New Medinas: Towards Sustainable New Towns?

Why a book on new towns? Simply put, new towns are special cases in terms of urban development and the organisation of space. They are challenging adventures, reflecting different surroundings and trends and bringing together in one place a whole host of political, structural and technical issues, and they require a vast array of expertise and a variety of sectors working together to take up a major challenge: creating a city from start to finish. Such issues are relevant for the creation of new towns on both sides of the Mediterranean, whether in examining the recent history of this phenomenon or in looking towards the future. Exchanges between cities and between experts can therefore generate in-depth analysis and result in greatly improved practices which learn from the past. This book showcases the results of the New Medina project, a journey based on sharing and cooperation among cities and associations from different countries in the North and South of the Mediterranean region.

Pascaline Gaborit has ten years of experience working with European local authorities, as Director of the European New Towns and Pilot Cities Platform (ENTP, a network of local authorities). She coordinates exchanges, events and panels of experts, and occasionally lectures in universities. She is the author of several books and articles, and is convinced of the importance of cooperation and exchange among local authorities, experts and researchers.