The Evolution of the Street — II. 
THE AVENUE DE LA MARINE AT TUNIS 
to recommend it. Thus 
the widening of a thor¬ 
oughfare into place or 
square appears, modi¬ 
fying the street plan. 
The open space may 
have appeared earlier 
in the heart of the 
town;—in front of the 
house of religious wor¬ 
ship, or the govern¬ 
ment building, or, as of 
lowlier origin, in the 
provision of a common 
pasture for the cattle 
of the citizens—but it 
now appears for the 
first time as strictly an 
outgrowth of the street. 
So emerges one of 
those “ varieties ” that, as a proper product 
of the street’s evolution—while still a de¬ 
parture from its regular course—must have 
distinct discussion. It is enough for the 
present to note that the street has widened 
at the city gate, where there was the earliest 
effort to give to it dignity. 
Since there was this effort, the opportunity 
that was offered for ornamentation by the 
street’s expansion was promptly availed of. 
At first, indeed, the space may have been no 
wider than the converging traffic required ; 
but the success of the experiment, the im¬ 
pressiveness of mere width, invites ampler 
provision than is exactly needed, and when 
it becomes possible—as it finally does in the 
progress of cities—to cross the town boun¬ 
dary at many points and independently of 
far separated gates, there is spare room 
that can be given over to ornament. The 
original significance is not wholly lost, 
even now, for the square still leads to a 
highway, while its decoration gives it a new 
and partially atoning significance. Travel 
across the plaza follows certain definite 
lines, as the shortest distance between term¬ 
inals, and unless there be a congestion that 
so dams the streams of traffic that they 
overflow their natural bounds, the width of 
the space hardly tempts to deviation from 
the narrow lanes. There result isolated bits 
of pavement that are like islands, around 
which the currents of travel flow without 
trespass. Grass begins to appear in the 
chinks between the stones, and the trans¬ 
formation that would take place in nature 
and that nature is trying so hard to create 
here, gives a hint to man. The disused 
space is planted. 
After planting, some elaboration of orna¬ 
ment may appear. Precisely as if this were 
a real island, it may be advisable to insure it 
against even occasional trespass by the es¬ 
tablishment of a rigid boundary line. A 
small sea wall—a coping or terrace—is con¬ 
structed, or boulders, lamp posts, or stone 
guards, large and vigorous plants, are set 
out as piers to turn the current. The coping 
with its shallow basin may invite a fountain, 
the boulders may suggest the pedestal of a 
monument or statue, and soon the little isle 
of green has assumed, perhaps without 
wholly losing its verdure, an architectural 
character. 
The esthetic success of this broadened bit 
of street is a recommendation to a broaden¬ 
ing for longer distances, even for whole street 
lengths. The street that leads directly from 
the center of the town to the town gate is 
arterial. It is the great highway, a part of 
the fundamental structure of the town, and 
to it should be given emphasis, structural 
vigor, and finally, brilliancy. What more 
natural than to widen this street, if possible, 
for its entire length, and, if the whole of the 
area be not needed for the travel, to extend 
264 
