Temporary urbanism in France: emerging innovations and contradictions

This invited research seminar presented preliminary findings from Marie Curie fellowship research on temporary urbanism intermediaries in Paris. The presentation traces the evolution of temporary urbanism in France from 1980s artist squats—spaces of artistic critique—through progressive institutionalization and professionalization, culminating in contemporary hybrid organizations managing vacant spaces. Drawing on six months of ethnographic fieldwork in a 25,000 m² Parisian temporary urbanism project managed by two organizations (pseudonymized as Oasis Urbaine and Refuge Sauvage), the research employs a civic action theoretical framework (Lichterman, Eliasoph) to analyze how these intermediaries navigate contradictions between experimentation and neoliberal cooptation. The presentation introduces key analytical concepts—scene styles and discursive fields—to understand how different organizational cultures shape problem-framing and action strategies. Working hypotheses explore recurring conflicts between partner organizations as clashes between different scene styles, identifying dilemmas in hybrid civic action with market actors (balancing credibility versus financial sustainability) and public administrations (compliance versus coherence). The research contributes to understanding how temporary urbanism actors balance conflicting normative prescriptions while pursuing public goods, moving beyond sectoral categorizations to examine the cultural shaping of this emerging urban field.