Urban Planning in Berlin, London, Paris and Chicago 1910 and 2010

1910 Chapter #1
The big urban plan, and its presentational
medium, the bird’s eye view,
was considered a driving force of
urban planning by 1910. This approach
formed part of a clear style of 20th
century planning, distinct from planning
practices in the 19th century.
This later form of planning used
more pragmatic urban extension
plans to steer the enormous growth
of cities in the era of industrialisation.
The competition ‘Groß­Berlin
1908/1910’ for example, demanded
a comprehensive reform of the
entire metropolitan region including
the historic centre and the suburbs.
In the 19th century town planning
was mostly based on defining the
border between public and privately
owned land, the regulation of building
heights, and initiatives to improve
the city’s technical and transport
infra structures. A more holistic
approach to planning developed in
the 20th century, which included
subjects such as road and rail infrastructure,
public recreation spaces
healthy living conditions and the
grouping of grand civic buildings.
The
Big Plan
Fascination with the ‘big plan’ was an
international phenomenon. The laborious
images were no longer directed
exclusively at aristocrats or planning
experts, but were looking to appeal
to a broad section of the population
to convince them of the need for
radical plans. The American City
Beautiful Movement is a prime example.
In 1909 politicians and civilians
alike were particularly drawn to the
Plan of Chicago because of its impressive
bird’s eye views painted by
Jules Guerin. This popular plan,
effective as an advertisement yet
extremely complex, became the
subject of a local, national and international
media hype. Today the Plan
of Chicago continues to symbolise
the ‘big plan’.
Make no little plans; they
have no magic to stir men’s
blood […]. Make big plans;
aim high in hope and work,
remembering that a noble,
logical diagram once record
ed will never die, but long
after we are gone will be a
living thing, asserting itself
with ever­growing insistency.
Quote attributed to Daniel H. Burnham,
speech at the Town Planning Conference,
London 1910
1910 #1 — The Big Plan Berlin p. 1
1
The plan for the spatial development
of Greater Berlin (Grundplan für die
bauliche Entwicklung von Groß-Berlin)
is one of two projects that were awarded
the first prize in the urban planning
competition for Greater Berlin 1908/1910.
The main topic of Hermann Jansen’s
contribution was ‘within the limits of
possibility’. Jansen became Professor
Hermann Jansen
Plan for the spatial development
of Greater Berlin
Contribution to the urban planning competition
for Greater Berlin 1908/1910
of Urban Planning at the Technische
Hochschule Berlin­Charlottenburg in
1923. The plan at a scale of 1:10,000
roughly covers the area of Berlin today,
a size which was initially reached in 1920.
The plan includes eye­catching features,
including parklands and open spaces,
and a railway network, both above and
underground.
1
Hermann Jansen
Contribution to the urban planning
competition for Greater Berlin
1908 /1910, overview
Courtesy: Architekturmuseum der
Technischen Universität Berlin, Inv. Nr. 20513