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![Corner of a portion of the first large scale mixed use speculative development in Paris created by the Duke of Orleans and opened in 1784. Designed by Victor Louis between 1781-84, it originally contained sixty identical residential units above a continuous arcade and shops designed to serve "a quotidian carnival of appetites." Unfortunately, the composition breaks street and access continuity on an east-west basis making the tranquil square difficult to access as well as cut off from the surrounding neighborhoods.](http://www.cnu.org/sites/www.cnu.org/files/imagecache/thumbnail/IMG_0070.jpg "Corner of a portion of the first large scale mixed use speculative development in Paris created by the Duke of Orleans and opened in 1784. Designed by Victor Louis between 1781-84, it originally contained sixty identical residential units above a continuous arcade and shops designed to serve "a quotidian carnival of appetites." Unfortunately, the composition breaks street and access continuity on an east-west basis making the tranquil square difficult to access as well as cut off from the surrounding neighborhoods.")
![First Parisian square that dates from 1605-1612 developed as a speculative venture by Henri IV. The square is approximately 465 feet square face to face, and is surrounded by an arched arcade and uniform "pavilions" whose coded facades were possibly developed by Metezean. The closure ratio is quite low (1:9) but effective because of the wonderful street lights, wrought iron fence and vegetation. the square directly influenced Inigo Jones at Covent Garden and others in England as well as others in Europe and the United States. Itself influenced by the earlier Italian squares such as Piazza SS. Annunziata in Florence. The "T" street configuration, though providing wonderful corner closure, prevents the value of the square itself from extending significantly into the surrounding neighborhood.](http://www.cnu.org/sites/www.cnu.org/files/imagecache/thumbnail/IMG_0020.jpg "First Parisian square that dates from 1605-1612 developed as a speculative venture by Henri IV. The square is approximately 465 feet square face to face, and is surrounded by an arched arcade and uniform "pavilions" whose coded facades were possibly developed by Metezean. The closure ratio is quite low (1:9) but effective because of the wonderful street lights, wrought iron fence and vegetation. the square directly influenced Inigo Jones at Covent Garden and others in England as well as others in Europe and the United States. Itself influenced by the earlier Italian squares such as Piazza SS. Annunziata in Florence. The "T" street configuration, though providing wonderful corner closure, prevents the value of the square itself from extending significantly into the surrounding neighborhood.")
![Corner of a portion of the first large scale mixed use speculative development in Paris created by the Duke of Orleans and opened in 1784. Designed by Victor Louis between 1781-84, it originally contained sixty identical residential units above a continuous arcade and shops designed to serve "a quotidian carnival of appetites." Unfortunately, the composition breaks street and access continuity on an east-west basis making the tranquil square difficult to access as well as cut off from the surrounding neighborhoods.](http://www.cnu.org/sites/www.cnu.org/files/imagecache/thumbnail/IMG_0062.jpg "Corner of a portion of the first large scale mixed use speculative development in Paris created by the Duke of Orleans and opened in 1784. Designed by Victor Louis between 1781-84, it originally contained sixty identical residential units above a continuous arcade and shops designed to serve "a quotidian carnival of appetites." Unfortunately, the composition breaks street and access continuity on an east-west basis making the tranquil square difficult to access as well as cut off from the surrounding neighborhoods.")
![First Parisian square that dates from 1605-1612 developed as a speculative venture by Henri IV. The square is approximately 465 feet square face to face, and is surrounded by an arched arcade and uniform "pavilions" whose coded facades were possibly developed by Metezean. The closure ratio is quite low (1:9) but effective because of the wonderful street lights, wrought iron fence and vegetation. the square directly influenced Inigo Jones at Covent Garden and others in England as well as others in Europe and the United States. Itself influenced by the earlier Italian squares such as Piazza SS. Annunziata in Florence.](http://www.cnu.org/sites/www.cnu.org/files/imagecache/thumbnail/IMG_0281_0.jpg "First Parisian square that dates from 1605-1612 developed as a speculative venture by Henri IV. The square is approximately 465 feet square face to face, and is surrounded by an arched arcade and uniform "pavilions" whose coded facades were possibly developed by Metezean. The closure ratio is quite low (1:9) but effective because of the wonderful street lights, wrought iron fence and vegetation. the square directly influenced Inigo Jones at Covent Garden and others in England as well as others in Europe and the United States. Itself influenced by the earlier Italian squares such as Piazza SS. Annunziata in Florence.")
![In 1733, Col. James Oglethorpe planned Savannah as a series of six-block neighborhoods ("wards") centered around squares. Fully one-third of each neighborhood was to be a square or civic buildings fronting said square. 21 of the squares still exist today, including Lafayette Square here. The squares sit a scant 500 feet apart.](http://www.cnu.org/sites/www.cnu.org/files/imagecache/thumbnail/333150661_6d6a2053ae_o.jpg "In 1733, Col. James Oglethorpe planned Savannah as a series of six-block neighborhoods ("wards") centered around squares. Fully one-third of each neighborhood was to be a square or civic buildings fronting said square. 21 of the squares still exist today, including Lafayette Square here. The squares sit a scant 500 feet apart.")
© 1997-2011 Congress for the New Urbanism. Opinions posted in CNU Salons and in comments are those of their respective authors, not of CNU.