When Cité du design, Saint-Etienne launched its  Collective Humancitizens Office of StÉtienne Experimentations in October 2015, a group of stakeholders of Cret de Roch district decided to answer the call and launch  labs to experiment the transformations of the “hidden face” of the district, around Neyron street.

They are designers, former architect very involved in the community and popular education associations, artists, gardener, managers of associations in charge of social economy (creation of new services in vacant premises , upcycling and repair economy, services between neighbours)… For more than 10 years, they all have taken part in the activities which give a new dynamic to this popular district on a hill : on the lower part, at the edge of city center ; on the top where residents have set up community gardens… but what about the middle part ?

The Neyron street is a bit forgotten, crossed by the cars, with several brownfields. It will be the object of urban renovations by the urban planning agency. How to imagine the evolutions of this area within the time ? How to involve the inhabitants in these transformations ? How to imagine the future without planning heavy structures, but whether reversible interventions adapted to the evolutive uses of the spaces by the inhabitants ?  How to enable inhabitants to be creative actors of the transformations of their district, whether than worried spectators ?

Hypermatière multidisciplinary was set up to offers mobile, evolutive, reversible and recyclable interventions to experiment the various temporalities linked to the uses that accompany the development of a changing neighbourhood.

It began with small actions : painting the stairs and planting flowers in a passage crossing the hill with the children of the district, to make it more convivial and reveal this spaces. Collecting the wild fauna of the brownfields and printing them on ceramic tiles. The urban planning agency gave the group premises in a vacant building to make their activities.  From there, the group organized several workshops in July and October 2016, urban walks to discover the district … . Each activity is an opportunity to reach the inhabitants and question them on their perception and ideas about the district . Which are its distinctive features ? which kind of services or facilities would they need to make it more alive  ?

These workshops were also a way of gathering the various associations of the neighbourhood in oder to transfer their collective dynamic to this area.

The next step : a collaborative construction work  from 27th February to 7th March 2017 on the major brownfield of the street, with students of a professional highschool and Saint-Etienne school of Art design, volunteers from the neighbourhood and the city, to build a micro-architecture and set-up some green area. It will create a temporary public space to welcome numerous workshops and conversations during the Biennale Internationale Saint-Etienne 2017. It will show the process and the relevance of these contributing practices.

The program of the workshops and meetings is available (in French) on the group facebook page : @hypermatiere

The multidisciplinary  group “Hypermatière” , Saint-Etienne HumanCitzen group born from C.H.O.S.E  helds an experimentation lab in the Cret de Roch District,  Neyron street, from 12th to 15th October 2015.

Proposed as an open laboratory, “Hyperactivité” proposes to share the spirit of transformation initiated by Hypermatiere since  March 2016 in the micro-area of Neyron street and Passage la Fontaine. The temporary workshop  “Atelier de la Fontaine” (25 Neyron street) will be open to the public and will propose free laboratories  of making and repairing activities. Neighbours and citizens will be invited to discover the urban installations made together with designers,artists, gardeners, children, to bring more life and colour to the façades and stairs of this hidden part of the neighbourhood on the Cret de roch hill. They will be invited to share their thoughts and ideas on the future of this district under renovation, their uses, their wishes, their visions.

PROGRAMME
**Wednesday 12th October 2016 –  14.00 – 17.00**
Ceramics labs  – taking the print of thedistrict’s vegetation  on ceramic tiles – by Magalie Rastello and Yai Acosta
Repair lab – household appliaces –  by John
TEA -SNACK TIME  at 16.30 !

**Thursday 13rd October 2016- 14.00- 17.00**
Open discussion –  the future of  vacant commercial spaces –   by Rues du Développement Durable association
Repair lab – bicyle – by Ocivélo

**Friday 14th October 2016 -15.00 – 18.00**
Repair lab – Furniture – by Captain Ludd design studio
Repair lab – household appliaces –  by John
APERITIVE  at 18.00 !

**Saturday 15th Ocotber – 10.00 – 16.00***
Ceramics labs  – by Magalie Rastello and Yai Acosta
Collective info board for the district construction lab – by Captain Ludd design studio
Repair lab – bicyle – by Ocivélo
BARBECUE between 12.00 and 14.00 !