Page - 128 - in Mobile Culture Studies - The Journal, Volume 3/2017

128 Mobile Culture Studies. The Journal 3 2o17 Patrick Naef | Using mobility and urban planning to implement atmosphere ‘It does not limit itself to speed limit regulation, it aims to improve the quality of life, the social qua- lity of the place. An encounter zone should be planned where there are encounters, not in mere transit areas. For instance, in squares, historical centres, residential areas. It is also important to consider the surroundings.’ (Personal communication, 8 May 2017) Indeed, the first Swiss encounter zones were realised in places such as historical areas, residential and school surroundings, and are now spreading to other types of places like railway stations and commercial areas. This ho- listic view on the role of encounter zones can also be found in France. The CEREMA, a public body gathering expertise in the fields of environment, mobility and territorial planning states that ‘considering and prioritising the pedestrian is not only an improvement of a transit mode, but an improvement of living conditions. By liberating the space previously monopolised by cars, reducing speed, offering sites for rest and security, bringing vegetation into towns, the en- counter zone conceives and designs a different street, enjoyable for all.’ (Cerema, 2014) ‘Rest’, ‘vegetation’, ‘security’ and ‘enjoyment’, all represent elements which can be associated with specific atmospheres, and help enhance the appropriation of public space by users and dwellers. In an unpublished review of the situation of encounter zones in the city of Geneva, the municipality defined some recommendations for future planning. Streets are no longer con- sidered as ‘car pipes’ and public spaces need to be upgraded. The ‘Leschot’ street is held up as a model of success, based on its lively atmosphere: ‘[the street] is particularly frequented due to the numerous cafés-restaurants and boutiques in its buildings. […] The revalorisation of this public space gave renewed life to this street.’4 This specific encounter zone is compared to the ‘Flèche-Marroniers-Chapelle’ area, another encounter zone considered as less successful: ‘There are fewer cafés and shop keepers. Furthermore, a bank occupies a building without any win- dow onto the street. A real dynamic of public space use is thus lacking’. For the Municipality of Geneva, this raises the question of whether ‘encounter zones’ should only be introduced in lively and busy streets. As these observations and the previous ones demonstrate, encounter zones are often proposed because of their ability to revitalise places by contributing to their lively atmosphere. The functions of these developments can thus be considered beyond their primary role of traffic regulation; encounter zones are often seen as tools that also help improve the conviviality of streets. Versoix: from a wasteland to an ‘encounter zone’ To examine whether or not future encounter zones should only be developed in streets already defined as places with ‘atmosphere’, the example of the new encounter zone in Versoix, a town by Lake Geneva, is enlightening. The area adjoining the railway station has been a waste- land for years. As part of larger urban transformations of more than 20’000 square meters, an encounter zone and a pedestrian zone were inaugurated in 2016 after four years of construction. This development aims to create a new centre in a town increasingly considered as a bedroom community, many of whose inhabitants commute to work in the nearby cities of Geneva and Nyon. In the light of the efforts to bring new life to a previously neglected site, this encounter zone can reveal its potential to help build a desirable atmosphere in a place imagined as a new town-centre. The multitude of activities linked to the site – commercial, residential, religious 4 Ville de Genève. (unknown date). ‘Zones de rencontre  : Synthèse générale, pistes et recommandations.’