METROPOLE AIX-MARSEILLE-PROVENCE: A NEW POLITICAL CENTRE FOR A NEW TERRITORY \ Unit 21
On the 1st January 2016, a new territory was formed: Aix-Marseille-Provence Metropole. Over the next few years, the Metropole will be increasingly acquiring power, through a devolvement from the Paris French Government. This premise formed the basis for my dataset when investigating Marseille: What is the political climate of this new territory and what will the new Metropole need in order to be a major power in France? Already the largest Metropole in France, could Aix- Marseille-Provence be the most important in terms of trade, international power and the Mediterranean too?
It was found that Marseille and Provence did not come together in this marriage-of-sorts merrily. The two areas are culturally, politically and economically very different areas. Marseille is not Provençale, or so a Marseillaise person would argue. The bringing together of these two areas into one political territory was fascinating. The existing political infrastructures do not support this, as there is no neutral ground for the new Metropole Parliament to meet. As such, this scheme proposes a new political centre for a new territory.
Exhibited in the Bartlett Summer Show 2016 // Featured in the Bartlett Catalogue 2016 // Featured in the Unit 21 L’Opuscule 2016
Katherine Scott 