|Tony Garnier designs the plans
of an ideal city, called “An industrial city” during
his stay at “Villa Médicis” (1899-1904).
Published in 1917, it is a milestone in the 20th century history
of architecture and urban planning.
Tony Garnier will
be rebuked many times by the French Academy for not dedicating
his full energy to his research project, “Tusculum”
which concerned the reconstitution of a Roman city. He dedicated
himself instead to avant-garde ideas, by working on his modern
city project, designed for about 35.000 inhabitants.
City” of Tony
can be compared
to a city of labor, illustrates
the ideas of Fourier.
Tony Garnier located
it in a place that can be identified as being in Saint-Etienne
area (near by Saint-Chamont / Rive-de-Gier), which was heavily
industrialized at the beginning of the 20th century.
urban conceptions of his time, the architect developed the zoning
concept, dividing the city into four main functions: work, housing,
city is located on a rocky headland, the
industrial area being clearly separated from it and located down the
at the confluence of a river.
Four main principles
emerge: functionnalism, space, greenery, and high sunshine