The goals

Innovation is central to the VINCI Group's strategy and organisation

Its companies serve the community by devising, every day, innovative development and mobility solutions, including, notably, high environmental quality buildings, transport infrastructure that respects the environment and solutions that complement the use of cars in cities.

Nevertheless, even an innovative entrepreneur cannot find all the answers to the issues raised by the future of the city – comparison of ideas and experience is essential.

The City Factory aims to encourage debate around urban innovation by comparing the ideas of experts and entrepreneurs. More broadly, it promotes pioneering initiatives by encouraging exchange of views between the people responsible for considering the future of the city.

The City Factory has chosen to focus more particularly on two areas of research: sustainable mobility and eco-urbanism.

Tools for reflection

Seminars
Every year, The City Factory organises a seminar on a specific theme that brings together some 60 people (academics, elected officials, civil servants, company heads, representatives of civil society and VINCI executives, etc.) to debate and exchange ideas on a given subject. This seminar has an international dimension and is organised in a European capital. The City Factory's first seminar took place in London on 2, 3 and 4 April 2008 on the theme of "Mobility in the city: let's change!"

Morning debates
Alongside this annual rendezvous, the City Factory organises morning debates and discussions involving top experts. These meetings take place in Paris or in the big regional capitals.

Publications
The findings of each seminar and morning debate are published in the form of minutes and reports.

The website
The City Factory website (www.fabriquedelacite.com) is designed to be an information centre. It is an online repository of contributions (articles, research work, etc.) from members of the Factory and centralises information about work done by VINCI teams that can be used to feed the debates.