Oran’s Front de Mer Projects 1891–1961: Premises of a Modern Urbanism

Abstract

This article reviews the urban revitalization and modernization actions of Oran’s Front de Mer, from the late nineteenth to the middle of the twentieth century. Throughout this period, when Algiers was undergoing a transformation based on the classical Haussmannian urban model, Oran stands out as an atypical example for the development of its urban planning projects. The research evidence, extracted for the first time from archival documents, reveals an advanced use of urban design concepts from the 1960’s, similar to the American model of waterfront revitalisation and deck urbanism developed in France.