Centers and centrality : reflections on French city design

Abstract

This research looks at the tradition of centralism in France and its implications on city design. The geographic and administrative centralization of France is a process due to a set of random events and deliberate choices. The very special relationship which was built throughout this process between the central governments of France and Paris was dramatically expressed in the design of Paris. Chapters I and II look at the history of this centralization, the evolution of Paris design and discusses the formation of a design model of urban center. Chapter III and IV show how this model was adapted to the modern urban scale, at first in the French colonies and then in the Paris region. A parallel intent of this thesis is to discuss the meaning and the implications - of designing centers as opposed to environments with centrality. Chapter v elaborate on this theme and document it through the Paris' region newtowns experience. Chapter VI is a final discussion of the information and the concepts presented in this study.