In one of the recent news about Paris we wrote that the city's La Defense district would get a new skyscraper. The latest news is that the President of France Nicolas Sarkozy seeks a new fundamental change in the city looks.

For this he challenged a group of architects, supported by engineers, city planners, sociologists and even philosophers (there are a total of about 250 people in the team) to think of a new urban project for the city boundaries, transport system, housing, business developments, administrative bodies etc. Sarkozy aide Henri Guaino comments that "The aim is to spawn a new city, like Baron Haussmann did in his day." The Famous civic planner Baron Haussmann rebuilt the capital of France in the 1850s and 60s. The project is set to be elaborated within 6 months.

Currently the city of Paris and the web of smaller towns surrounding it are run by separate bodies, which causes problems with transport policy and other spheres affecting the entire metropolis.
2008.06.05