The 1902 design drawing for a national printing office in Italy secured Henri Prost the prestigious Prix de Rome scholarship, launching a career that defined French urbanism. Operating across Morocco, France, and Turkey, Prost balanced the pressures of rapid modernization against the necessity of historical preservation in some of the world's most complex metropolitan centers.
Early Education and Professional Beginnings
Born in 1874 in Paris, Henri Prost pursued his architectural training at the École Spéciale d'Architecture and the École des Beaux-Arts. During his formative years, he studied under Marcel Lambert, who had surveyed the Acropolis in Athens. This classical training provided the foundation for his later work. In 1911, he co-founded the Société française des urbanistes, establishing his role as a key figure in the nascent field of urban planning.
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In 1913, Hubert Lyautey, the military governor of French Morocco, invited Prost to oversee the development of major urban hubs. Over the next decade, Prost implemented comprehensive plans for Casablanca, Fes, Marrakesh, Meknes, and Rabat. His work in Casablanca was particularly noted for applying systematic principles of urbanism, incorporating transportation infrastructure, boulevards, public squares, and parks into the existing fabric.
Redevelopment of Istanbul
Prost's relationship with Turkey began in 1924, but his most significant engagement occurred in 1936 when Mustafa Kemal Atatürk commissioned him to create a master plan for Istanbul. For fifteen years, Prost led the city's Planning Office. His approach combined modernization with the preservation of Byzantine and Ottoman landmarks. While he facilitated the conversion of Hagia Sophia into a museum, his interventions, including the demolition of the Taksim Military Barracks, drew criticism from contemporaries such as Le Corbusier.
Regional Planning in France
Between 1923 and 1924, Prost focused on regional planning for the Côte Varoise on the French Riviera. He later shifted his focus to the capital, becoming the director of regional urban studies for the Paris metropolitan area in 1932. His comprehensive Plan d'Aménagement de la Région Parisienne was formally approved in 1939. During his later life, he served as the Director of the Special School of Architecture from 1929 until his death in 1959.
Fast facts
- Born: 1874, Paris
- Died: 1959, Paris
- Education: Special School of Architecture, Beaux-Arts de Paris
- Key Award: Prix de Rome
- Notable Membership: Académie des beaux-arts
- Co-founder: Société française des urbanistes
- Political Role: Member of the Vichy National Council
Questions readers ask
What was Prost's primary approach to city planning?
He focused on integrating modern transportation and infrastructure while attempting to conserve historical landmarks and landscape features.
Why was his Istanbul master plan controversial?
Critics argued his interventionist approach damaged the historic structure of the city, specifically citing the demolition of the Taksim Military Barracks.
Achievements
- Prix de Rome
- Trained at Beaux-Arts de Paris and Special School of Architecture
