Rachid Alillouch, IRD/Iméra Chair in Sustainable Development and Interdisciplinarity 2025-2026, is organising an interdisciplinary study day on sustainable cities in the Mediterranean on Monday, March 23rd 2026 in partnership with the Population-Environment-Development Laboratory (LPED, amU/IRD).
The Mohammed VI Tower, under construction in the Bouregreg Valley. Credit: Rachid Alillouch.
Crossing perspectives from different shores of the Mediterranean
This study day brings together researchers and practitioners from the different shores of the Mediterranean (Morocco, Tunisia, Turkey, Spain and France) to discuss the challenges of sustainable cities in the Mediterranean context. The Mediterranean was chosen because of its growing urbanisation, its high vulnerability to climate change, and the strong connections and close relations between the countries on its shores.
The aim is to understand, through interdisciplinary dialogue and openness to other disciplines – in particular history, geography, anthropology, sociology and economics – how a number of urban projects have developed and multiplied in recent years, which their promoters describe as sustainable and/or which incorporate sustainable development principles into their design. Bringing together researchers and practitioners from different disciplines provides an opportunity to compare and contrast views on the sustainable city and to examine the concept of urban sustainability in its many facets.
Examining urban sustainability
This event will explore in greater depth the critical stance taken by certain researchers with regard to this notion, while sharing their experiences and their visions of the sustainable city. On the programme: presentation of tools and approaches developed in the context of sustainable city engineering, as well as the sharing of a few examples of contributions made by scientists with a view to encouraging exchanges between scientific communities and local and regional players.
Practical information
- Date: Monday, March 23rd 2026 from 9am to 5pm
- Venue: Maison des Astronomes conference room, Iméra, 2 place Leverrier 13004 Marseille
Coming to Iméra
- Pedestrian access: meet at the gate at 2 place Leverrier, 13004 Marseille.
- PRM access: entrance via Allée Jean-Louis Pons, 13004 Marseille.
Programme
8.30am-9am: Welcome of participants
Opening remarks by Brian Sandberg, director of Iméra’s Mediterranean programme and the governance team of the Population-Environment-Development Laboratory (LPED, amU/IRD).
- Daniel Pinson (architect, sociologist, professor emeritus, Aix Marseille Université, TELEMMe laboratory, amU/CNRS): From earth-material to earth-planet.
- Tarik Harroud (architect, geographer, professor, Institut National d’Aménagement et d’Urbanisme, Rabat-Maroc): Sustainable cities in Morocco.
- Maxime Nicolas (University Professor, Aix Marseille Université, IUSTI Laboratory, amU/CNRS ): The challenges of the sustainable city from a physics perspective.
- Barbara D’Anna (CNRS Research Director, LCE, amU/CNRS): Presentation of the PEPR RESILIENCE project.
10.45-11am: Coffee break.
- Hubert Mazurek (PhD in Ecology and HDR in Geography, Emeritus Research Director, LPED, IRD/amU): presentation of the summary of the next IPCC report on cities and climate change.
- Elodie Briche (PhD in geography-climatology, R&D coordinator for sustainable urban planning at ADEME; national reference on urban cooling).
- Guldehan Atay (Associate Professor, Coordinator of the “Building Design and Theory Postgraduate Program” of Architecture Department of Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University): Sustainable buildings and urban projects in contemporary Istanbul.
- Saloua Ferjani (architect and urban planner; lecturer at ENAU, doctor in heritage sciences; coordinator of the Professional Masters in Urban Planning and Development): Between the attractiveness of seaside resorts and climate vulnerability: what governance choices should be made for Tunisia’s coastal towns?
1pm-2.30pm: Lunch break.
Moderator: Marie Baduel, Deputy Director of AVITEM.
- Jean Pierre Gaudin (political scientist, Professor Emeritus, Sciences Po Aix).
- Hubert Mazurek (PhD in Ecology and HDR in Geography, Emeritus Research Director, LPED, IRD/amU).
- Vincent Fouchier (Director of Foresight, Partnerships and Territorial Innovation, within the General Services Department of the Aix-Marseille-Provence metropolis; Associate Lecturer at Aix Marseille Université (Geography, Planning, Environment Department) and associate researcher at the TELEMMe laboratory, amU/CNRS)
- Victoria Jimenez (Head of Sector for Urban Development at the UfM, Barcelona)
- Carles Crosas Armengol (architect, PhD, senior lecturer, director of the Department of Urban Planning, Territory and Landscape (DUTP) at the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya – Barcelona Tech)
5pm : End of the day.
