Transit-oriented Development in asymmetrical context : Learning from cross-border paradoxes in the Great Geneva

Abstract

Transit-oriented Development (TOD) is hailed as a solution to sustainable urban growth; yet research often overlooks its impact in asymmetrical contexts like cross-border metropolises. This study challenges this gap, examining public transport and urbanisation projects in Great Geneva. The region, nestled between Switzerland and France, faces significant socio-economic and institutional asymmetry. While the Agglomeration Project aims for cohesion, local conflicts abound. Through critical analysis, three paradoxes emerge: the metropolitan, radio-centric, and development paradoxes. These paradoxes question TOD's agency in an asymmetrical context. Understanding these paradoxes is necessary to inform future planning in such regions beyond rhetorical discourses. Keywords: TOD, cross-border metropolis, asymmetry, planning, conflicts