The issue of downtown revitalization has been much studied over the past several decades. However, much of the existing knowledge base pertains to our largest urban centres. This leaves a significant information gap with regards to mid-size cities. As a result, past renewal attempts in these cities have often been scaled down versions of what has worked in larger cities. In most cases, this has resulted in detrimental rather than reviving effects. The current trend in cities of all sizes is the implementation of Creative City Theory. This thesis seeks to study this trend and its specific relevance to the mid-size city. The scope of research will then build on the current theory by exploring the effects of well-designed public spaces and their ability to not only unleash the creative spirit but to revitalize the post-industrial mid-size city downtown. This information will then be applied to a design study for Hamilton, Ontario where failed renewal attempts have crippled the city’s downtown. The design will concentrate on Jackson Square (formerly known as Civic Square), a superblock within the very centre of downtown Hamilton. Through a redesign of Jackson Square, the thesis proposes to create a place that not only fosters creativity, but is once again meaningful and significant to Hamilton citizens. While the application of research to Hamilton is specific, the goal is to produce a body of work with principles that can be applied to any number of mid-size cities across the post-industrial world.

The issue of downtown revitalization has been much studied over the past several decades. However, much of the existing knowledge base pertains to our largest urban centres. This leaves a significant information gap with regards to mid-size cities. As a result, past renewal attempts in these cities have often been scaled down versions of what has worked in larger cities. In most cases, this has resulted in detrimental rather than reviving effects. The current trend in cities of all sizes is the implementation of Creative City Theory. This thesis seeks to study this trend and its specific relevance to the mid-size city. The scope of research will then build on the current theory by exploring the effects of well-designed public spaces and their ability to not only unleash the creative spirit but to revitalize the post-industrial mid-size city downtown. This information will then be applied to a design study for Hamilton, Ontario where failed renewal attempts have crippled the city’s downtown. The design will concentrate on Jackson Square (formerly known as Civic Square), a superblock within the very centre of downtown Hamilton. Through a redesign of Jackson Square, the thesis proposes to create a place that not only fosters creativity, but is once again meaningful and significant to Hamilton citizens. While the application of research to Hamilton is specific, the goal is to produce a body of work with principles that can be applied to any number of mid-size cities across the post-industrial world.

Résumé : La coordination entre les politiques d'urbanisme et de transport, dans un nouveau contexte façonné par la montée en puissance des préoccupations environnementales et des enjeux du développement durable, est plus que jamais recherchée afin d'assurer une meilleure cohérence entre ces deux domaines. Ce travail a pour objectif d'analyser la place des politiques de mobilités urbaines au sein d'une politique plus globale de développement urbain durable.Beaucoup d'innovations et de bonnes pratiques dans le domaine du transport, proposant des modes alternatifs de déplacement, ont été adoptées pour répondre aux exigences du développement durable et surtout pour tenter de diminuer la place de la voiture particulière. Pour ce faire, des actions technologiques et organisationnelles doivent être insérées au sein de formes urbaines alternatives favorisant la ville à courte distance et la mixité et renforçant l'accessibilité (une des facettes du lien entre transport et urbanisme). De ce fait, la coordination et la complémentarité entre les politiques d'urbanisme, d'habitat et de transport ainsi qu'entre les acteurs aux échelles urbaine et interurbaine, doivent être renforcées.Cette recherche trouve son originalité dans l'étude comparative des quatre principales agglomérations de la région Champagne-Ardenne (Reims, Troyes, Charleville-Mézières et Châlons-en-Champagne), agglomérations de taille moyenne qui ont moins été étudiées que les grandes agglomérations. Elle examine comment les questions des déplacements et des mobilités ont été prises en compte dans les documents de planification stratégique de transport (SCoT et PDU). Alors que le lien entre transport et urbanisme se présente comme un des objectifs prônés par la loi SRU, qu'en est-il vraiment de la cohérence entre ces deux domaines en Champagne-Ardenne ? / Abstract : Mobility planning and urban sustainable development in Champagne-Ardenne. Analytical approach of the four main cities of Champagne-ArdenneCoordination between urbanism and transportation policies is more and more demanded in a new context characterized by an increasing concern for environmental issues and sustainable development. This research aims to analyse the role of urban mobility policies within more global sustainable development policies. Many innovative practices have been adopted in order to limit the importance of private cars and to foster alternative modes of mobility. This supposes to integrate technological and organisational actions into alternative urban forms favouring short distance, mixity and accessibility, which needs a better coordination between urbanism, dwelling and transportation policies at both urban and interurban scales.This research takes its originality from a comparative survey of the four main cities in Champagne-Ardenne, Reims, Troyes, Charleville-Mézières and Châlons-en-Champagne, i.e. mid-size cities that have been less studied than greater cities. It appreciates how mobility issues have been taken into account in strategic planning documents (SCOT, PDU). Since the link between mobility and city planning is one of the main objectives of the Solidarity and Urban Renewal act implemented in 2000, how far goes the coherence between these two fields of action ?Key-words : Strategic planning – Mobility planning policies – Urban mobility plans (PDU) – Master plans (SCOT) – Coherence between transport and urbanism – Champagne-Ardenne – Mid-size cities.