Published at : The City of the Future

P. Sansonetti and P. Boucheron (eds.)

The city of the future

A contribution to the debate on adapting urban complexes to the challenges of environmental change.

How did our ancestors see their future city ? How do our contemporaries imagine ? How can we ensure the transformation and resilience of existing cities ? How can we design and guarantee the sustainability of new towns ? How can we meet the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in metropolises, while adapting them to climate change ? In this context, how can we develop urban mobility ? And finally, how can we build a city that welcomes everyone ?

If the city of the future is not to be a utopia of the past, we must - from political leaders to citizens - take up these questions, which are so many challenges to be met.

This book lays the groundwork for this collective reflection by looking at urban space from the angles of history, biodiversity, health, materials and organization.

Sansonetti P. et Boucheron P. (dir.), La Ville du futur, Paris, Collège de France, coll. " Hors collection ", 2025, 168 p.

ISBN : 978-2-7226-0841-2
Price 18 €
Publication 22 May 2025

The Avenir Commun Durable initiative is supported by the Collège de France Foundation, its major sponsors Fondation Covéa and TotalEnergies, and its sponsors Forvia and Saint-Gobain.

Philippe Sansonetti is a microbiologist. He is Professor Emeritus at the Collège de France, where he held the Microbiology and Infectious Diseases Chair from 2008 to 2020, and at the Institut Pasteur.

Patrick Boucheron is a historian. He has been a professor at the Collège de France since 2015, holding the History of Powers in Western Europe, 13th ^to 16th century chair.

With the collaboration of Benjamin Campech, chemical engineer and journalism graduate. He is project manager of the Avenir Commun Durable initiative at the Collège de France.