With this project, we aimed to evaluate the successes of different planning focuses, throughout eras of Parisian history, in their progress towards modernism. We concluded that:
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The perfect modernism international city Paris is thoroughly remolded itself by different kinds of revolutions from varying periods of time of varying executive officers and issued policies. As we can see, the city walls establishment, French Gothic architecture, and massive changes on the sanitary environment have noicetable impacts on modernism style. International trade, continuous reconstruction of city walls and the creation of university all lay the groundwork of modern Paris. Modernism architect and artists have a new definition of “Gothic”, and we are not only limited “Gothic” as an architecture style, but a symbol. Some of contemporary architect and artist will keep the gloomy character from “Gothic”. Last but not least, the evolution of the sanitary environment, especially the sewer system have promoted society’s development. Let’s imagine, who will go to Paris if Paris is still full of smells and excrements?
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During the Baroque Era, Paris was one of the fastest growing cities in the world. A lot of things changed and there were many new advancements during the Baroque Era that encouraged the city to keep growing. During the time, aspects of the city, such as streets, were changed in order to coincide with the advancements of the time. Small and narrow streets became large and wide boulevards. It was this desire and need of growth and expansion that would ultimately lead Paris to modernism
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In the 20th century, Paris experienced a shift in urban design and architecture. The sudden change were inspired by a new movement and way of thinking known as Modernism. In the forefront of this enlightenment was Le Corbusier. Le Corbusier aided Paris in setting the foundation ideologies for future modern buildings. This was an important time/concept, because it truly pushed Paris in the forefront of being one of the top the developers of the new world with function and technology.
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Paris today is making slow headway towards key tenets of modernism, but sets itself back frequently. In the 60’s, Paris made their city more accessible to the masses by embracing city expansion and providing a revised freeway and public transit system to efficiently move thousands in and out of the city. In the 80’s, Les Grand Projets detracted from modernism, forcing monumental design on the city. Today, Paris is pushing a sustainable, recycling based approach for new development, but seems to be neglecting the less wealthy population in the process.
OUR CONCLUSIONS
Paris, throughout the eras, has been very skilled at stating its intentions to design for the masses. The baroque era was monumental to show Parisian power – or was it power for the elite housed at Versailles? The Haussman era expanded the city and increased some functional design, but also held the construction of extraordinarily grand boulevards – primarily for the benefit of Napoleon’s military parades. Le Corbusier presented modernist plans which were great theories and some parts were later implemented, but truly none of his redesigns of Paris were ever seriously considered to be built. And in the modern era, Paris’ later “reinvention” led by Mayor Anne Hidalgo seems excellent and sustainable, but also seems to neglect the Lower class.