Habiter Là

Habiter Là: Architecture Serving Rural Areas

Created in 2013 by the Collectif 2-4, Habiter Là is a unique event: a biennial of participatory architecture and urban planning located in the heart of a small rural town in Mayenne. Every two years, Pré-en-Pail-Saint-Samson becomes an open-air laboratory where architects, urban planners, artists, researchers, and residents come together to experiment with new approaches to developing public spaces in rural areas.

The Collectif 2-4: A Committed Associative Third Place

The Collectif 2-4 brings together two popular education associations located in a former commercial space of approximately 1,000 m² at 2 and 4 rue des Rosiers in Pré-en-Pail:

• Payaso Loco: a local development association through social and cultural action, particularly through play in all its forms, founded by Bénédicte Donarier
• Le Secours populaire français (local committee): social action and solidarity

This third place serves as both the festival's headquarters and a permanent associative living space for the residents of Pré-en-Pail-Saint-Samson.

A Transdisciplinary Program

Habiter Là unfolds its program over several months, structured around three complementary axes:

Consultation and Participatory Construction

A series of public consultations brings together elected officials and users to co-define the program for a participatory construction project. The recommendations from these discussions are entrusted to a team of architects who design the plans for what will be built collectively during the April construction phase.

Art and Culture

Artistic residencies host painters, sculptors, and visual artists who occupy the spaces of Pré-en-Pail to create works related to the territory. Exhibitions, film screenings, and conferences complete this cultural component.

Education and Training

Workshops and interventions for residents and professionals address the challenges of sustainable urban planning: reducing fossil fuel consumption, increasing greenery, and promoting local and circular economies.

The 2025 Edition: Three Priorities for Tomorrow

The 7th edition of Habiter Là (February to April 2025) structured its program around three fundamental axes for the territory's transition:

• Reduce fossil fuel consumption
• Increase greenery in public and private spaces
• Develop a local and circular economy