed by Eleonora Gabbarini and Alessandro Depaoli, with the support of Guido Callegari, Paolo Simeone, Cristian Dallere, Matteo Tempestini.
URL http://journals.openedition.org/rga/docannexe/image/16285/img-5.jpg
Fichier image/jpeg, 391k
Titre Figure 6: Final preliminary project, submitted for the request to start work at the beginning of 2024. The different typologies that reflect the resistant industrial grid are highlighted, with the inclusion of green spaces at the core of the project
Crédits All images are produced by the authors, together with the project team formed by Eleonora Gabbarini and Alessandro Depaoli, with the support of Guido Callegari, Paolo Simeone, Cristian Dallere, Matteo Tempestini.
URL http://journals.openedition.org/rga/docannexe/image/16285/img-6.jpg
Fichier image/jpeg, 775k
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Référence électronique

Silvia Lanteri et Roberto Dini, « Local Supply Chains and Co-Design Processes. A Project for a Potential Transformation of the Pechiney Industry in the French Alps »Journal of Alpine Research | Revue de géographie alpine [En ligne], 113-3 | 2025, mis en ligne le 02 février 2026, consulté le 08 mars 2026. URL : http://journals.openedition.org/rga/16285 ; DOI : https://doi.org/10.4000/15pab

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Auteurs

Silvia Lanteri

Politecnico di Torino, Department of Architecture and Design, Institute of Mountain Architecture (IAM)

Roberto Dini

Politecnico di Torino, Department of Architecture and Design, Institute of Mountain Architecture (IAM)

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