Paris Haussmann : A Model's Relevance

Exhibition catalogue Paris Haussmann : A Model's Relevance, presented at the Pavillon de l'Arsenal in Paris in spring 2017.

In the 19th century, Paris underwent profound transformations above and below ground, from the city centre to its outskirts.

Georges Eugene Haussmann, Prefect of the Seine from 1853 to 1870, embodies this entire century of public works that continue to shape the city's organisation and identity.

Paris Haussmann explores and analyses the characteristics of this homogenous yet polymorphous cityscape, the result of a lengthy process of changes and evolutions, even in recent times. Research was conducted at all levels to classify and compare roadways, identify public spaces, and organise the blocks and buildings according to their current geometry.

For the first time, the qualities of the Haussmann model have been set forth to show how they grapple with the challenges that contemporary cities face.

Rich illustrative material, photographs, various plans and maps, floor plans and sections, axonometric projections, diagrams and other graphics, and statistical analyses complement topical essays.