Compare the role of the State in city planning and improvement for each of these locations: Paris, Spain and Ontario. What means or elements did Haussman, Cerdà and the City Beautiful Movement adherents use to shape the city?
Haussman used politics and historical events to encourage the development of Paris. This occurred after the Cholera outbreak of 1830. In this case, 65 thousand people had died out of a city of 650 thousand. The primary causes were the close proximity of the streets and building to one another. At the same time, Napoleon III came to power and wanted to build upon the ambitions of Napoleon I. (Jordan)
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In the case Cerdà, the city used various wars, urbanization and a lack of planning to encourage development. This resulted in reducing the cramped conditions that existed and developing plots that were empty spaces in middle of these areas. (Martín-Ramos) As far as the City Beautiful Movement, they were able to tap into the growing trends of horticulture and encouraged everyone to develop their own personal space. These factors had an impact on urban planning, with the creation of different parks and other green spaces to reduce congestion and enhance the quality of life for everyone. (Baeyer)
What were the moral and economic arguments given to justify the changes to the urban environment?
For Haussman, the biggest arguments were the pending health crisis that existed in Paris and the negative impacts from the Industrial Revolution. (Jordan) In Cerdà, there were claims how the wars from the early 19th century hurt the ability of the city to compete against others in Europe. To address these challenges, many officials focused on reducing congestion. It was argued, that this improved their competitive position and made the region into a center for commerce / trade. (Martín-Ramos) The City for Beautiful Movement, believed that these challenges would have a negative impact on the quality of life in Ontario and the ability of region to remain competitive. To deal with these issues, the total number of green spaces increased. This created an environment that was conducive to the community and it enhanced the standard of living by reducing overcrowding. (Baeyer)
- Baeyer, Edwinna. “‘The Battle Against Disfiguring Things:’ An Overview of the Response by Non-Professionals to the City Beautiful Movement in Ontario from 1880-1920.” Bulletin of the Society for the Study of Architecture in Canada 11 (1986): 3-9. Print
- Jordan, David. “Haussmann and Haussmannisation: The Legacy for Paris.” French Historical Studies 27. 1 (2004): 87-113. Print.
- Martín-Ramos, Angel. “The Cerdà Effect on City Modernization.” Town Planning Review 83.6 (2012): 695-716. Print.
