Back to school visits 2023

Every year, during the pre-school week, students embark on field trips to explore a specific region and a project related to their master’s program. Our partners and urban professionals conduct these visits.

The primary objective is to observe and then analyze emerging issues during these excursions. These issues are documented through photographs taken during the outings. Special emphasis is placed on using photography to understand territories and conduct in-depth analyses of urban challenges.

During the presentation of their findings, students are accompanied by a professional photographer who guides them in using photography to decode urban landscapes and their social realities.

Visit to a Geothermal Plant (GETEC)

To discover eco-friendly heat networks, students from the Master Governing Ecological Transitions in European Cities visited a geothermal plant in Fontenay-sous-Bois (94), called GéoMarne, operated by ENGIE Solutions France. Geothermal energy is used for district heating (residential buildings, offices, municipal pools, etc.). The plant produces 82% renewable energy through geothermal sources and will serve 10,000 equivalent housing units.

Visit to a Recycling Plant (GLM)

Located in Le Blanc-Mesnil (93), the Paprec IDF Nord plant has welcomed students from the Master Governing the Large Metropolis for preschool visits for several years. For a specialized master's program focusing on major cities in the south, waste management is a crucial issue. Therefore, it's an opportunity for students to explore existing infrastructure and contemplate their potential adaptation in different socio-economic contexts.
 

Visit to an emergency housing center (Urban Planning Master's program)

The La Boulangerie emergency housing center is located on the site of a former military bakery that has been disused since 2004. Today, it serves as an emergency housing center, bringing together three different facilities with a total capacity of 586 beds. Students from the Urban Planning Master's program were accompanied by ADOMA, the leading national supported housing operator, which has undertaken the renovation of the site while keeping the facility operational.

Visit to the Petite Ceinture of Paris (STU Master's Program)

In the presence of the Direction des Espaces Verts et de l’Environnement of the City of Paris, students from the Master Regional and Urban Strategy had the opportunity to explore the context, general information about the operational setup, and the development of the Petite Ceinture during a visit to the developed sector in the 12th arrondissement. They also visited a section in the 20th arrondissement at the beginning of the construction phase for the creation of woodland on the extra width of the Petite Ceinture.