Reconstruction 1945–56: rebuilding or modernisation?

Post-war reconstruction in France revealed a tension between modernizing ambitions and traditionalist preferences, with the Ministry of Reconstruction and Urbanism (MRU) wielding significant power to reshape cities despite local resistance. While MRU pursued urban planning reforms—such as road widening and land-use separation—its architectural approach under Raoul Dautry remained conservative, favoring established designs over modernist visions like those proposed by Le Corbusier in Saint-Dié or Auguste Perret’s conservative modernism in Le Havre. Only after 1950 did MRU align with CIAM principles and innovative construction methods, marking a shift from planning-focused modernization to architectural innovation.

Bullock, N. (2022). Reconstruction 1945–56: rebuilding or modernisation? Modernising Post-War France, 11–36. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003094562-3