In the late 1980’s in France, a new urban renewal policy was adopted to address problems arising from uncontrolled industrial developments in urban areas. These developments threatened the environment and affected the social life of citizens, thus the new urban renewal policy was aimed at simultaneously tackling the physical, economic and social aspects of urban life. The André-Citroën Park was formed as a result of this policy and became a starting point for the renewal process. The main idea was to transform the polluted urban wasteland (in this case the area housing the Citroen Company) into a healthy and social space. This avant-garde project turned its relatively unknown creator, Gilles Clement, into a famous global landscape architect. Today, this project - situated in the heart of Paris – is considered a global post-modern design and is the perfect place to perceive Gilles Clement’s ecological concepts including his idea of “Garden in Movement”. As the designer of the park’s northern landscapes, Gilles Clement has displayed his unique ideas in various sections of the park including the White Garden and the Black Garden, the Garden of Senses and the Garden in Movement. Clement, who has a background as an expert gardener and ecologist, creates designs that are concerned with sense and movement. These designs are displayed in his six-themed ‘sense’ gardens and Garden of Movement. The area is also adorned with two greenhouse pavilions. Lastly, an unkempt garden displays wilderness amongst the maintained. His counterpart designer Alain Provost1 showcases modern geometries and sculptural plantings. This method of landscape designing provides order in contrast to the wild designs of Clement. However, Clement’s ecological approach against Provost’s strictly architectural designs has created a timeless work of landscape art. This article is an attempt to introduce and analyze the various sections of the André-Citroën Park and review the approaches taken by its creator based on his concepts as a landscape designer.
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