Reading Paved Paradise by Henry Grabar now and, well, parking demands in US cities make for some ugly, stupid housing (not to blame for 4 story buildings made of plywood going up in Germantown tho - that's just plain dumb). Doubt Rennes has "minimum parking" requirements for new construction.
I was just thinking about those parking requirements yesterday. By the looks of it, they are minimal in Rennes. There are big buildings all over the place with only a few spots. Parking is very tight here. And, lately, that's by design, to cut down on vehicle trips. Ironically, we have 2 parking spots in our underground garage - and we don't have a car! (Great for storage, though).
yeah, shocking how parking dominates housing+ decisions, described by Grabar. Parking in France is so different now, but they were where we are still ; car-dominated - up to the 70's, it seems. We're not there yet - people, not car-centric? Sounds like socialism. :-)
Love this article, and these beautiful old buildings! My dad's family were builders, and he, his brother and their father were adept at making dovetail joints, among other things. I have some beautiful furniture my father and grandfather made, real treasures. Thank you for explaining the structural principles behind half-timbered construction!
WiIl comment more later this week, but a great, fascinating post, Donald. I am very familiar with the Great Fire of London in 1666 and the effects it had on timber-building construction and the emergence of fire insurance companies--that also favored brick over wooden edifices in their insureance rates.
Reading Paved Paradise by Henry Grabar now and, well, parking demands in US cities make for some ugly, stupid housing (not to blame for 4 story buildings made of plywood going up in Germantown tho - that's just plain dumb). Doubt Rennes has "minimum parking" requirements for new construction.
I was just thinking about those parking requirements yesterday. By the looks of it, they are minimal in Rennes. There are big buildings all over the place with only a few spots. Parking is very tight here. And, lately, that's by design, to cut down on vehicle trips. Ironically, we have 2 parking spots in our underground garage - and we don't have a car! (Great for storage, though).
yeah, shocking how parking dominates housing+ decisions, described by Grabar. Parking in France is so different now, but they were where we are still ; car-dominated - up to the 70's, it seems. We're not there yet - people, not car-centric? Sounds like socialism. :-)
Love this article, and these beautiful old buildings! My dad's family were builders, and he, his brother and their father were adept at making dovetail joints, among other things. I have some beautiful furniture my father and grandfather made, real treasures. Thank you for explaining the structural principles behind half-timbered construction!
I have walked the streets of Rennes and also similar streets in Rouen in Normandie. Nothing more charming!
WiIl comment more later this week, but a great, fascinating post, Donald. I am very familiar with the Great Fire of London in 1666 and the effects it had on timber-building construction and the emergence of fire insurance companies--that also favored brick over wooden edifices in their insureance rates.