Talking Urban Scale Models: Les Halles Redevelopment Project in Paris and its Public Exhibitions (1968-1982)
Résumés
Cet article retrace le rôle fructueux des maquettes urbaines, exposées publiquement, à travers le projet de réaménagement des Halles à Paris de 1968 à 1982. Au cours des presque vingt années de développement de l’ancien marché dans les pavillons Baltard historiques, d’innombrables tentatives ont été faites pour trouver un projet adapté et politiquement réussi. Dès la première exposition publique en mars 1968, la maquette urbaine a joué un rôle clé en facilitant la communication entre la population parisienne et l’administration de la ville de Paris. Cependant, l’impact que les maquettes urbaines pourraient avoir sur la population a clairement été sous-estimé, et leur mise en scène publique a donné lieu à de vigoureux débats sur l’avenir du site des Halles.
Entrées d’index
Haut de pagePlan
Haut de pageTexte intégral
Democratising Urban Planning: The Emergence of Urban Scale Models as Public Instruments
- 1 Isabelle Warmoes, Le Musée des plans-reliefs : maquettes historiques de villes fortifiées, Paris, É (...)
- 2 Isabelle Warmoes, « Le musée des Plans-reliefs », Artefact : techniques, histoire et sciences humai (...)
1Large-scale physical urban models were first displayed in France in the early 16th century. These plan-reliefs were scale models of cities used to monitor the construction of urban fortifications.1 Built on a scale of approximately 1:600, these urban scale models, or maquettes, were first displayed in the Louvre on large wooden tables.2 (Ill. 1)
Ill. 1 : View of the Plan-Relief collection in the Great Gallery of the Louvre
Louis-Nicolas Van Blarenberghe, 1770-1771
Wikimedia Commons, G. Garitan. Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license
- 3 Isabelle Warmoes, Le Musée des plans-reliefs, op. cit., p. 15.
2They became important projection instruments for the actors involved, including the king’s engineers, the minister of war, and the king himself. The plans-reliefs, with their volumetric relief and built urban fabric, were easier to read than maps or plans, and their object-like appearance and display on purpose-built tables allowed greater accessibility. This improved legibility and accessibility made the model a favoured medium for public exhibitions from the 20th century onwards. In 1776, Louis XVI ordered the historic plans-reliefs to be transferred to the Hôtel des Invalides in Paris where, from 1794, the public was permitted access to the 100 or so models on display, for one month per year, at the discretion of the Minister of War.3 (Ill. 2)
Ill. 2 : Plan of the Plan-Relief collection in the Hôtel des Invalides, 1777
Isabelle Warmoes, Le Musée des plans-reliefs : maquettes historiques de villes fortifiées, Paris, Éditions du patrimoine, 1997. p. 11.
3As time progressed, the public accessibility of town planning models continued to grow, especially during the 20th century. This growth was facilitated through both the establishment of a public museum, the Musée des Plans-reliefs in Paris, in 1943, and the increased use of models for public urban planning exhibitions.
4Throughout the 20th century, there was a notable shift in the methods and tools used to engage the wider public. This shift included a move from traditional plan-reliefs, originally used for military purposes and later for historical exhibitions, to the emergence of physical scale model of the city (maquette urbaine), displayed in public exhibitions. This transition marked a significant development in the effective communication of urban plans and designs to the public, providing an interactive and tangible means of visualising the future of urban spaces. Spurred by the cultural and socio-political movement of 1968, citizens’ demands for a greater say in the development of urban projects grew increasingly loud in Europe, resulting in the increased public display of physical models. Because of their physical presence, accessibility and legibility, scale models played a crucial role in fulfilling the communicative role of mediating between professionals and the public on urban design issues. The three-dimensional nature of scale models allowed people to engage directly with the physical representation of the city, making plans and designs more accessible and understandable to a wider audience. The tactile and visual experience offered by these models facilitated a deeper understanding and interpretation of urban concepts, bridging the gap between professionals and the public and fostering meaningful discussions about urban design. By presenting a future vision of the city, the urban scale model not only aroused the audience’s curiosity, but sparked debates and discussions about the future of the city itself.
- 4 The spatial programme for Les Halles underwent significant changes throughout the project’s history (...)
- 5 Jean Audouin, « Halles : trois maquettes à l’Hôtel de Ville », Le Quotidien de Paris, 28 mars 1975 (...)
5Public exhibitions in Paris during the 1960s and 1970s marked a shift in the public display of urban scale models to engage the public. This was particularly the case in the nigh-on twenty years of public exhibitions of the urban redevelopment of the former Pavillon Baltard site, hereafter referred to as Les Halles, in the centre of Paris. The intention was to move the busy markets of Les Halles to the outskirts of Paris to connect the site to the new metro system and provide new facilities such as housing, commercial premises, and cultural programmes.4 From 1968 to 1982, public exhibitions showcasing physical urban scale models were vital to promoting public engagement with the proposed urban projects. These models were publicly displayed, allowing the community to see and understand the proposed developments in a more tangible manner. The visual representation of urban spaces and their potential future form allowed the public to better visualize the impact of urban planning decisions on their daily lives, and inspired increased public participation in urban debates. The direct confrontation with a new (and already modelled) reality of a future Paris triggered strong reactions from countless visitors, making the urban scale model an active promoter of urban discourse, often resulting in heated public debates. In addition to the “official” public exhibitions, organised by the City Council and held in the Hôtel de Ville, neighbourhood associations such as the Union des Champeaux also organised several alternative exhibitions over the years, using the urban scale model as an active communication tool.5
- 6 Archives de Paris, Paris : L’Atelier Parisien d’Urbanisme : ses archives 1967-1983 ; Société d’écon (...)
- 7 Archives INA (Institut national de l’audiovisuel) ; Centre d’archives d’architecture contemporaine/ (...)
6In this article, I contend that the presentation and widespread public accessibility of urban scale models during the various Les Halles public exhibitions played a pivotal role in shaping – and manipulating – the public discourse surrounding the project’s future. To do so, I primarily focus on two main themes. First, I explore the context in which the models were publicly showcased, as well as the techniques and methods used to exhibit them. Second, I examine how the models were adapted during the project, and how their features simultaneously evolved. By following these two logics, I closely analyse the staging, accessibility, and construction methods of the models while also scrutinizing visitors’ responses. Additionally, I examine how the models were published and utilised in the local media to generate public discourse about Les Halles. I follow a chronological approach, emphasising the public role of the models from the 1968 public exhibition to the public exhibitions in the following decade. My research is founded on two primary sources. First, I draw upon a wealth of archival materials from the Les Halles project that have not yet been fully analysed, specifically investigating the role of the urban scale model in public exhibitions.6 Second, I utilise public documents, including newspapers and film archives, to obtain visual representations of the models’ public role.7 My focus is on how the models instigated and influenced the discourse surrounding the project in Paris, and the ramifications of these debates. By examining the interplay between the public and the models, we can obtain valuable insights into the nature of the project’s discourse.
From Cult Object to Rejection: The Dual Nature of Urban Scale Models in Public Communication during the two Public Exhibitions of 1968
7Six French architectural firms were invited to submit proposed redesigns of the Secteur des Halles at an architectural competition launched in 1967. Each office produced one or more scale models of their proposals, and Paris Match published all six models in July 1967 (Ill. 3), sparking a heated debate about the site’s future, highlighting the tension and discrepancy between the government’s vision for the site and the public’s expectations.
Ill. 3 : The twelve official projects for the transformation of Les Halles
Presented by the architects Charpentier, Faugeron, de Marien, Maron, Arretche and the Atelier d’urbanisme et d’architecture (A.U.A), 1967
Paris Match, no. 953, juillet 1967
- 8 Jean-Pierre Worms and Emmanuelle Reynaud, « L’aménagement des Halles : demandes, exigences sociales (...)
- 9 Maurice Doublet, Paris en procès, Paris, Hachette, 1976, p. 22.
- 10 Ibid.
- 11 Jean-Jacques Gouret, « Historique du premier chantier des Halles (1963-1985) », Association Accompl (...)
8Even before the exhibition, much public attention was paid to Les Halles models. Local and national associations, town planners, and academics voiced their concerns in the local media.8 Faced with the widespread backlash to the first phase of the Les Halles competition, the Paris City Council refused to make a decision, and Maurice Doublet, then Prefect of Paris, later said that the choice, in reality, was between models rather than the urban planning parties they were supposed to embody. The models were locked up in the Hôtel de Ville, its windows painted blue to prevent surreptitious viewings, and were even covered with cardboard during their transport.9 The models thus became highly coveted objects: the organizers of the project maintained a level of secrecy in their communication, amplifying the intrigue and fascination surrounding the models. Photographs of these models frequently appeared in project reports, contributing to their widespread popularity and creating a devoted and fervent following. Doublet invited a select number of Parisian associations to view the six newly created models, which were not yet open to the public. The urban scale models of the Les Halles projects therefore became cult-like objects despite never having been publicly displayed.10 The President of the Council, Michel Caldaguès, eventually decided to display them publicly.11
- 12 Jean-Pierre Worms and Emmanuelle Reynaud, op. cit., p. 522.
- 13 Author unknown, « Les Halles : 2 projets en tête », newspaper unknown, date unknown, Centre d’archi (...)
- 14 Author unknown, « La rénovation des Halles – Six projets soumis bientôt au Conseil de Paris », L’Au (...)
9In February 1968, the public exhibition opened to showcase the architectural value of the site and the project proposals, but also, more importantly, to gain public favour.12 After the publication of model images of the six projects in July 1967 and internal discussions, the six teams of architects were commissioned to revise their projects before presenting them in a public exhibition: Aménagement du Secteur des Halles. The local media announced that the public would soon be able to judge the projects “sur maquette” (on the model), pondering how one might be affected in viewing the models and their proposed transformations.13 This first public exhibition, at which the six project proposals were displayed, took place at the Hôtel de Ville during the Spring of 1968. Before it opened, several local magazines and newspapers in Paris presented the projects and their models to the public.14 (Ill. 4)
Ill. 4 : « Le nouveau quartier des Halles aura-t-il cette allure futuriste ? »
Author unknown, L’Humanité, 15 février 1968
Centre d’archives d’architecture contemporaine, Cité de l’architecture et du patrimoine, Paris, fonds Louis Arretche, 258 AA 94 235/3 (dépôt de l’Académie d’architecture)
- 15 Author unknown, « Projet des six maquettes. L’Aménagement du secteur des Halles. Programme d’aménag (...)
10The strong presence of the models in the printed media certainly aroused the curiosity of the exhibition visitors. While the six project proposals, presented with plans, diagrams, and photographs, were displayed on U-shaped panels in the prestigious Saint-Jean hall, at the end of the long room, a large model of Paris provided the main attraction. On a table measuring about 3m x 5m, a urban scale model (“maquette d’ensemble”) representing 34 hectares of the area around the Les Halles sector was displayed.15 (Ill. 5) The buildings were built on a scale of 1:500 in light, untreated wood, showing only the volume of the buildings, without details such as windows or doors, and small green trees lined the boulevards. An opening of approximately 1.2m x 2m was left in the centre of the model, into which the architects’ project proposals could be individually inserted.
Ill. 5 : The urban scale model of the project of Les Halles presented to the public at the Hôtel de Ville in Paris, 1968
Photo by Georges Melet, Paris Match via Getty Images
- 16 « 1968 : la fin des Halles Baltard à Paris | Archive INA », [online, video uploaded by INA Paris Vi (...)
- 17 The report, titled « Opinions des visiteurs de l’exposition des maquettes des Halles à l'Hôtel de V (...)
11Visitors to the exhibition were able to view and compare individual projects in the built environment through this spectacular technical device. “Nadar” fences, commonly used to control crowds during public demonstrations and prevent riots, enclosed the models, displayed side-by-side, and allowed visitors to stand around them. By contrast, only a thin rope separated visitors from the large urban scale model. This arrangement, backed by a light installation suitable for filming purposes, provided an immersive experience for visitors, allowing them to visualise how each of the proposed projects would transform the central area of Paris. The process of presenting the six project proposals for Les Halles was nothing short of theatrical. A mobile cart, complete with a hydraulic lifting platform, manually inserted each proposal into the large model from below. The combination of the elaborate staging, the technical precision of the models, and the grandeur of the setting created a truly captivating experience, as the perplexed expression of the visitors in a film clip from the INA archive shows.16 The varied interpretations of the spatial programme by individual architect teams, coupled with a lack of coordination during the construction of the six models, led to significant differences in materiality and abstraction. There were stark contrasts between the existing built environment around Les Halles and the proposed projects presented in the models. As a result, the models made a strong impression on the public, as a study of the visitors’ opinions shows.17
- 18 Christian Michel, op. cit., p. 33.
12An estimated 60,000 people had visited the exhibition before it closed in the Summer of 1968.18 The six models took centre stage at the public exhibition, and the media in turn printed numerous images featuring the models during and after the event. The repeated publication of photographs of the models in the press underscores their significant impact on public discourse and opinion. They provided a recognisable symbol and focal point of the exhibition, initiating a passionate public debate on alternative futures for Les Halles, independent of the official discourse led by the Paris city authorities. Their impact, however, went beyond mere legibility. The models were dynamic actors in the project, engaging the public and catalysing discussions about the proposed urban design. Their highly detailed and tangible nature allowed viewers to immerse themselves in the proposals and better understand the potential impact of the redevelopment.
- 19 Les Actualités françaises, « Après le transfert des Halles à Rungis : Que deviendra le vieux quarti (...)
13Video footage was also important in transmitting the outcome of the public exhibition, further highlighting the performativity of the exhibited models. The evening news, which at that time was also shown in cinemas, used this performative aspect alongside moving images to take a critical stance vis à vis the proposals.19 In a film excerpt produced for the television programme, Les Actualités Françaises, in March 1968, the question of the future of the Quartier des Halles after the markets had been moved is addressed. We see the visibly astonished faces of visitors (well-staged and dramatically underlined for the purpose, naturally) as they behold the sequence of different models introduced in the maquette d’ensemble. (Ill. 6)
Ill. 6 : The mise-en-scène of the urban scale models at the public exhibition in the Hôtel de Ville, 1968
« 1968 : la fin des Halles Baltard à Paris | Archive INA », [online, video uploaded by INA Paris Vintage, December 5, 2018]
- 20 Protests came mainly from four different organisations: the Comité ďaction pour la rénovation et la (...)
- 21 Author unknown, « Les Halles, 1967-1985 », Paris projet : aménagement, urbanisme, avenir, no. 25-26 (...)
14This movie was cut and produced to show the urban models successively inserted, thus further emphasising their radicalism compared to the existing city. It was also marked by polemical slogans on the heart of Paris and the future of the city. The film featured footage of perplexed Parisians visiting the exhibition, intercut with an excerpt from the evening news that introduced the term “Le Trou des Halles.” This became a common expression in Paris, referring to Les Halles after the pavilions had been demolished. The empty hole in the larger urban scale model reflected the hole that was to be created in the city of Paris, evoking visibly strong emotive responses from the audience. This image became a significant symbol for years to come. The absence of the models in the larger model effectively highlighted the absence of a concrete vision for the future of Les Halles, emphasising the need for meaningful and comprehensive planning and prompting visitors to reflect on the future of Paris and seek to engage in discussions about urban design. The public exhibition showcased models that presented a potential future for the city, despite visitors lacking the ability to intervene officially. However, this sparked a public debate on the future of the site, which resulted in the formation of several neighbourhood organisations.20 Another consequence of this reaction, which would be important for later exhibitions, was the creation by the Paris Council of a Commission permanente du secteur des Halles, a permanent commission for the Les Halles sector. The Atelier Parisien d'Urbanisme (APUR), a newly created joint body of the City of Paris, the Paris Region and the State for urban planning and development studies in Paris, was mandated to provide its “close collaboration” to this commission, thus fulfilling one of the missions for which it was created.21
15For the Parisian authorities, displaying the urban scale models had two essential implications. First, it suggested that decisions were not being made in secret and that the public was being involved, if not directly, in the transformation process. Second, the display of the models conveyed that the transformation programme was not final, and that changes could be made based on public feedback. But even if the administration intended to remain open to changes, it is unclear to what extent modifications were made to the initial plan based on public input. Moreover, it is possible that the administration aimed to achieve a final solution for the project to continue, and public feedback may not have significantly impacted the project’s outcome. Therefore, while the display of the urban models had positive implications, it is also important to recognise that they sparked an unintended debate, and that no definitive solution was found.
- 22 Yvan Christ, « Les Halles, ou la démesure », Revue des deux Mondes (1829-1971), 1968, p. 276.
- 23 Author unknown, « Notre société donne tout son concours à l’exposition : Trésors du quartier des Ha (...)
16In 1968, the public exhibition together with the urban scale model became a popular means of communicating with the citizens of Paris. As mentioned above, however, something else important occurred: different oppositional associations and sections of the public emerged, protesting and shaping the forthcoming discourse. An alternative exhibition, Les Trésors du Quartier des Halles, was launched in parallel to the official public exhibition by the Association Nationale pour la Protection des Villes ďArt, the Société pour la Protection des Paysages and the Comité d’Action pour la Défense et la Rénovation de Paris in February 1968.22 The organisers of the new exhibition demonstrated remarkable attention in their choice of medium. Recognising the significant influence that the urban scale models had on the public exhibition at the Hôtel de Ville, they took a different approach to highlight the charm and human scale of the Les Halles site. The historians and heritage specialists, Michel Fleury, Jean-Pierre Babelon, and architects and urban planners Albert Laprade and Claude Charpentier, deliberately chose not to use models, possibly in consultation with the exhibition organisers, but rather large photos of the site’s existing buildings to emphasise the beauty of the neighbourhood.23 The new exhibition aimed to portray the nostalgia of the existing market and connect with the people of Paris in a way that the models failed to do. The photographs resisted the models’ futuristic vision of Paris to show the city as it was, and importantly, from the perspective of the people rather than from a top-down view. This absence of models was a powerful statement, emphasising the importance of connecting with the people and portraying the existing neighbourhood in a resonant manner.
Contrasting Approaches in two Public Exhibitions in 1971/72: Official Display of Abstract Urban Scale Models vs. Emphasising Accessibility and Public Engagement with New Urban Scale Models
- 24 Philippe Gildas, Office national de radiodiffusion télévision française, « JT 20H – Les Halles », 7 (...)
17In 1971, after three years of further negotiation and debate, the decision was made to demolish the pavilions. Images of the destroyed Baltard pavilions featured in the local media again igniting discussions about Les Halles and its future.24 Simultaneously, two parallel exhibitions opened their doors, in which publicly exhibited urban scale models continued to play a decisive role in shaping the discourse on the future of Les Halles. The “official” exhibition, again at the Hôtel de Ville, was open between June 1971 and February 1972. This time, however, it took place in a smaller hall in the reception area (“salon d’accueil”), and the exhibition plan shows that a large urban scale model (provided by the APUR) was hung prominently on a side wall. (Ill. 7)
Ill. 7 : The “official” exhibition at the Hôtel de Ville
Inaugurated in June 1971 and open until February 1972
Archives de Paris, Paris, 3991W50_006 / © APUR
- 25 Author unknown, « Les Halles : une exposition », Paris projet : aménagement, urbanisme, avenir, no. (...)
18There were also further smaller urban models, some showing the underground organisation of the project in layers, and surprisingly one panel advertising the alternative exhibition (discussed below). An article in Paris Projet underlines the importance of the urban models to the exhibition: with the exception of a plan, only model photos are included on the two double pages devoted to the exhibition.25 (Ill. 8)
Ill. 8 : Models at the “official” exhibition at the Hôtel de Ville
Open from June 1971 until February 1972
Author unknown, « Les Halles : une exposition », Paris projet : aménagement, urbanisme, avenir, no. 7, Paris,APUR, 1972, p. 90-93. © APUR
- 26 Author unknown, title unknown, Le Nouvel Observateur, 21 juin 1971.
19It is remarkable that the model had become a popular tool for communicating with the public in exhibitions and the media, given that the publicly displayed models three years prior captured the public’s attention and influenced the debate about the project. However, the models chosen for the 1971 exhibition were much more subdued than those of 1968. The large wall model, at the same scale as the 1968 models, featured a section of the APUR's Les Halles project set in a similarly large environment. Nevertheless, the project itself was far more restrained and less sensational, with only a few urban elements displayed on the site. Additionally, only one project was exhibited, the remaining information provided through drawings and texts. The underground model showcased the underground uses of the project, which made it relatively inconspicuous within the cityscape. However, the exhibited models again initiated a heated debate, with L’Express running the headline, “le Manhattan Français,” and the Nouvel Observateur identifying tension between the “popular and cultural Paris and the banking [i.e., financial-sector] Paris.”26
20As mentioned above, an alternative exhibition organised in parallel showcased a large model of a counter-project for Les Halles in the entry hall of the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in June 1971. On the exhibition poster, the organisers, again various Parisian neighbourhood associations, prominently advertised a “Grande Maquette du Quartier des Halles,” a large urban scale model of the Les Halles neighbourhood, evidently the main exhibit. (Ill. 9)
Ill. 9 : Poster for the exhibition “Halles Baltard” at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, 1971
Anonyme, impression sur papier, 38,9 x 60 cm, Marseille, Mucem, 1973.90.3.
- 27 It can be assumed that the same associations (e.g., Comité ďaction pour la rénovation et la restaur (...)
- 28 Norma Evenson, op. cit., p. 312.
- 29 « 1971 : Les bouchers des Halles de Paris | Archive INA », [online, video uploaded by INA Paris Vin (...)
21The exhibition aimed to protest against the ongoing destruction of the pavilions by publishing impressive pictures of the destruction of the first pavilions, but also against the current project proposals suggested by the city administration. The exhibition’s organisers presented an alternative project to save the remaining pavilions, using similar arguments as the first alternative exhibition, Les Trésors du Quartier des Halles.27 Recognising the commanding presence of models as exhibition objects, the organisers of the counter-exhibition deliberately chose to present a brand-new 1:100 urban scale model, complete with elaborately designed surroundings, greenery, and a meticulous representation of the pavilions to be preserved. In presenting the models in such detail, they radically abandoned their previous intention to deliberately not use the model as a tool. The organisers had set out not only to attract media attention, but also to elevate the models to the level of a symbolic counter-project. This approach mirrors the way in which the models of 1968 were transformed into cultural objects that shaped public discourse. By presenting the models in this way, the organisers aimed to create a compelling narrative that would attract the public and encourage them to engage meaningfully with the counter-exhibition. They presented an alternative proposal, in which only four of the ten pavilions would be destroyed to make way for a public park. However, the project offered no solution to the underground station.28 A short film clip from the 1971 documentary movie, Les bouchers des Halles de Paris, shows that the public could sign a petition against the official project and in favour of the alternative project presented with the urban scale model.29 At first glance, the model displayed at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs differed greatly from the previous models in terms of its scale, a more realistic 1:100, and its materiality, which reflected the real material qualities of the city. The model was more detailed, with a greater range of colours, including greenery, that more accurately reflected the complexity and vibrancy of the city. (Ill. 10)
Ill. 10 : The urban scale model displayed at the alternative exhibition at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, 1971
« 1971 : Les bouchers des Halles de Paris | Archive INA », [online, video uploaded by INA Paris Vintage, 22 June 2021]
22Nonetheless, the goal of the model remained the same: to mobilise the public and promote their participation in the debate. The physical presence in the room had a strong autonomous charisma allowing the models to convey a strong message within the context of a public exhibition. The model had the ability to serve as a strong oppositional instrument and generate discourse. Once again, it proved effective in triggering urban debates, leading to lively discussions among the population reported in various newspapers. This, in turn, helped delay the project by several years. The model’s capacity to spark public engagement and promote critical discourse highlights its significance as a valuable instrument in urban planning processes.
Learning from the Past: New Detailed Models and Multiple Options for Enhanced Visitor Experiences
- 30 S. M., « Les Halles de Giscard et Bofill », Esprit, no. 447, 1975, p. 1026.
- 31 Author unknown, « Les Halles : achèvement d’un projet », Paris projet : aménagement, urbanisme, ave (...)
- 32 S. M., op. cit., p. 1026.
23Following more negotiations and public debates, shortly after a new public exhibition opened in 1974 the magazine, Esprit, reported a “heated debate in which the architects [Ricardo Bofill, Jean-Claude Bernard and Bernard de la Tour d’Auvergne] stood in front of their models, as if in front of a shop, merchants of space and buildings.”30 In 1974, the French President Valéry Giscard d’Estaing initiated a public exhibition, Exposition publique des trois maquettes des Halles, to display three new urban scale models at the Hôtel de Ville. Significantly, the exhibition coincided with the President’s decision to replace the proposed large number of offices for the Les Halles site with a spacious green area.31 The three models presented at the exhibition showcased various design options for this new green space, and their public display was a significant moment in the site’s planning and development.32 (Ill. 11)
Ill. 11 : Urban model of Ricardo Bofill’s project for Les Halles, 1974
Archives de Paris, Paris, 3991W18_003 / © APUR
- 33 For visitors, a blank white A4 sheet of paper was provided when they visited the exhibition, where (...)
- 34 S. M., op. cit., p. 1026.
- 35 Robert Franc, « interview de M. Valéry Giscard d’Estaing accordée au journal Le Point du 7 avril 19 (...)
- 36 See Association de recherches et études sur l’environnement (Paris) et al., « Participation des ha (...)
24The emerging debate on the new urban models meant the project proposals again relied heavily on the public urban scale models. Of the approximately 20,000 visitors to the exhibition, over 4,000 gave their written opinion on the projects and named their favoured option, according to the Note relative à la consultation du public sur les maquettes des Halles.33 It was further reported that the “dense crowd of visitors took advantage of the knowledge thus dispensed [by the models], which allowed them to reinforce their tastes and moods with rational arguments.”34 In a 1975 interview, Giscard d’Estaing stated that “French citizens, like the Europeans, are afraid of cities of tomorrow. When surrounded by models (maquettes), citizens end up thinking they can do nothing, except suffer the imposed framework of life, congestion, pollution, overcrowding, anonymity, concrete.”35 But while the models by Giscard d’Estaing’s group were also top-down proposals initiated by the state, they were not necessarily presented in a way that precluded public discussion. Whether these models explicitly conveyed a message of being open to discussion or not, it is possible that the way they were built and displayed, and given that there were three options to choose from, still left room for public input. In fact, the hydraulic lifts used to showcase the 1968 models may have been effective in implying that nothing was yet fixed and that the proposals were open to discussion. Thus, it is perhaps more appropriate to say that the compositional and semantic characteristics of the models displayed during this phase differed significantly from those of 1968. The three 1974 models effectively displayed project proposals in their entirety, using a language that was accessible to all individuals; the urban scale model’s effectiveness is contingent on the degree of public acceptance it generates. This public approach also embodies the political and social landscape of France during that period. One important example is the introduction of the Plan Construction, later Plan Urbanisme Construction Architecture (PUCA) in 1971, an initiative established by the Commissariat général du Plan, which sought to foster urban planning and architectural research. As a result, one of its outcomes was an increase in public participation in urban planning endeavours.36
- 37 Author unknown, « Les Halles, 1967-1985 », Paris projet : aménagement, urbanisme, avenir, no. 25-26 (...)
25The 1974 exhibition was a pivotal moment, prompting a more careful and deliberate approach to showcasing urban scale models compared to past practices, and a discernible approximation to the model of the 1971 counter-exhibition in terms of scale, material, and abstraction. The models were composed of warm colours and the change of scale from 1:500 to 1:100 meant more details could be included. Furthermore, all three models paid greater attention to the greenery and surrounding buildings, since the redevelopment programme required the creation of a green space through the planting of 600 trees. Small cars and people were included to give an impression of life. These “conservative” models were also much more reserved in their architectural language. The President’s political agenda for the transformation of society, moreover, was reflected in the programme’s requirements. The three projects were thus characterised by landscape elements such as tree colonnades and open gardens which made the models look much greener and more realistic. This shift in representation shows that the power of publicly exhibited urban scale models was well-recognised by the organisers, and with their newfound sensitivity, they generated a much more subdued and controlled debate around Les Halles. After the exhibition, in fact, some aspects of the projects were received positively by the local community, including the green open spaces. According to Paris Projet, the magazine of the APUR, which was involved in the exhibition’s organisation, it was again to be a “choice between models” although it was a very short exhibition, the public came out in “astonishing numbers,” almost “overwhelming the organisers.”37 Paris Projet concludes that the exhibition was less negatively received than its 1968 predecessor.
Regulated Urban Scale Models for Regulated Discourses
26Throughout the two-decade Les Halles saga, the publicly exhibited urban scale model proved to be a critical instrument in stimulating public discourse. Two key factors contributed to this. First, the staging of the models played a crucial role in shaping public perception. The six models presented during the 1968 public exhibition mobilised the population of Paris and initiated a public debate about the future of the Les Halles site. This resulted in alternative proposals and subsequent public exhibitions, where even the absence of the model was skilfully utilised to emphasise that the future of the project had yet to be decided. Second, the physical properties of the models played an important role in shaping the discourse. Their materiality, scale, and abstraction underwent significant changes due to their public accessibility. Opponents of the project realised early on that by creating models that were easier to read, at a larger scale, and with precise environments and friendlier materials, the public would be better able to relate to the project. Consequently, the appearance of the models changed considerably, in turn impacting the projects themselves. During this period, the urban scale model assumed a pivotal role in the debates between the public and the Parisian administration, serving as a focal point for discussions on urban design and architecture. Its public access and bodily existence significantly shaped the outcome of the built project of Les Halles and proved a key contributor to public debates.
27The public debate surrounding the future of Les Halles persisted, with further negotiations and another public exhibition in 1979. This time, however, the presentation of the new project was much more controlled and cautious. Only a single 1:100 model was displayed, and no risks were taken. Lessons had been learned from the explosive public debates that ensued after several project proposals had been showcased simultaneously. The new model was presented in great detail, but with enough abstraction to make the proposed garden the centrepiece. It included a number of green trees to give it a welcoming and friendly appearance. The new project was presented as a fully elaborated and finished design, with little room for negotiation, and vigorously defended by the mayor of Paris, Jacques Chirac. By 1982, the forum and the garden had finally been realised, bringing an end to years of public debate and negotiations. The urban scale model played a crucial role in shaping public opinion and stimulating debate, highlighting the importance of public accessibility and transparency in urban planning and architecture. All the exhibitions discussed above served as powerful platforms for visual representation, fostering meaningful discourse and collective engagement with and around the urban scale models. By presenting the project of Les Halles in a controlled yet informative manner, the exhibition communicated the proposed design while facilitating a deeper understanding of its potential impact on the urban fabric.
Notes
1 Isabelle Warmoes, Le Musée des plans-reliefs : maquettes historiques de villes fortifiées, Paris, Éditions du patrimoine, 1997, p. 8.
2 Isabelle Warmoes, « Le musée des Plans-reliefs », Artefact : techniques, histoire et sciences humaines, no 7, 2018, p. 224.
3 Isabelle Warmoes, Le Musée des plans-reliefs, op. cit., p. 15.
4 The spatial programme for Les Halles underwent significant changes throughout the project’s history. Initially, in the early 1960s, the project envisioned large-scale developments in various areas, such as housing, retail, offices, public spaces, and cultural facilities. These ambitious goals were reflected in the project’s first models, which resulted in some radical designs. See Christian Michel, Les Halles : La renaissance d’un quartier, 1966-1988, Paris, Masson, 1988, p. 27.
5 Jean Audouin, « Halles : trois maquettes à l’Hôtel de Ville », Le Quotidien de Paris, 28 mars 1975 ; R. L., « 20000 visiteurs à l’exposition des maquettes des Halles », France Soir, 20-21 avril 1975. Archives de Paris, Paris, Pérotin/101/77/3 17.
6 Archives de Paris, Paris : L’Atelier Parisien d’Urbanisme : ses archives 1967-1983 ; Société d’économie mixte d’aménagement des Halles (SEMAH) ; Pérotin.
7 Archives INA (Institut national de l’audiovisuel) ; Centre d’archives d’architecture contemporaine/Cité de l’architecture et du patrimoine ; Bibliothèque Publique d’Information/Centre Pompidou.
8 Jean-Pierre Worms and Emmanuelle Reynaud, « L’aménagement des Halles : demandes, exigences sociales et planification urbaine », Revue française de sociologie, 1974, p. 522.
9 Maurice Doublet, Paris en procès, Paris, Hachette, 1976, p. 22.
10 Ibid.
11 Jean-Jacques Gouret, « Historique du premier chantier des Halles (1963-1985) », Association Accomplir, [online], http://www.accomplir.asso.fr/dossiers/renovation/HISTORIQUE%20DES%20HALLES.htm [accessed April 11, 2023].
12 Jean-Pierre Worms and Emmanuelle Reynaud, op. cit., p. 522.
13 Author unknown, « Les Halles : 2 projets en tête », newspaper unknown, date unknown, Centre d’archives d’architecture contemporaine, Cité de l’architecture et du patrimoine, Paris, fonds Louis Arretche, 258 AA 94 235/3 (dépôt de l’Académie d’architecture).
14 Author unknown, « La rénovation des Halles – Six projets soumis bientôt au Conseil de Paris », L’Aurore, 15 février 1968, Centre d’archives d’architecture contemporaine, Cité de l’architecture et du patrimoine, Paris, fonds Louis Arretche, 258 AA 94 235/3 (dépôt de l’Académie d’architecture).
15 Author unknown, « Projet des six maquettes. L’Aménagement du secteur des Halles. Programme d’aménagement et parti d’urbanisme. 1. Cahier des charges remis aux architectes dans la cadre de votre délibération du 6 juillet 1967 », date unknown, Archives de Paris, Paris, fonds de la Société d’économie mixte d’aménagement des Halles (SEMAH), 1963-2003, 3478W 4.
16 « 1968 : la fin des Halles Baltard à Paris | Archive INA », [online, video uploaded by INA Paris Vintage, December 5, 2018], https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IzIR9EVtYWw&t=4s [accessed April 11, 2023].
17 The report, titled « Opinions des visiteurs de l’exposition des maquettes des Halles à l'Hôtel de Ville en mars 1968 », presents a survey of exhibition visitors and their reactions to various aspects of the event, expressed in percentages. Notably, the section on “Attitude towards the public” indicates that the models were highly accessible to visitors and significantly contributed to their understanding of the project. In fact, very few visitors made any complaints about the models, highlighting their usefulness and effectiveness in conveying information to the public. Atelier parisien d’urbanisme, « Opinions des visiteurs de l’exposition des maquettes des Halles à l’Hotel de Ville en Mars 1968 », July 1968, Archives de Paris, Paris fonds de l’Atelier parisien d’urbanisme, 1967-1983, 1514W 89.
18 Christian Michel, op. cit., p. 33.
19 Les Actualités françaises, « Après le transfert des Halles à Rungis : Que deviendra le vieux quartier parisien ? », March 12, 1968, INA, Paris, [online, video], https://www.ina.fr/ina-eclaire-actu/video/afe86001145/apres-le-transfert-des-halles-a-rungis-que-deviendra-le-vieux-quartier [accessed April 11, 2023].
20 Protests came mainly from four different organisations: the Comité ďaction pour la rénovation et la restauration du Centre de Paris, the Union des Champeaux pour la sauvegarde du quartier des Halles, the Association pour la participation des propriétaires à la rénovation et à la restauration du secteur des Halles, and the Association du commerce et de l’industrie des centres Saint-Martin et limitrophe.
21 Author unknown, « Les Halles, 1967-1985 », Paris projet : aménagement, urbanisme, avenir, no. 25-26, Paris, APUR, 1985, p. 20.
22 Yvan Christ, « Les Halles, ou la démesure », Revue des deux Mondes (1829-1971), 1968, p. 276.
23 Author unknown, « Notre société donne tout son concours à l’exposition : Trésors du quartier des Halles », Sites et Monuments : Bulletin de la Société pour la protection des paysages et de l'esthétique générale de la France, février 1968, p. 4-8.
24 Philippe Gildas, Office national de radiodiffusion télévision française, « JT 20H – Les Halles », 7 octobre 1971, INA, Paris, [online, video], https://www.ina.fr/ina-eclaire-actu/video/caf97031000/les-halles [accessed April 11, 2023].
25 Author unknown, « Les Halles : une exposition », Paris projet : aménagement, urbanisme, avenir, no. 7, Paris, APUR, 1972, p. 90-93.
26 Author unknown, title unknown, Le Nouvel Observateur, 21 juin 1971.
27 It can be assumed that the same associations (e.g., Comité ďaction pour la rénovation et la restauration du Centre de Paris, the Union des Champeaux pour la sauvegarde du quartier des Halles) as in 1968 were involved. See Christian Michel, op. cit., p. 277 ; Norma Evenson, « The Assassination of Les Halles », Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians, vol. 32, no. 4, 1973, p. 312.
28 Norma Evenson, op. cit., p. 312.
29 « 1971 : Les bouchers des Halles de Paris | Archive INA », [online, video uploaded by INA Paris Vintage, 22 June 2021], https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvsLpzyWwjo&t=2301s [accessed April 11, 2023].
30 S. M., « Les Halles de Giscard et Bofill », Esprit, no. 447, 1975, p. 1026.
31 Author unknown, « Les Halles : achèvement d’un projet », Paris projet : aménagement, urbanisme, avenir, no. 25-26, Paris, APUR, 1985, p. 34.
32 S. M., op. cit., p. 1026.
33 For visitors, a blank white A4 sheet of paper was provided when they visited the exhibition, where they could speak for or against a project and express their opinion. The sheets were collected by the organisers and then evaluated. See « Note relative à la consultation du public sur les maquettes des Halles », date unknown, Archives de Paris, Paris, Perotin/101/77/3 17.
34 S. M., op. cit., p. 1026.
35 Robert Franc, « interview de M. Valéry Giscard d’Estaing accordée au journal Le Point du 7 avril 1975, sur l’urbanisme », Le Point, 7 avril 1975, p. 7. [available online], https://www.elysee.fr/front/pdf/elysee-module-3779-fr.pdf [accessed April 11, 2023].
36 See Association de recherches et études sur l’environnement (Paris) et al., « Participation des habitants à la conception et à la réalisation du cadre bâti : synthèse d’expériences », 1973.
37 Author unknown, « Les Halles, 1967-1985 », Paris projet : aménagement, urbanisme, avenir, no. 25-26, Paris, APUR, 1985, p. 34.
Haut de pageTable des illustrations
![]() |
|
|---|---|
| Titre | Ill. 1 : View of the Plan-Relief collection in the Great Gallery of the Louvre |
| Légende | Louis-Nicolas Van Blarenberghe, 1770-1771 |
| Crédits | Wikimedia Commons, G. Garitan. Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license |
| URL | http://journals.openedition.org/lha/docannexe/image/9582/img-1.jpg |
| Fichier | image/jpeg, 449k |
![]() |
|
| Titre | Ill. 2 : Plan of the Plan-Relief collection in the Hôtel des Invalides, 1777 |
| Crédits | Isabelle Warmoes, Le Musée des plans-reliefs : maquettes historiques de villes fortifiées, Paris, Éditions du patrimoine, 1997. p. 11. |
| URL | http://journals.openedition.org/lha/docannexe/image/9582/img-2.jpg |
| Fichier | image/jpeg, 314k |
![]() |
|
| Titre | Ill. 3 : The twelve official projects for the transformation of Les Halles |
| Légende | Presented by the architects Charpentier, Faugeron, de Marien, Maron, Arretche and the Atelier d’urbanisme et d’architecture (A.U.A), 1967 |
| Crédits | Paris Match, no. 953, juillet 1967 |
| URL | http://journals.openedition.org/lha/docannexe/image/9582/img-3.jpg |
| Fichier | image/jpeg, 544k |
![]() |
|
| Titre | Ill. 4 : « Le nouveau quartier des Halles aura-t-il cette allure futuriste ? » |
| Légende | Author unknown, L’Humanité, 15 février 1968 |
| Crédits | Centre d’archives d’architecture contemporaine, Cité de l’architecture et du patrimoine, Paris, fonds Louis Arretche, 258 AA 94 235/3 (dépôt de l’Académie d’architecture) |
| URL | http://journals.openedition.org/lha/docannexe/image/9582/img-4.jpg |
| Fichier | image/jpeg, 788k |
![]() |
|
| Titre | Ill. 5 : The urban scale model of the project of Les Halles presented to the public at the Hôtel de Ville in Paris, 1968 |
| Crédits | Photo by Georges Melet, Paris Match via Getty Images |
| URL | http://journals.openedition.org/lha/docannexe/image/9582/img-5.jpg |
| Fichier | image/jpeg, 525k |
![]() |
|
| Titre | Ill. 6 : The mise-en-scène of the urban scale models at the public exhibition in the Hôtel de Ville, 1968 |
| Crédits | « 1968 : la fin des Halles Baltard à Paris | Archive INA », [online, video uploaded by INA Paris Vintage, December 5, 2018] |
| URL | http://journals.openedition.org/lha/docannexe/image/9582/img-6.jpg |
| Fichier | image/jpeg, 360k |
![]() |
|
| Titre | Ill. 7 : The “official” exhibition at the Hôtel de Ville |
| Légende | Inaugurated in June 1971 and open until February 1972 |
| Crédits | Archives de Paris, Paris, 3991W50_006 / © APUR |
| URL | http://journals.openedition.org/lha/docannexe/image/9582/img-7.jpg |
| Fichier | image/jpeg, 76k |
![]() |
|
| Titre | Ill. 8 : Models at the “official” exhibition at the Hôtel de Ville |
| Légende | Open from June 1971 until February 1972 |
| Crédits | Author unknown, « Les Halles : une exposition », Paris projet : aménagement, urbanisme, avenir, no. 7, Paris,APUR, 1972, p. 90-93. © APUR |
| URL | http://journals.openedition.org/lha/docannexe/image/9582/img-8.jpg |
| Fichier | image/jpeg, 620k |
![]() |
|
| Titre | Ill. 9 : Poster for the exhibition “Halles Baltard” at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, 1971 |
| Crédits | Anonyme, impression sur papier, 38,9 x 60 cm, Marseille, Mucem, 1973.90.3. |
| URL | http://journals.openedition.org/lha/docannexe/image/9582/img-9.jpg |
| Fichier | image/jpeg, 323k |
![]() |
|
| Titre | Ill. 10 : The urban scale model displayed at the alternative exhibition at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, 1971 |
| Crédits | « 1971 : Les bouchers des Halles de Paris | Archive INA », [online, video uploaded by INA Paris Vintage, 22 June 2021] |
| URL | http://journals.openedition.org/lha/docannexe/image/9582/img-10.jpg |
| Fichier | image/jpeg, 415k |
![]() |
|
| Titre | Ill. 11 : Urban model of Ricardo Bofill’s project for Les Halles, 1974 |
| Crédits | Archives de Paris, Paris, 3991W18_003 / © APUR |
| URL | http://journals.openedition.org/lha/docannexe/image/9582/img-11.jpg |
| Fichier | image/jpeg, 35k |
Pour citer cet article
Référence électronique
Maxime Zaugg, « Talking Urban Scale Models: Les Halles Redevelopment Project in Paris and its Public Exhibitions (1968-1982) », Livraisons de l'histoire de l'architecture [En ligne], 45 | 2023, mis en ligne le 18 mars 2024, consulté le 07 mai 2026. URL : http://journals.openedition.org/lha/9582 ; DOI : https://doi.org/10.4000/lha.9582
Haut de pageDroits d’auteur
Le texte et les autres éléments (illustrations, fichiers annexes importés), sont « Tous droits réservés », sauf mention contraire.
Haut de page











