The east railway ring in Brussels: a growth barrier in the 19th and 20th centuries? (1855-1950)

How did the development of the railways affect the urban morphology of the Brussels suburbs? In an attempt to provide a first answer to this broad question, this article examines the role of railway infrastructures of the east railway ring in Brussels (currently line 161). Above all, it proposes to...

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Main Author: Alix Sacré
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Université libre de Bruxelles - ULB 2019-04-01
Series:Brussels Studies
Subjects:
Online Access:http://journals.openedition.org/brussels/2653
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author Alix Sacré
author_facet Alix Sacré
author_sort Alix Sacré
collection DOAJ
description How did the development of the railways affect the urban morphology of the Brussels suburbs? In an attempt to provide a first answer to this broad question, this article examines the role of railway infrastructures of the east railway ring in Brussels (currently line 161). Above all, it proposes to demonstrate that, contrary to a preconceived and still widespread idea, the tremendous development of the rail network in the second half of the 19th century was sometimes a huge obstacle to the urbanisation of certain neighbourhoods, with what could be referred to as “growth barriers” being built in the middle of them. By comparing archives of different types - in particular cartographic (mainly from municipal archives) - and various works on the evolution of urban morphology, through the example of this ring line, this study shows that while stations have often promoted urban development as economic growth areas, the railways crossing the city have had the opposite impact, sometimes acting as obstacles to the growth of certain neighbourhoods.
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spelling doaj-art-c2fd6cb0fd3e46d5bc0c19434ea78a002025-08-20T03:20:30ZengUniversité libre de Bruxelles - ULBBrussels Studies2031-02932019-04-0110.4000/brussels.2653The east railway ring in Brussels: a growth barrier in the 19th and 20th centuries? (1855-1950)Alix SacréHow did the development of the railways affect the urban morphology of the Brussels suburbs? In an attempt to provide a first answer to this broad question, this article examines the role of railway infrastructures of the east railway ring in Brussels (currently line 161). Above all, it proposes to demonstrate that, contrary to a preconceived and still widespread idea, the tremendous development of the rail network in the second half of the 19th century was sometimes a huge obstacle to the urbanisation of certain neighbourhoods, with what could be referred to as “growth barriers” being built in the middle of them. By comparing archives of different types - in particular cartographic (mainly from municipal archives) - and various works on the evolution of urban morphology, through the example of this ring line, this study shows that while stations have often promoted urban development as economic growth areas, the railways crossing the city have had the opposite impact, sometimes acting as obstacles to the growth of certain neighbourhoods.http://journals.openedition.org/brussels/2653historyland use planningurban infrastructurespublic transporttown planning
spellingShingle Alix Sacré
The east railway ring in Brussels: a growth barrier in the 19th and 20th centuries? (1855-1950)
Brussels Studies
history
land use planning
urban infrastructures
public transport
town planning
title The east railway ring in Brussels: a growth barrier in the 19th and 20th centuries? (1855-1950)
title_full The east railway ring in Brussels: a growth barrier in the 19th and 20th centuries? (1855-1950)
title_fullStr The east railway ring in Brussels: a growth barrier in the 19th and 20th centuries? (1855-1950)
title_full_unstemmed The east railway ring in Brussels: a growth barrier in the 19th and 20th centuries? (1855-1950)
title_short The east railway ring in Brussels: a growth barrier in the 19th and 20th centuries? (1855-1950)
title_sort east railway ring in brussels a growth barrier in the 19th and 20th centuries 1855 1950
topic history
land use planning
urban infrastructures
public transport
town planning
url http://journals.openedition.org/brussels/2653
work_keys_str_mv AT alixsacre theeastrailwayringinbrusselsagrowthbarrierinthe19thand20thcenturies18551950
AT alixsacre eastrailwayringinbrusselsagrowthbarrierinthe19thand20thcenturies18551950