Industrial City by Tony Garnier

AparnaSingh B.Arch.4thYr.B RollNo.13 VastuKalaAcademy Duringhisstudentyears,TonyGarnierprovedtobeverydifferentfromotherstudents.He wasnotverydisciplined,anddidnotcarryouttheprojectsrequestedbytheFrench Academy,whichconcernedthestudyofisolatedantiquemonuments.Hepreferredtowork onanentirecityTusculum.InfouryearsatVillaMdicis,hespentonlysixmonths workingonantiquemonuments.Mostofhistimewasdedicatedtoaprojectforthe creationofanewcity,amodernone,calledAnIndustrialCity,publishedforthefirsttimein 1917. Whereasthedesignsforgardencitiesand"Usonia"tookrootinthecountry,theFrench architectandsocialistTonyGarniermadedetailedplansforamodelofamodernindustrial city.GarnierdidtheconceptualpreparatoryworkfortheModernisttownplanners.Bothhis architectonicdetailsandplanningideasbecametheirbasicprinciples. TonyGarniersnewindustrialcityisautopianplannedindustrialcitywithseparated residentialandfactoryzones,greenbeltswithstructuresbuiltofreinforcedconcrete. Thisprojectisasignificantmilestoneinmoderntownplanning,asLeCorbusiersaid:The firstexampleofurbanlanddefinedaspublicspaceandorganizedtoaccommodate amenitiesforthecommonbenefitoftheinhabitants[...]integratinghousing,workand contactbetweencitizens. TonyGarnierlocateditinaplacethatcanbeidentifiedasbeinginSaintEtiennearea(near bySaintChamont/RivedeGier),whichwasheavilyindustrializedatthebeginningofthe 20thcentury.Thecityislocatedonarockyheadland,theindustrialareabeingclearly separatedfromitandlocateddowntheheadland,attheconfluenceofariver.

InwhatmanyconsidertobethefirstactofModernmasterplanning,Garnierdesigneda selfsufficientsettlementfor35,000basedonindustry,withvariousfunctionszonedin discreetareas,connectedbymultipleinfrastructuralsystems;arailway,acanal,roads,and anairport. Theindustrialcityembracesnewconceptsincityplanning:long,narrowlotsrunningeast west,buildingsseparatedbywideopenspaces,separatelevelsprovidedforpedestrians, andhouseswithroofgardens. TherenderingsofGarniersprojectforeshadowedanew,sprawlingurbanscaledefinedby thepracticalzoningrequirementsofthelatestindustrialandtransportationtechnologies. AnothertitlefortheprojectwasindeedCityofLabor.Soitisveryclear,thatmoderncity planninghadassourcetheideaoflaborandproduction,onthebasisoftheindustrial revolution. OnlythreemainfunctionshavethereforebeenconceivedbyGarnier:production,housing andhealthfacilities.Thedictatorshipofproductionturnedhousingandhealthintheservice ofproduction.Workershadtobehealthyandthereforehousedwelltostaystableand reliableintheproductionprocess.Thereforewecansay,thecenteroftheconceptionofthe moderncityisproduction.

Theclassicalconceptionofacityfromwheretheurbanistsstartedwasthecityasaplaceof production.Inthewakeoftheindustrialrevolutionthecitywasconceivedasasequenceof phasesconditionedbyindustriallabor.Youstartwithanassemblyline.Aroundtheassembly lineyoubuildafactory.Aroundthefactoryyoubuildthehomesoftheworkers.Aroundthe homesyoubuildshops,restaurantsandotherservices.Preciselyinthatsensewecan perceivethepublicationofUneCitIndustrielle. Goingagainsturbanconceptionsofhistime,thearchitectdevelopedthezoningconcept, dividingthecityintofourmainfunctions:work,housing,health,leisure. Thetrafficsystemhadseparateroadsforvehiclesandpedestrians,throughroads,and accessroads. Greenspacestookupmorethanhalfofthecityarea.Setinthemidstofthesewereloose groupingsofsimplefreestandingapartmentblocks,builtofreinforcedconcreteusing industrialtechniques,andaffordingplentyofairandlight. Fourmainprinciplesemerge:functionalism,space,greenery,andhighsunshineexposure. InFrance,TonyGarniercaughtthemoderncurrentsinmaterials,structure,andcomposition usingwhichheevolvedhismasterfulplanforaCitindustrielle. Intheindustrialcity,reinforcedconcretewastobeusedtocreateamoderncityofmodern buildings.Theplancalledfortheextensiveuseofreinforcedconcrete. RESIDENTIAL UNITS RAILWAY STATION

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