: A block of three buildings in Lyon Confluence Hikari is a mixed-use complex located in Lyon (Confluence district), designed by Kengo Kuma between 2012 and 2015. Covering approximately 12,800 m² across three interconnected buildings, it brings together housing, offices, and retail spaces. It is recognized as the first positive energy urban block in Europe, meaning it produces more energy than it consumes for electricity, heating, and cooling. The buildings are designed to act as active energy producers. Climate-friendly energy The project relies on a combination of climate-friendly energy systems. Photovoltaic panels are installed on the roofs and façades, while solar glass façades generate electricity and regulate daylight. Energy production is further supported by combined heat and power systems using rapeseed oil, geothermal energy, and cooling drawn from the Saône River. This hybrid approach integrates multiple renewable sources. Energy efficiency through passive design Energy efficiency is also achieved [...]
: Context In the face of climate change and with its Mediterranean climate, the city of Marseille and its densely built historic center are likely to be increasingly confronted with risks such as heat waves, drought, and heavy rainfall in the coming years (Gaucher et al., 2020). Marseille’s historic housing stock also faces severe deterioration, especially in working-class areas of the first three districts. These issues have been highlighted since 2018 and the collapse of two buildings in the Noailles district, which caused the deaths of eight residents. The wave of mass evacuations that followed, affecting over 1,200 buildings and between 7,000 and 11,000 people over the following six-year period (Dorier, 2024), and the strong citizen reaction to these events have put run-down housing back on the public agenda in the historic city centre. Today Marseille’s city centre is the focus of an urban redevelopment project (projet partenarial d’aménagement) voted in 2019, which directly resulted from the 2018 buildin[...]