Author(s)

N. Long, F. Rousseaux & D. Vye

Abstract

This article seeks to highlight a shift in development of the city towards a sustainable model through the prism of morphology. It presents multi-scale, morphological keys for understanding, making it possible to identify and detail the physical and structural elements which comprise the sustainable city. Via these keys for understanding, the article endeavours to identify the various physical elements and structures of this urban landscape which is undergoing radical transformation. On what scale is the drive towards a sustainable city the most noteworthy? Does the slogan \“act locally, think globally” also apply to the urban territory? This paper begins by outlining the concepts of the sustainable city. There then follows a description and analysis of morphological keys for understanding the sustainable city. Finally, the concluding part covers application of these keys to the city of Nantes, which hosts several sustainable development projects and will assume the mantle of European Green Capital in 2013. Keywords: urban morphology, sustainable city, Nantes, multi-scale.

Keywords

urban morphology, sustainable city, Nantes, multi-scale.