Rethinking Le Lamentin for a resilient city, in symbiosis with its natural environment

Climate urbanism: when data shapes the resilient city of tomorrow

Adaptive infrastructures for a resilient city

In the beating heart of Martinique, a silent urban revolution is taking shape. Since 2023, the city of Le Lamentin has embarked on an ambitious and visionary project, placing sustainable urban planning at the center of its concerns. This innovative approach aims to transform the city into a model of resilience in the face of climate challenges looming on the horizon. Far from being a simple reactive response, this project embodies a proactive approach, anticipating environmental changes to shape a harmonious and lasting urban future.

Strategic greening against climate risks

At the heart of this urban metamorphosis, ecological and climate urbanism emerges as the guiding thread of a global reflection on territorial planning. Le Lamentin, aware of its vulnerability to climate hazards, has chosen to embrace this reality as an opportunity for reinvention. Climate, once perceived as a constraint, now becomes the keystone of an innovative territorial strategy. This holistic approach transcends the traditional boundaries of urban planning, integrating natural cycles, biodiversity and local ecosystems into every development decision.

Sustainable housing facing challenges

In this quest for a balance between urban development and environmental preservation, the Bechu & Associés agency plays a catalytic role. Its expertise is put at the service of a long-term vision, aiming to provide Le Lamentin with a sustainable and resilient territorial urban planning strategy. This close collaboration between the municipality and the agency makes it possible to anticipate climate risks, not as threats, but as opportunities to rethink the city. Through innovative and tailor-made solutions, Le Lamentin is thus positioning itself at the forefront of Caribbean cities, paving the way for an urban future where man and nature coexist in harmony, offering an inspiring model for future generations.

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The Le Lamentin project embodies our vision of innovative and resilient climate urbanism. By placing climate data at the heart of our reflection, we have designed a development strategy that not only anticipates environmental challenges, but transforms these constraints into opportunities to create a harmonious and sustainable living environment. Our bio-inspired approach, combining technical expertise and ecological sensitivity, outlines the contours of a city in symbiosis with its tropical environment, where each neighborhood becomes a resilient urban ecosystem. It is a manifesto for future urbanism, capable of adapting to the specificities of its territory while offering an exceptional quality of life to its inhabitants.

Bechu & Associés|Architects

What are the major climate risks identified for the city of Le Lamentin?

The major climate risks identified for the city of Le Lamentin are diverse, but they all present significant challenges for urban resilience and sustainability. First, flooding represents a significant threat, whether caused by marine submersion during storms or by excessive runoff during heavy rainfall. These floods can lead to major disruptions with devastating consequences, isolating certain neighborhoods and compromising access to essential services such as hospitals and businesses. At the same time, urban heat islands constitute another worrying risk. The densely populated neighborhoods of Le Lamentin are subject to higher temperatures than the surrounding rural areas. This can exacerbate heat waves and lead to adverse consequences on the health and well-being of residents. Moreover, coastal erosion constitutes a growing threat to the city, particularly with the expected increase in air and ocean temperatures. The decrease in the width of sandy beaches exposes the city to damage to coastal infrastructure and greater vulnerability to storm surges. This same threat endangers not only coastal dwellings and facilities, but also the local economy which often depends on tourism and maritime activities.

Finally, the risks to road infrastructure and residential areas are also concerning. Main roads and residential neighborhoods are particularly vulnerable to flooding and landslides, which can lead to major disruptions and endanger the safety of residents. These major climate risks require special attention and effective adaptation measures to strengthen the resilience of the city of Le Lamentin in the face of climate change challenges. It is therefore necessary and urgent to implement adaptive urban planning and effective mitigation measures to strengthen the resilience of the city of Le Lamentin in the face of these challenges. This involves an integrated approach that takes into account the social, economic and environmental aspects of urban sustainability to ensure a resilient and prosperous future for all its inhabitants.

How to reconcile urban development and climate events?

This issue represents a crucial challenge in the urban planning of Le Lamentin. It is imperative to find a balance between growth and resilience in the face of omnipresent climate risks. Several strategies can be adopted to address the various challenges facing the municipality of Le Lamentin. It is essential to integrate the climate dimension from the initial phases of urban planning. This first approach allows to take into account future climate projections when developing new urban projects, while anticipating and taking into account potential risks such as flooding, coastal erosion and heat waves. It is also important to consider and adopt building standards and urban regulations adapted to these climate challenges. This includes taking into account resilient construction requirements, such as elevating buildings above sea level, using sustainable materials and implementing efficient drainage systems to cope with flooding.

At the same time, it is necessary to promote land use practices that preserve natural ecosystems and strengthen community resilience. This approach includes the conservation of wetlands and mangroves due to their ability to mitigate the effects of storms and protect against coastal erosion. The creation of parks and green spaces would allow for the absorption of rainwater and reduce urban heat islands currently very present within the municipality.

Finally, it is crucial to involve local stakeholders, residents, businesses and community organizations in the planning and decision-making process. This citizen participation ensures that the needs and concerns of the local population are taken into account, and promotes the acceptance and implementation of climate adaptation measures. By adopting an integrated approach that combines anticipatory planning, adapted urban regulations, ecosystem preservation and community participation, it is possible to reconcile urban development with the growth of climate events while strengthening the resilience and sustainability of the city of Le Lamentin.

How does the bio-inspiration approach contribute to strengthening the resilience of urban neighborhoods to climate risks in the city of Le Lamentin?

The innovative approach of territorial bio-inspiration offers a strategic framework for strengthening the resilience of urban neighborhoods to climate risks.

By relying on three complementary action areas, this approach integrates existing natural elements and their cycles to design an urban territory that harmonizes with the major cycles of life. Firstly, by creating a hydrological and plant symphony. This approach recognizes the importance of natural hydrological systems and integrates them into urban planning. Through the idea of Blue Roots, which symbolize the interconnection of these systems with the roots of a tree, we aspire to reveal the complexity and interconnection inherent in urban life. This initiative allows for a better understanding of the vulnerabilities the city faces, particularly during periods of heavy rainfall. However, solutions such as Overflow Gardens are implemented along the Lézarde, thanks to vegetated spaces that allow excess water to be absorbed and distributed harmoniously. It is also necessary to maintain the balance of the earth to ensure the resilience of Le Lamentin in the face of climate challenges. Drawing inspiration from the millennial wisdom of trees and strategically integrating a border forest along rivers, this approach aims to revitalize the soil and act as a green shield against the hazards of the tropical climate. This initiative is not limited to functional considerations but also has a symbolic dimension by giving the city a new resilient DNA that reflects its commitment to nature.

How does the agency's approach to sustainable development for the city of Le Lamentin improve the resilience of neighborhoods to climate and environmental challenges by 2045?

As part of Le Lamentin's sustainable development, the agency's vision for 2045 takes into account the specific challenges of each neighborhood. Indeed, various major risks are identified and several solutions are implemented and adapted through three key families of actions: housing, greening, and equipment and infrastructure. To address the challenges in terms of equipment and infrastructure, the agency's approach advocates the design of public spaces promoting social life, with the introduction of ephemeral and transitional uses. It also recommends the installation of multifunctional cultural and sports facilities to energize neighborhoods. The optimization of transport facilities, such as silo parking and urban shelters, is essential to strengthen the infrastructure and resilience of each neighborhood. In addition, the promotion of functional diversity and circular economies as well as the improvement of inter-neighborhood links for sustainable mobility are key aspects of Bechu & Associés' approach. This vision also applies to the implementation of infrastructure to manage rainwater and soil desealing for better water management.

Regarding greening, the agency proposes to enhance the mangrove and create a network with the city, while integrating overflow gardens in Le Lamentin's landscape development plan. Roof greening is also encouraged to reduce runoff and cool neighborhoods, as is the integration of buffer zones for a better urban-nature transition. Moreover, the creation of urban cool islands in dense centers and the preservation of agricultural and forest areas are priorities to strengthen the city's environmental resilience. Regarding housing, the agency's vision advocates urban renewal by identifying vacant housing and adapting development to changing land. Encouraging urban densification is recommended to preserve natural spaces, while scientific and technical mastery of new constructions is essential to ensure their sustainability. The creation of prototypes of modular housing, as well as raising the level of habitation and adopting a bioclimatic design are recommendations to ensure energy efficiency. These recommendations are proposed measures to face the challenges of climate change and ensure the resilience of Le Lamentin's inhabitants.