Did anyone ask people?

Dominique Perrault

It is a very heavy and very complex process. Because of a lot of debates, a lot of public debates. But after all these public debates, what has happened? Some public debates occur again and again. It is a an awful side of democracy. It is normal to organise some public debates. But at some point you should do something. You should decide on something. And the situation is not good because of "political people", multiple associations… 
Okay, you would like to organise your public debate? Okay, welcome, it is open. And you organise a meeting. Okay, fantastic. And after? Nothing! And by that time some people did not get housing, some people did not get a job, some people did not get a correct public transport. It is crazy, we are loosing a lot of time. 

The state provides money for the public transport network in the exactly same way. But it is a huge project - for 20 years maybe. With a lot of money: we have 1 million, 2 million, 3 million euro, it is coming. It is a lot of money, yet it is nothing because we would need 30 million for this public transportation. So in the end, nothing is really starting. 

The situation is very dangerous because everybody talks, but nobody works. And the same for the international workshop of architects and so on. They try to organise some project, some initiative, a lot of good ideas; 1000, 2000, 3000 of very good ideas. It is not a problem. 

The problem is like a club. It is a very nice club in the end. But this club is working in a very small place. And after one meeting, two meetings, three meetings about this club. Every architect has offices. You should pay your people in the end of the month:
- Okay, so what were you doing this month? 
- Oh, I spent my time in 10 or 15 meetings about the Grand Paris. 
- Oh, you are very nice. But ehm, my money? 
- I am sorry. I was involved in a meeting. 
- No? 

It is a real problem because with this panel of architects it is fantastic, very high quality, different feelings. This diversity really means something, it is a real treasure. But we should work. We want to work and we want to produce something to change the limits - not in the Grand Paris as such - but in the relationship between the political class and the territory of the Grand Paris. We should change immediately this kind of relationship, because if we are awaiting the new and wonderful public transport in twenty years, it is a fantastic idea, but that is not enough today. 

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Dominique Perrault

Dominique Perrault

Head of Dominique Perrault Architecte (DPA) in Paris, France

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