Design and build competitions as tools for urban transition in a context of land scarcity

In the last few decades, the concept of transition has gained momentum in the urban agenda. In France, the issue of land is pivotal to any debate on ecological transition. This is particularly challenging in the Paris region, where land is henceforth considered as a non-renewable, scarce resource. In this context, this paper provides insight into APUI (a type of design and build competitions), analysed as a prism of the ongoing transformations of the French urban development system amidst evolving transition policies. In APUI, public land and buildings are leveraged for redevelopment by requiring projects to innovate in terms of functions, environmental performance and architectural design. Drawing on desk research and semi-structured interviews, this paper discusses the evolution of their role in a context of land scarcity and increasing pressures in the regional land market. The short history of APUI shows how public actors are adapting to theses imperatives by repurposing existing tools. In face of waning interest for the device and the greater complexity of project development, APUI organizers strengthen their facilitation role at the service of making land plots ready for development. This article contributes to the current debate on urban planning in an age of ‘land sufficiency’.