Introduction
How Paris became Paris: The invention of Modern City is a book by DeJean Joan gives an account of events of the development of the city of Paris with regards to its architectural structures. The book is full of explanations on the characteristics of modern urban center and how its buildings and structure came to be what the world is witnessing right now. The author begins the book by focusing on two French kings; King Henry IV and King Louis XIV who were alive more than two centuries before Haussmann Baron, a public worker who led the widespread renovation of buildings in Paris. In this book, DeJean looks into how a number of buildings and structure were developed and built in Paris, for example, the construction of Pont Neuf which was finished in the early 1600s (DeJean, 2014). The development of Pont Neuf is the beginning of the coming to birth of the city of Paris. The construction of several other structures made the people of Paris develop more love for their city, and they began walking freely in the city. The emergence of Mansions, for example, in St. Louis gave the dwellers of Paris a deeper sense of belonging to the neighborhoods of the city of Paris. Sense of fashion and designing also began emerging in Paris. Advertisements were created as trade took its course in the city due to construction of shops. This had negative impacts as cases of thievery and violence emerged due to the difference in class between the elite, middle and low-class dwellers of Paris. The contribution of the two kings in the development of Paris to the city it right now took a century-long duration. This paper is going to provide a report on the development of Paris’ architectural infrastructure as presented by DeJean.
According to this book, Paris holds a high reputation for modernity by implementing a number of the most beautiful technological architectures as witnessed in the design and shapes of its structures. This book gives a description of the transformation of the French city of Paris, a city which was initially full of vermin, malodorous, violence and full of mud, into one of the most beautiful cities and a leading tourist’s destination in the World (DeJean, 2014). However, there came a widespread call for change that would transform Paris, an initiative that was championed by King Louis XIV in the early 1600s. This king is referred to as one who always thought of inventing new styles and designs every time. At this time, the city walkabouts of Paris was not friendly to visitors. This book, therefore, examines how Paris, the capital of France went through a series of development and improvement stages to grow into the paradise that it is right now.
The initial chapters of the book concentrate on the major events of construction that took place in the city. The new constructions which gave a new face to the city of Paris used modern forms of technology which was a major cutting edge to the innovative designs and structures that were built in Paris. Among the three most important improvements that are discussed in this book are the Pont Neuf, the Ille San Louis and the Place des Vosges (DeJean, 2014).
In the year 1606, King Henry IV initiated the reconstruction of Pont Neuf Bridge. The bridge is made of stone and is fireproof in order to enhance its endurance. The bridge is 1000 feet long. It is this bridge that played the role as a landmark in Paris, however, currently; it has been taken over by the Eiffel Tower. The initial construction of this bridge was done by King Henry III, who also laid the first stone to its foundation in the year 1578 (DeJean, 2014). During this period, the city of Paris was still engulfed in religious violence. However, King Henry IV took the initiative to make the city attractive t visitors, and he began the refurbishing of this bridge at the end of the religious wars. King Henry IV laid clear goals and plans to complete the bridge stating that the renovation of the bridge is a necessary step towards making Paris a modern urban center and a convenient city for its dwellers. The Ille San Louis, which was socially isolated, became a romantic corner in Paris. This started in the year 1640. Initially referred to as Place Royale, the improvement of the Place des Vosges began with the construction of the Royal Pavilion by King Henry IV in the year 1604 (DeJean, 2014). Consequently, 35 other buildings were constructed following the same design near the pavilion.
Impacts of the Structure(s)/City
Advantages
The renovation and expansion of the construction of Pont Neuf Bridge improved the transport industry of Paris because it helped in solving the issue of traffic congestion which rose in Paris due to the emergence of new types of motor vehicles in the city (DeJean, 2014). The bridge also accommodated those who used horse as well as those who walked on foot to various destinations. It supplemented the use of boats that were used to cross Seine from the Left Bank to Louvre. The bridge also contributed to the incorporation of the Right Bank becoming part of the city of Paris. The inclusion of the statue of King Henry the IV on the bridge is also a major contributing factor to the attraction of visitors in the city. Below the statue become a famous meeting point for Parisians. This bridge shaped the social urban life of Parisians. The improvement of buildings and structures in Saint Louis has had several social impacts to the city of Paris, particularly in terms of tourism. It is also a home to numerous wealthy individuals from France. The new town of St. Louis grew brighter with the introduction of Lanterns that provided light to the streets at night. This brought a sense of security to the otherwise insecure streets of Paris. Other developments in St. Louis include the emergence of restaurants, shops, cafes and ballets. The presences of shops and cafes in place des Vosges have had a great economical impact to the Parisians living in this location.
Disadvantages
One of the unexpected outcomes of the architectural developments that took place in Paris includes what was witnessed after the completion of Pont Neuf. Even Pont Neuf played a major social role in Paris; some members of the public began misusing the waters that were below the bridge (DeJean, 2014). Men and women would come to cool themselves from the heat of Paris by swimming in the waters below the bridge, and they would go to the extent of walking and basking stark naked and in the total view of pedestrians. This called for the attention of the police. Also being a social place, instances of robbery and thievery were reported both in Saint Louis and Place des Vosges. This was caused by the presence of people of different economic classes. The emergence of shops and cafes which became the target of thieve. These led to an increase in cases of violence and insecurity in Paris. Another major negative impact of the structure to the city of Paris is the rise of immorality. The new structure attracted tourists from all over the world. These include groups of people who come to see the beauty of the new buildings and also those who come to fulfill their desires in the romantic corners of places like Saint Louis and Place des Vosges. The arrival of visitors from different background brought about cultural conflicts in Paris. Different intention of visitors also led to the emergence of twilight streets in Paris, a very negative social impact that was brought about by the new structures in Paris. Environmental pollution is also another negative impact that emerged as a result of the new structures in Paris. This is because of the increase in the number of motor vehicles emitting greenhouse gases that emerged as a result of the construction of Pont Neuf. Increase in the number of arriving visitors also led to the congestion of Paris and the depletion of the resources in the city.
Quality of innovation
In terms of innovation, the designs, the structure and the materials used in the construction of these new buildings in Paris are highly effective. Monarchs, for example, Francis I, made use of excellent architects to renovate buildings, for example, he used Leonardo da Vinci to produce the architect and design of renovating Louvre (DeJean, 2014). In order to arrive at the appropriate structures for constructing these new buildings, several engineers and designers were included. A good example is during the construction of the Eiffel Tower whereby more than 5,000 architectural drawings were sampled before the selection of the appropriate structure and design for use (Plumley, 2014). The materials used in the construction of these buildings and structures are also durable and environmental friendly. For example, the Pont Neuf Bridge is made of stone and is fireproof in order to enhance its endurance. The bridge is 1000 feet wide in order to accommodate expected future increase in the number of users. Other materials used in the construction of these structures are hard metals like steel. These ensure their durability, and that is why these structures still exist up to date. The bridge of Pont Neuf is still a major tourist attraction site in Paris. It is also still used as a channel of public transport, thus continuing with its major role in the transport sector since its construction. Places like St. Louis and Place des Vosges continue to play major roles as the dwelling place of the wealthy, and in providing entertainment and accommodation to tourists.
Relationship to Builders Place and Time
The various architectural works that brought a new face to Paris was influenced by the background of the builders and the historical times of the French and the people they interacted with. The presence of the Romans who conquered the tribe of Parisii, who were the dwellers of Lutetia, the current city of Paris led to the construction of buildings with Italian designs (Pisold, 2014). Therefore, there are a number of buildings with traces of Roman design that were used during the middle age. A number of buildings in Paris during the period discussed in this book were influenced by the Roman architectural design, for example, the Saint-Germaine-des-Prés Church has retained its Romanesque shape. The presence of the Greek also led to the emergence of buildings with designs of Greek origin, for example, as witnessed in the construction of Hotel Bony and the Petit Hotel Bourrienne. However, major buildings were directed by Jean-Baptiste Colbert appointed by Louis XIV in 1664.
Conclusion
In conclusion, I have liked the general arrangement and the structure of the book. The author has managed to achieve her goals of elaborating how Paris came to being. The author has made very appealing and plausible arguments in this book. She has used a number of superlatives in reference to Paris as one of the best cities in the world. It is clear that the architectural developments in Paris borrowed a lot from the neighboring countries which were present in France long before Paris was built. Architectural designs used in ancient buildings have origins in Rome Italy and Greece. The builders used strong materials that would ensure the durability of the buildings for many years, and this have been successful in the existence of the buildings up to the current century. The emergence of these structures have had both negative and positive impacts in Paris, however, the positive impacts outweigh the negative.
Works Cited
DeJean, Joan. How Paris became Paris: The Invention of Modernity. 2014. Bloomsbury Publishers. London
Pasold, Lisa. All that can be found anywhere can be found in Paris—Victor Hugo, 1881. 2014. Web 13 October 2014. <http://www.paris-architecture.info/gall-arch.htm>
Plumley, Kareni. The Construction of Eiffel Tower. 2014. Web 13 October 2014. <http://www.paris-eiffel-tower-news.com/eiffel-tower-stories/eiffel-tower-construction.htm>
