ABSTRACT
Rivers are the primary infrastructure of our great cities and often represent their genius loci. However, the imprint of the natural landscape which first gave birth to our cities is not always apparent in today’s urban morphology. In 2017, I worked with a group of MA students to explore the underlying landscape from which contemporary Paris is derived. The study revealed how the shapes and patterns underlying the very formal, planned urban landscape of Paris was actually shaped by its rivers. The students went on to demonstrate how, by working with these patterns, we can create places that are truly liveable and successfully accommodate population growth whilst helping to tackle flooding caused by climate change.
