Parc de la Villette Paris

Parc de la Villette, in Paris, was the first major landscape design to draw upon deconstructionist philosophy. It was the result of a competition won by Bernard Tschumi. Tired of the old idea of a 'park', Tschumi wished to design 'the largest discontinuous building in the world'. Jacques Derrida, the philosopher, encouraged him to consider form before function. This anti-modernist approach 'deconstructed' the traditional procedure. Tschumi laid down three geometries: of points, lines and curves. Clashes were encouraged. The points took the form of a collection of steel pavillions, inspired by Russian Constructivist art and painted red. The primary lines are not unlike traditional French avenues. The most dramatic curved feature is the Cinematic Promenade. Alongside the Promenade are a number of themed areas. Alexandre Chemetoff's Bamboo Garden is an exotic oasis. There is a Fog Garden (by Alain Pélisier), a Dragon Garden, a Mirror Garden (by Tschumi), a Wind and Dune Garden.