Architecture Here and There

Illustrations: Above, view toward La Defense from L'Arc De Triomphe; below left, proposed Gazprom tower; below bottom, view from La Defense down the Champs Elysee toward L'Arc de Triomphe and central Paris

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Paris famously prohibits skyscrapers within its Peripherique - its beltway - essentially banishing them to its suburbs, with really not much more than one horrendous exception in the Tour Montparnesse, in the 15th Arrondissement. In my column upcoming about the proposed Gazprom tower recently approved by the mayor of St. Petersburg, in Russia, I offered Paris as an example of why, although the Gazprom tower ought to be blocked, if built it will not destroy St. Petersburg any more than La Defense has destroyed Paris.

La Defense is really a sort of sump into which the excess energy of French society's muscular modernism may be dumped. It is sort of like Metacom Avenue in Bristol (in Rhode Island), which diverts monstrosities (not skyscrapers in this case but Burger Kings, etc.) from Hope Street. In effect, it rescues Hope Street, and likewise it may be said that La Defense rescues central Paris.

France's President Sarkozy has invited French modern architects (and similar monsters from other countries) to submit ideas for what he calls La Grand Paris. He wants Paris to rival London as a financial center, and doesn't think it can without letting big business erect big blotches upon the horizon.

And now Christine Franck, of the Institute of Classical Architecture & Classical America, has called upon America's traditionalists to respond, on behalf of those who would save Paris from Sarkozy's apostasy, to the call for a so-called Grand Paris.

(May I suggest that if Sarkozy is feeling grand, perhaps he could permit the skyscrapers but ban the modernism. Probably, I may not so suggest!)

So the question is whether it is feasible to ban skyscrapers altogether - or will the manic energy of the modernists inevitably leach out in some worse manner, threatening what is beautiful about a place? Paris has La Defense, and as a result central Paris remains (almost) unbesmirched. But did Paris have to permit La Defense? Rome has banished all modern architecture, not just skyscrapers, to its suburbs and it has survived. But would anyone call Rome a financial capital? No. Italy's financial capital is in Milan, anyway.

Anyhow, I have written a column whose effect is to diminish the fear of St. Petersburg's citizens for how the Gazprom tower might injure the beauty of their city. And frankly, I am getting the willies. Maybe I should not have done it! Maybe it's better to take a hard line against all such abominations, wherever they may be. Well, read it on Thursday.

 Tags  architecture Gazprom tower La Defense Paris Russia skyscrapers St. Petersburg

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