Algeria: Military genius and civic design (1830–70)

After the colonial occupation of Algeria in 1830, French military engineers were sent to draw up street plans for the existing towns, and to prepare schemes for the creation of new towns to promote further colonization. These military engineers were also responsible for the execution of their projects, and for the administration of the new towns until they became full municipalities. Their work bears witness to a very good knowledge of the sites, and also of local geography in terms of both population and economics. Both the plans and their accompanying texts convey a very strong sense of pragmatism. This approach to planning seems to contrast with that of engineers of the government department of the Ponts et Chaussées during the same period. These civilian engineers were more interested in the technical aspects of projects, and in the application of models. The special qualities of these Algerian towns founded between 1830 and 1870 were related to the training and mentality of the military engineers, and the organization of the corps to which they belonged.