Jean-Antoine-Gabriel Davioud (French:[ʒɑ̃ɑ̃twanɡabʁijɛldavju]; 30 October 1824 – 6 April 1881) was aFrench architect. He worked closely withBaron Haussmann on the transformation of Paris underNapoleon III during theSecond Empire. Davioud is remembered for his contributions to architecture (e.g. the two theaters on the place du Châtelet and the city hall of the 19th arrondissement), parks (e.g. the Pré Catelan garden and the square des Batignolles) and urban amenities (fountains, pavilions, benches and kiosks). These contributions now form an integral part of the style of Haussmann's Paris.

Davioud was born inParis and studied at theÉcole des Beaux-Arts underLéon Vaudoyer. He won the prestigious SecondGrand Prix de Rome. In 1843, he began working in the planning department of the municipal government of Paris. First, he served as an assistant inspector and later was promoted to inspector general for architectural works. In 1855, he became chief architect for the city’s parks and public spaces, where he worked withJean-Charles Adolphe Alphand (e.g. on theBois de Boulogne and theBois de Vincennes).^[1]

In November 1851, Davioud was asked to execute drawings of the façades of 80 of the 250 buildings that were to be demolished under Haussmann’s plans to extend therue de Rivoli in central Paris. The demolitions were to begin in early 1852. This left only 60 days for Davioud to complete his drawings, which were to be colorized using his notes. He completed the task, but many of these drawings were destroyed when theHôtel de Ville (the town hall) was burned down in 1871 during theParis Commune. The surviving drawings now form part of the archive of documentation of what Paris looked like before the Haussmannian transformation during theSecond Empire.^[2]

Davioud spent his entire career in the planning department of Paris. He was a key member of the team that radically altered the city’s layout and look. As a close associate of the urban plannerBaron Haussmann, he designed much of the characteristic Parisian street furniture (benches, pavilions, bandstands, fountains, lampposts, signposts, fences, balustrades and jetties) as well as a number of landmark buildings. His work is noted for its ornamental quality and for its exotic references (e.g. the Moorish influences seen in the Palais du Trocadero).^[1] Among his most notable projects are the popularSaint-Michel Fountain inPlace Saint-Michel, the old Palais duTrocadéro (built for the 1878 World Fair, demolished in 1937), the town hall of the nineteenth arrondissement and the two theatres at thePlace du Châtelet (theThéâtre du Châtelet and theThéâtre de la Ville.)

In 1868, Davioud succeededJacques Landry as mayor ofHoulgate, where he stayed until 1871. His mandate was interrupted when he was appointedcapitaine du génie during theFranco-Prussian War. Noted for his work in Paris, he built a single villa in Houlgate,La Brise, on theRoute de Caumont.

Davioud died in 1881. In 1918, his family donated 600 of his drawings to the General Inspectorate of Technical Services for Architecture. The drawings were subsequently split between theHôtel de Ville and the pavillon de Bagatelle. Their re-discovery in 1981 by the Library of the Hôtel de Ville helped to reveal Davioud’s major contributions to the city of Paris and rekindled interest in his work.^[1]

• Le Panorama National, now theThéâtre du Rond-Point, created for theUniversal Exposition of 1855
• Fontaine Saint-Michel, in thePlace Saint-Michel, with sculptorHenri Alfred Jacquemart, 1860
• Two theatres at thePlace du Châtelet (Théâtre du Châtelet andThéâtre de la Ville), 1860–1862
• Temple de la Sybille on the Île du Belvédère,Parc des Buttes-Chaumont, in the19th arrondissement, 1869
• Fontaine de l'Observatoire and theAvenue de l'Observatoire (with sculptorJean-Baptiste Carpeaux and others), 1873
• The Mairie, the municipal building in the19th arrondissement, 1876–1878
• The formerPalais du Trocadéro, built for theUniversal Exposition of 1878
• Magasins-Réunis, in thePlace de la République
• Jardin des Champs-Élysées
• Wrought-iron grillwork for the entry gate of theParc Monceau, Davioud’s ornate gateway and the metal barrier accounted for half of the expense of re-designing the Parc.^[3]
• Fontaine du Château d'eau, Place Daumesnil,12th arrondissement
• Entry pavilions for theBois de Boulogne,16th arrondissement
• Square des Batignolles,17th arrondissement

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  City hall of the 19th arrondissement of Paris
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  The Davioud Pavilion, Luxembourg Gardens
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  Wrought iron entryway to the Parc Monceau
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  The Saint Michel Fountain
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  Another view of the Saint Michel Fountain
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  Rotonde and grotto on the Île de Reuilly in the Bois de Vincennes
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  Davioud bench on avenue Henri-Martin
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  Fountain on the Place François 1er
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  Fountain of the 4 Parts of the Worlds, at the Observatory

• Napoleon III style
• Fountains in Paris
• History of parks and gardens of Paris

• Adolf K. Placzek,Macmillan Encyclopedia of Architects, Collier Macmillan, 1982, p. 504.^{[ISBN missing]}
• Structurae entry
• Marcel Miocque; Huguette Vernochet; Alain Bertaud; Lise Dassonville-Agron (2001).Houlgate entre mer et campagne. Éditions Charles Corlet. p. 31.ISBN 2-85480-976-9.