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The first phase of development of Montpellier in the 1960s relied in particular on the creation of two “American-style” campuses north of the municipal territory. In a top-down planning approach, the state imposed on local government (which finally took up the cause of the project) the implementation of large university development on the outskirts of Montpellier, away from urban services and historical faculties which remained at the centre. The real estate opportunities offered at the time in this area have confirmed the government’s choice. The “Hospitals Schools” district has proven to be a driving force of urban sprawl and one of the gateways into the city, which then turned more towards the interior scrubland rather than towards the coast. Since the construction of Richter Centre on the banks of the Lez to redevelopment of old homes in the city center, university strategies have since diversified, while echoing the evolution of a the Montpellier project – whose headquarters at Antigone, Lez urban park, and Avenue Dugrand were priorities one after the other. “Operation Campus” started in 2009 now seems disconnected from the priorities of the municipality, although it covers many issues relating to housing, transportation and environment at the metropolitan level.