Jean-Pierre Augustin experimented with sociocultural community development in a youth home or shelter from a working-class neighbourhood in Bordeaux, representative of the birth of « socio-cultural animation » in France. Conflicts between users exhaust the illusions of « animators » for this space of socialization, which adapts by opening itself to a neighborhood and global « animation », before providing an anchor to territorialized facilities in a fragmented city. Jean-Pierre Augustin confronts in his studies the socio-spatial evolution of cities and the creative social practices of a flexible urbanity. As a teacher-researcher, he promotes graduate training to contribute to the professionalization of facilitators. Participating in international synergies, including those stemming from the RIA and scientific cooperation, it reinforces an emancipatory concept of « animation » and collective action. The human qualities, the great curiosity and the working capacity of the university professor characterize a plural man who participates in multiple associative, institutional, and academic networks. This humanist geographer is the bearer of lucid and generous optimism.