Journal - Abstracts vol.4 nr.1 (2000)

M. Darin - French belt boulevards

As the evolution of French belt boulevards clearly shows, it is the interaction between urban planning and `spontaneous' urban dynamics which creates urban forms, in this case prestigious ones. A comparison of twenty such boulevards in a number of cities provides insights into the formation and transformation of these major urban forms, their morphological features and their role in contemporary urban planning.

F.Dufaux - A new world from two old ones: the evolution of Montreal's tenements, 1850-1892

Tenements became Montreal's dominant dwelling type in the second half of the nineteenth century. Morphological analysis of a sample of dwelling plans reveals the gradual transformation of housing conditions under the pressure of rapid urbanization and the introduction of new technologies, materials and ideas about domestic life. This evolution is a unique combination of older patterns, based on the French-Canadian tradition, and new elements introduced mainly by the British community. Montreal's tenements are an example of a cross-cultural exchange leading to an original urban cultural form in North America.