OASIS in Paris: greening the city and reversing climate change, one schoolyard at a time

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The city is well underway to building a stronger, more equitable, more sustainable, and ultimately more resilient city. Opening the first of many heat-adapted schoolyards to come is a great testament to the progress made. It is our hope that Paris can serve as a model for other cities.Anne Hildago, Mayor of ParisThe OASIS project set out to find eco-innovative solutions to mitigate the effects of climate change in the French capital. By transforming the city’s schoolyards into islands capable of storing water and reducing heat, the project is refreshing dense, urban spaces.The playgrounds will be opened to the general public after school hours, so that residents can enjoy the new green areas in their neighbourhood, which will offer natural protection from heatwaves. Because of their more adventurous and natural design, the new playgrounds allow children to learn, play and let their imaginations run free.Tackling climate changeResidents of central Paris each have a mere 5.8 m2 of green space. Because of the city’s building density, impervious building materials, and human activity, the French capital has become a so-called urban heat island. It is hotter than the surrounding rural, which amplifies the effect of heatwaves.In search for effective countermeasures, the project turned to the capital’s 656 schools and 115 high schools, which have a combined total of 73 hectares of asphalted, paved or cemented surface. As every school is within 250 m of most Parisians, using these locations made the most sense.Four kindergartens, four elementary schools and two middle schools were selected as pilot projects. For the transformation of these 10 schoolyards, the project used materials with a low carbon footprint, high thermal performance and permeability, to better withstand to the effects of climate change. Natural provision of shade and rainwater recovery systems were among the solutions employed.Reinforcing social cohesionSchool staff, children and their parents were directly involved in the design process, as they would be the most affected by the transformation. Local residents were invited to contribute to the coordination of after-school activities and to the maintenance of the new, communal spaces.As a result, the collective intelligence of local residents of all ages was harnessed, social bonds were strengthened and a micro-local governance model was developed.From pilot to ParisOver recent years, Paris has suffered more intense, frequent and longer heatwaves and more heavy rainfall, bringing with it an increased risk of flooding.Thanks to the innovative approach and initial success with the 10 pilot projects, OASIS has produced a set of recommendations and plans for other schoolyards. The city has committed itself to developing a standardised adaptable methodology for transforming asphalt-covered schoolyards into green, playful and welcoming spaces for everyone. So far, another 35 schoolyards have been transformed.OASIS is co-funded by the City of Paris and the European Regional Development Fund’s Urban Innovative Actions, a program that provides innovative projects with resources to address today’s urban challenges.Total investment and EU fundingTotal investment for the project “OASIS – School Yards: Openness, Adaptation, Sensitisation, Innovation and Social Ties: Design and transformation of local urban areas adapted to climate change, working jointly with users”, is EUR 4 995 793,16, with the EU’s European Regional Development Fund contributing EUR 4 995 793,16 through the Urban Innovative Actions for the 2014-2020 programming period. The investment falls under the priority “Energy Union and Climate”.