Haussmanhattan
Ever thought, what would Paris have looked like if it joined the dance of the skyscrapers, well in the beginning of the 20th century just like New York? What would have been the state of Paris if the lofty Empire state building was raised on its landscape? Or what would be the result if the landscape of New York and Paris were to be merged? Or if we move Arc de Triomphe of Paris to Madison Square?
‘Haussmanhattan’ (Houseman + Manhattan) is a project by architect and photographer Luis Fernandes who has reimagined a new cityscape by merging the urban fabric of Paris and New York . Old vintage style photographs of the cities have been fused and edited to produce this fascinating series.
Paris originally follows a low height architecture style which is quite in contrast to New York’s skyscraper style. In fact, Paris building bye laws restricted the height of buildings to 121 feet until 2010.
With some tilt and shift, Woolworth Building has been placed in different corners of Paris including the Latin Quarter, next to the Square René Viviani and Notre Dame cathedral on Île de la Cité. The one in Latin Quarter is still under construction!
The Metropolitan Life Building is sharing its surroundings with the Eiffel tower. Plaza Hotel, Met Life Tower, Empire State Building, Central Park, Opera Garnier, Arc de Triomphe, are among other icons that have been used as highlights in the vision of Paris – New York combination.
The images produced look so mind bogglingly real that this could very well have been reality if history would had taken a different course altogether.
By: Kushal Jain
