La Villette 1971-1995 A History in Projects

The derelict slaughterhouse of La Villette, located in the then notoriously rough northern Paris, became the unlikely focal point of every major architecture firm in the world when in 1971, the Paris city council decided to finance a major makeover. Recalling the genesis of one of the most ambitious architectural and social challenges in recent history, this book features exclusive interviews with the likes of Christian de Portzamparc and Rem Koolhaas, and offers numerous illustrations. It will please architecture lovers, but also appeal to socially-conscious readers interested in learning how a slum became a major cultural venue. A brilliant and unusual essay about architecture at its best, it is also a powerful political statement unafraid to tackle the burning issue of urban wastelands and how to give them a revitalized future.Orlandini, Alain is the author of 'La Villette 1971-1995 A History in Projects', published 2006 under ISBN 9782850566806 and ISBN 2850566802.