‘Modern Streets’: Boulevards, Sewers & Baron von...

PARIS: CAPITAL OF MODERNITY?

‘Modern Streets’: Boulevards, Sewers

& Baron von Haussman

Gordon M. Winder

Gordon Winder

Paris: Capital of Modernity?

GEOG 104GCities & Urbanism

•Geographical Imaginaries – e.g. Eiffel Tower•Paris’ 19th C experiments with modernity•Changes to built form – boulevards, sewers,

public buildings, department stores. •Bohemian cultural economy•Revolutionary counterculture•Lasting urban legacies – built form, patterns

of urbanism•City growth + planning + new spaces of

consumption + place competition betweencities + new urban identities.

We are essentially children of the 19th C, howeverpassionate our revolts or disavowals, however

profound our discouragement. Braudel.

Rue de Rivoli

GEOG 104G Cities & Urbanism

Rue de Rivoli (Harvey 2003)

Baron vonHaussman

Paris Streetscape


Photo: Winder (2006).

Modern Paris street

The Medieval Street


Streets in Tuscan cities: San Girolamo and Volterra(Winder 2006).


Lubeckcomprised 3 towns in 1: church; merchant;

& noble

Renaissance Lübeck

Photo: Winder (2006).

Haussman’s Accomplishments


•Roads – 114km new & 60km of pavements•Bridges – 14 new•Sewers – 550km of pipes•Water – 522,000 cu.m/day•Trees – 50,000 planted•Parks – 1,804 ha (1 ha/963 people)•Housing – net gain of 75,000•Buildings – numerous public buildings•Suburbs – 10,611 ha annexed to the City•Spending – 2.5 bn Francs 1851-1869

Population of Paris, 1831-1876

GEOG 104G Cities & Urbanism Gordon M. Winder

Year Old Paris Annexed 1860

Paris after 1860

Change (%)

1831 786,866 75,574 861,436

1836 899,313 103,320 1,002,633 16.4

1841 936,261 124,564 1,059,825 5.7

1846 1,053,897 173,083 1,226,980 15.8

1851 1,053,261 223,802 1,277,064 4.1

1856 1,174,346 364,257 1,538,613 20.5

1861 1,696,141 10.2

1866 1,825,274 7.6

1872 1,851,792 1.5

1876 1,988,800 7.5

Source: Harvey (2003).

Paris’ Urban Problems


•Growth – from 0.5m 1800 to 3.3m 1900•Slums – high density inner city tennements•Social Mix – separate social worlds emerge•Transport – poor circulation of food, water,

sewage & people•Infrastructure – inadequate investment•Plans – debates over future urban forms•Power – how to mobilise land, finance,

regulations, architects, engineers &developers?

Empire of Public Works

GEOG 104 G Cities & Urbanism

France’s railNetwork 1850-1890 (Harvey 2003)

Regularisation


Destruction was the first step in Haussman’s ‘regularisation’ of old Paris streets. Poor Residents were displaced (Harvey 2003,Higonnet 2002)

Grand Plans


Haussman’s plans for boulevard routes (Harvey 2003).

The Scale of Projects


3. Haussman insisted on a grandInterior space under glass.

Source: Harvey (2003).

1. Old Les Halles with foodStored in the street.

2. ‘Fortress’ Les Halles ‘toosmall’ says Haussman.


The Boulevards

Source: Harvey (2003)

Modern Street Furniture

Common-places, Rolling

Stones & Reform

Public toilet & railings (Harvey 2003).

Parks


Plans for park at Butte-Chaumont (Choay 1969).

Modernity as Break?


•Harvey (2003) – formation of the second Empire is a decisive moment of creative destruction.•Hall (1998) – a city of perpetual public works under Second Empire. •Modern Planning – combining urban vision and plans for modern streets.•City as Commune? – radical redefinition of citizenship & how it is performed.

Evaluating Regularisation


•Incomplete – slums remain in centre.•Suburbs – lack of attention. •Vandalism – destruction of old Paris•Anti-Socialist – neighbourhoods cleared.•Attack on the Poor – increased homeless &

impoverishment. •Embourgeoisement – gentrification of the

inner city.•Public Health – limited gains.•Street Congestion – relocated.•Developmental State – public works as

workfare.

L’Arc de Triomphe


Winder 2006.

Imperialpomp

Jardin de Tuileries


Winder 2006.

NewsKiosk


Winder 2006

Left Bank Artist’s Booth


Winder 2006

Portraiture,city scenes

Paris Street Café Scene


Gard du Nord. (Winder 2006)

‘Modern Streets’: Boulevards, Sewers & Baron von...

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