HAUSSMANN I

Paris, France2018 Georges-Eugène Haussmann was assigned the Herculean task of redesigning and rebuilding Paris in the middle of the 19th century. At the direction of Napoleon III, Haussman's urban renewal projects widened boulevards, created public squares and greenspaces - like the sprawling Bois de Boulogne - installed street lamps, and created a much-needed water and sewage system. But, a decade and a half of disruptive construction and the exorbitant expense of les comptes fantastique d'Haussmann (“the outrageous accounts of Haussmann”) made him highly unpopular among Parisians and members of government. He was eventually forced out of office. Nevertheless, Haussmann's grand designs are the soul of modern-day Paris. They include the 40,000 “Haussmann” residences that have become the city’s unmistakable calling card. These large, stone façades - not more than six or seven stories - with wrought-iron balconies, mansards roofs, and dormer windows line the busy boulevards, and make up