A Visual Case Study:
When the City of Paris disbanded an old train station and the tracks leading to it, the city decided to redevelop the track bridge and station grounds in a most imaginative way. The track bridge, built in 1859, was used to create arched art galleries, studios and retail spaces below. The pathway above it was converted into the “Promenade Plantee”, a beautiful garden walkway offering birds’ eye views of the area’s architecture and bustling streets. The former train station area itself was converted into a circular park surrounded by modern apartments and condominiums. The project was completed in 1994 and measures 4.5 kilometers in its full length. This visual case study examines the raised promenade and street level studio and retail development, collectively called the Viaduc des Arts. It is located in the 12th arrondissement, running parallel to Avenue Daumesnil. This interactive tour starts at the Viaduc’s westernmost entrance, near the Bastille opera. The Viaduc des Arts project has been so successful for Paris that other cities, including Boston, have viewed it as a city planning model. For a closer aerial look at the viewpoints, this study interfaces with Google Earth Kmz placemarks found in the index. For media links about the Viaduc des Arts, click here. The interactive panoramas require Apple’s free Quicktime software, available here. Click and drag to take in a 360˚ view.
