Mastering the urbanization process. The urban questions of engineer August Mennes in the Antwerp agglomeration

ABSTRACT

Processes of urban expansion at the turn of the twentieth century have generally been described in terms of ‘regional planning’. However, in the Belgian context, and in Antwerp more specifically, the concept of the ‘agglomeration’ was put to the fore rather than the ‘region’, and ‘urbanization’ was a more common practice than ‘planning’. This paper shows how a ‘programme of urbanization’ centred on pertinent ‘urban questions’ shaped the contours of the Antwerp Agglomeration. In adopting this perspective of ‘programmatic urbanization’, the paper seeks to place the development of Antwerp extra muros within a different lineage, outside of the quest for comprehensive planning. Recomposing an eclectic catalogue of five pertinent ‘urban questions’, this paper investigates how and to which extent the Study Committee for the development of the Antwerp Agglomeration and its prominent engineer August Mennes, tried to master the urbanization process as it unfolded. Urbanization, then, is framed as a collective practice that generates positive agglomeration effects and surplus values that could not have been produced by individual actors. As such, the paper expands the understanding of urbanization from a random process of capital accumulation to a project that includes the building of social and cultural capital.

KEYWORDS:

• Urbanization
• urban engineering
• interwar period
• extension planning
• agglomeration vs. region

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Dieter Bruggeman for the ongoing conversation and his remarks on previous versions of this text. We would also like to thank prof. Paola Viganò and prof. Sébastien Marot for their constructive comments on an early working draft of this text that was presented at the VIII international PhD seminar ‘urbanism and urbanization’ on the ‘Horizontal Metropolis’ that was hosted together with the Symposium Latsis 2015 at the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) in October 2015. Finally, we would like to thank Francesca Vaghi for the accurate language editing of the paper.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Tom Broes (1981) is research and teaching assistant at the department of Architecture and Urban Planning at the University of Ghent. After his Architecture studies at KULeuven (2004), he obtained a Master degree in Urbanism and Spatial Planning from KULeuven (2005). He later worked for URA (2006–2007) and Robbrecht&Daem architecten (2008–2009) and the Antwerp city administration where he gained expertise in urban design and planning as a member of a team that specialized in research by design (2007–2013). Currently, he is preparing a PhD (sup. Prof. Michiel Dehaene) on the urbanization of the Antwerp agglomeration.

Michiel Dehaene (1971) is associate professor at the department of Architecture and Urban Planning, Ghent University, where he teaches courses in urban analysis and design. After his Architecture studies at KULeuven (1994), he obtained a Master degree in Urban Design from Harvard University (1997). He completed his doctoral studies at KULeuven (2002) with a dissertation on the British survey movement. He was assistant professor in urbanism at Eindhoven University of Technology (2004–2011) and taught classes in Urban Design in the European Master Program in Urbanism at KULeuven (2002–2011). His work focuses on the epistemology of urbanism, dispersed urbanization and the interrelation between urbanization and design. He edited with Lieven De Cauter the volume Heterotopia and the City (2008). He published in the Journal of Architecture, Journal of Planning Education Research, Town Planning Review, De Architect, Archis, A+U and OASE.

ORCID

Tom Broes http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3026-5985

Michiel Dehaene http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5560-7753

Notes

1 Ministerie van Landbouw en openbare werken, Wedstrijd voor het benuttigen, 26.

2 Vacher, “Extension Planning and the Historic City,” 255–81.

3 Van Acker, From Flux to Frame, 346–50; Lombaerde, “Stedenbouw en Verkeer,” 211–34; Van den Broeck et al., Antwerpen Herwonnen Stad?, 32–4.

4 International Federation, International Town Planning Conference, ch. 1 and RIBA, The Transactions of the Royal Institute, ch. 1.

5 Unwin, “The Need for a Regional Plan,” 16.

6 Massey, “Regional Planning 1909–1939,” 57–76; Legates et al., Early Urban Planning; Bosma, “Town and Regional Planning,” 125–47; Wannop et al., “The Development of Regional Planning,” 29–60.

7 Union Internationale des Villes, Premier congrès international, ch. 1; Union Internationale des Villes, IIe congrès international, ch. 1 and Union Internationale des Villes, IIIe congrès international, ch. 1.

8 One of the major topics at this conference were the ‘administrative and juridical problems of the big agglomerations’, see: Union Internationale des Villes, IIIe congrès international, ch. 5.

9 Union des Villes et Communes Belges, L’administration et l’urbanisation.

10 Union des Villes et Communes Belges, Urbanisation Habitation.

11 Debruyne, “La législation Belge concernant l’urbanisation,” 371–436; Vinck, “Proposition de loi concernant l’urbanisation,” 6–63; Van Der Swaelmen, “Programme organique d’urbanisation, ” 41–8 and Verwilghen, “Urbaniser c’est gouverner,” 1043–5.

12 Geyselynck, L’urbanisation de l’agglomération.

13 Cerda et al., The Five Bases.

14 Vollans, “Urban Development in Belgium,” 171–98.

15 Stadsarchief Antwerpen, Commissie van Urbanisme and Stadsarchief Antwerpen, Slechten der Wallen.

16 Ministerie van Landbouw, Wedstrijd voor het benuttigen, 11–5.

17 A study committee for the expansion of the harbour had already been installed in 1891. See: Ministère de l’agriculture, Commission d’études and Sarton, Défense Nationale: Anvers-Extensions.

18 Ghyselinck, L’urbanisation de l’agglomération.

19 Althusser, Lenin and Philosophy, 127; Castells, La Question Urbaine, 189–244; Saunders, Social Theory, ch. 1 and Merrifield, The New Urban Question, 11–26.

20 Ministerie van Landbouw, Wedstrijd voor het benuttigen, 11–5.

21 Ibid.

22 Ferretti, “The Formation of a Bureaucratic Group,” 66–83.

23 Ministerie van Landbouw en Openbare Werken, Wedstrijd voor het benuttigen, 11–3.

24 Castells, La Question Urbaine, 440; Saunders, Social Theory, ch. 1 and Rémy et al., La ville phénomène économique, 113–60.

25 Fredericq, Urbanisatie en Provincie.

26 Verwilghen, Over de Gemeentelijke bouwreglementen.

27 Houtart, Urbanisme en de wet.

28 Holvoet, Les Grandes Agglomérations urbaines, ch. 1–4.

29 Ministerie van Landbouw, Wedstrijd voor het benuttigen, 11–5 and Rebmann, Het Rivierenhof, 124–7.

30 Ministerie van Landbouw, Wedstrijd voor het benuttigen, 11–5.

31 Ibid.

32 Académie Royale, Biographie Coloniale Belge, 197–8.

33 Delbeke, Plechtige aanstellingszitting, 27–48.

34 Ministerie van Lanbouw, Wedstrijd voor het benuttigen, 13.

35 Perrot, Le municipalisme belge, xiii–xv.

36 Holvoet, Les Grandes Agglomérations urbaines; Picavet, Baron Georges Holvoet.

37 For some elements on this strife, see: Picavet, Baron Georges Holvoet.

38 Montigny, De la ville à l’urbanisation and Lefebvre, La révolution urbaine.

39 Association générale, “Nominations,” 96.

40 Claude, “Sanitary Engineering,” 153–66 and Ministère de l’intérieur, Conventions Sanitaires, 3–74.

41 Mennes, De gezondmakingswerken; Mennes, Note sur le calcul; Mennes, L’alimentation en eau; Mennes, Het ontwerp ; Mennes, Les distributions d’eau and Mennes, Pluviographische metingen.

42 Association générale (1913), “Livres Parus,” 96 and Association générale (1911), “Livres Parus,” 167.

43 Claude, “Sanitary Engineering,” 153–66.

44 Union Internationale des Villes, Premier congrès international, xxxix.

45 Schobbens, “Des règles à suivre,” 87–92.

46 Heemkundige kring Merksem, Notes on the Activities of August Mennes.

47 Ibid.

48 Picavet, Baron Georges Holvoet, 172.

49 Same goes for architects, see Vandeweghe, “Between Public and Private,” 105–18.

50 Mennes, De Grootstad Antwerpen, 1–22.

51 Van Acker, From Flux to Frame, 320–415.

52 . Tritsmans, Waardevolle bijkomstigheden, 11–40.

53 Ryckewaert, Building the Economic Backbone, 80–98; Ryckewaert, “The Ten-year Plan for the Port of Antwerp,” 303–22.

54 Stad Antwerpen, Het nieuwe rioleringsplan, 7–15.

55 Ibid.

56 Ibid.

57 Provincie Antwerpen, Ontwerp van Rioleering, 1–8.

58 Ibid.

59 Ibid.

60 Pidpa, Pidpa 1913–1963, ch. 1.

61 Mennes, Het ontwerp der provinciale drinkwatervoorziening, 4.

62 Ibid.

63 Ibid., 13.

64 Ibid., 12.

65 See note 24 above.

66 Rémy and Voyé, La ville et l’urbanisation.

67 Mennes, Het ontwerp der provinciale drinkwatervoorziening, 1–21.

68 Ibid., 11.

69 Ibid. 15–6.

70 Van Acker, From Flux to Frame, 30–188.

71 Uyttenhove, Stadland België, 46–59; Grosjean, Urbanisation sans Urbanisme, 107–40.

72 Seebohm Rowntree, Comment diminuer la misère.

73 Mennes, De grootstad Antwerpen, 21–2.

74 Schobbens, Les Parcs Publics, 2.

75 Delbeke, Openingsredevoering, 1–21.

76 Extensa n.v., n.v. Extensa 1910–1960.

77 Schobbens, Les parcs Publics, 1–56.

78 Degryse, De Antwerpse fortuinen, ch. 1.

79 Schobbens, Les Parcs Publics, 1–56; Delbeke, Openingsredevoering, 1–21.

80 See note 74 above.

81 Ibid.

82 Provincie Antwerpen, 50 jaar provinciale elektriciteitsdienst, 1–31.

83 Dumont, Etude de la voirie, 1–10.

84 See note 75 above.

85 Van Acker, From Flux to Frame, 356–61; Heemkundige kring Merksem, Notes on the Activities of August Mennes and Verwilghen, “L’urbanisation du grand-Anvers,” 15–7.

86 Fedeli, “Processes of Regional Urbanisation,” 407.

87 Delhaye, L’appartement d’aujourd’hui, 1–15.

88 Etrimo n.v., Les raisons de l’achat, 1–10; Amelinckx, Bien vivre dans son appartement, 1–20.

89 Collin, Une expérience, 3–12.

90 The Fruithoflaan, for instance became a commercial main street. Götzfried, De Fruithoflaan, 1–194.

91 August Mennes seems to be a notorious exception to the rule that WWII was a major brake in the Belgian planning scene due to collaboration. See: Van Den Broeck et al., Antwerpen herwonnen stad?, 38.; Lombaerde, “Stedenbouw en verkeer,” 210–34.

92 Verwilghen, “L’urbanisation du grand-Anvers,” 15–7.

93 Claude, “Sanitary Engineering,” 153–66.

94 Braem, Het Schoonste land, 82 and Van Acker, From Flux to Frame, 356–61.

95 Quenast is a Belgian stone quarry that provided the typical cobble stones (Kinderkopkes) for the construction of virtually every Belgian street. See: Heemkundige kring Merksem, Notes on the Activities of August Mennes.

96 Despite a lack of plans, Mennes’s activities are listed. Stadsarchief Antwerpen, Dossiers Vergoeding der Urbanisten.

97 Apart from Verwilghen and Braem, also the Royal Association of Antwerp Architects (KMBA) was very critical for the S.C.A.A.’s workings. See : KMBA, “Grooter Antwerpen,” 205–8.

98 Peleman, Les Hommes de la route, 1–55.

99 Geyselynck, L’urbanisation de l’agglomération.

100 Marot, L’art de la mémoire, 11–5.

101 Lefebvre, Le droit à la ville.

102 Rémy, La ville, phénomène économique.

103 Jacobs, The Economy of Cities.

104 Unwin, “The Need for a Regional Plan,” 16.

105 Dehaene, Gardening in the Urban Field, 55–102.

106 Grosjean, Urbanisation sans urbanisme, 292–9.