ABSTRACT
Engaging the compelling example of Philippe’ Soupault’s Last Nights of Paris (1929) this chapter looks at the nocturnal side of the city through the eyes of a man in love; a man wandering the streets of the French capital in constant search of his beloved Georgette. Following a group of petty criminals and prostitutes, the novel—which its author (and narrator) insisted on calling his testimony—discloses elements of Parisian urban space that remain unknown or untouched by conventional architectural historiography.
Through countless nocturnal peregrinations in different areas of the city, the narrative reveals places of secret gatherings, haunts for illicit activities, and hidden urban corners that might satisfy all men’s desires. Furthermore, because of the narrator’s erotic disposition toward the urban environment (Georgette symbolizes the nocturnal Paris for him), the city’s grandiose architectural landmarks or broad urban avenues—many of which were designed as instruments control and surveillance—are revealed in a completely different light. Unexpected or unconventional aspects of architecture and space are brought to light.
Emerging from the surrealist circles but evolving in new directions, Philippe Soupault walked the city constantly seeking to be surprised by space and to discover its miracles. He developed an embodied comprehension of the place—a knowledge of the flesh; an almost metaphysical knowledge. Soupault’s narrative can be understood as an unconventional historical account of the city that teaches us how objective measurement, grandiose architecture, or functional transparency do not account for a meaningful interaction with place; even less do they produce a deep and meaningful understanding of it.
