Place de Clichy
A Square in Constant Motion
A square that never stands still
Place de Clichy is a square that never stands still. Here, cars, buses, bicycles, pedestrians, and construction work meet in a seemingly endless interplay—or clash. The time of day seems irrelevant; rush hour is constant. Traffic does not flow—it collides, surges, and forces its way forward. It is as if the square refuses to organize itself, choosing instead to let chaos define its identity.
- Project type
- Photobook
- Location
- Paris, France
- Focus
- Public space
- Medium
- Black-and-white photography
In this photobook, I attempt to capture precisely this: a square in constant motion, in constant conflict between its use and its space. Through three thematic sections—the chaos, the construction work, and the small, quiet moments amidst it all—I aim to present an honest portrait of the square as it is experienced, rather than as it was intended to be.
The chaos
The construction work
In the text "Les places ont-ils encore un sens, et pour qui?" (Do public squares still have meaning, and for whom?), Giancarlo De Carlo asks whether public squares still hold meaning, and for whom that meaning exists. Place de Clichy challenges this very question. For whom does this square exist? Is it a place for people—or for cars? A meeting point—or a thoroughfare? De Carlo writes that squares often lose their original function as social spaces, becoming passive backdrops in a city developed for efficiency rather than human experience. Place de Clichy is perhaps one of the clearest examples of this—a junction rather than a gathering place, a space where people must negotiate their presence rather than simply lingering naturally.
The quiet moments
Yet, amidst all this, there are still glimpses of human presence. A person waiting for the green light. Someone sitting alone on a bench, positioned between the construction site and the traffic lights. Brief pauses in an otherwise restless urban space. These moments—and the contrasts they embody—are what I have tried to capture.
