Grand Paris Executive Summary (PDF 31MB) - Rogers Stirk Harbour ...

1 - Restructuring metropolitan
governance in Île-de-France
The major problem facing the Île-de-France region
is the fragmentation of its governance structure,
which prevents it from implementing strategic
action on a metropolitan scale.
The domination of the Paris metropolis by its
centre, which exerts considerable influence and
power over the whole metropolis, may reflect the
history of the city but it does not reflect its current
situation at the dawn of the 21st century.
9/11ths of the citizens of the Île-de-France region
live outside of the centre of Paris but speak only
with a fragmented voice. The City of Paris, with
its 2.1 million inhabitants, enjoys representation
through its Mayor and is therefore capable of
undertaking coordinated action inside of the ringroad.
Its clear voice also gives the City of Paris an
important influence at a regional level - which is,
perhaps, disproportionate compared to the rest of
the city.
The considerable asset in terms of the effectiveness
of the local action that the 1,280 Mayors of the Îlede-France
region represent is often drowned out by
the difficulties encountered when a strategic vision
has to be developed for an area beyond communal
borders and the local quarrels that this engenders.
The “Conseil Régional” (regional council) plays
an important role but suffers from a weak
coercive power. It has the significant challenge of
understanding and coordinating the very different
needs of rural communities located 90 km from
the centre and those of various groups living in the
heart of metropolitan Paris. Added to this a State
that, despite separating itself from some functions,
maintains a very significant presence in the Region.
It is therefore understandable why the governance
in Île-de-France is considered an administrative
“mille-feuille”, slowing down the metropolitan
action that is crucial for preparing metropolitan
Paris for the 21st century.
The three scenarios we have proposed aim to
rebalance the governance structure in Île-de-
France, making possible governance that is both
coordinated and holistic for the metropolis, and
ensuring that the voices of the metropolitan region
outside the centre are heard.
“I don’t know of any
other city where the
heart is as detached
from its limbs”
Richard Rogers
Summary
The spontaneous formation of “Communautés
d’Agglomération” (Communes grouping together)
is an effective response to these problems, as this
allows a group of municipalities to reach a critical
mass in terms of both population and influence,
thereby allowing it to have a voice that is strong
enough to be heard on a metropolitan level and
not be overwhelmed by the City of Paris.
iv Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners / London School of Economics / Arup
February 2009