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In Geneva, historic and geopolitical factors have significantly influenced the region’s overall structure and the form of particular locals within it. For example, in the course of just a few years, a new road transformed Meyrin from a one-street village into an important commercial crossroad. In Malagny, a medieval hamlet was almost entirely demolished in the 18th century to make way for a grand estate. In Genthod, a farming village was “gentrified” after 3 nobles estates were established around it. The village peasants agreed to move their dung-heaps to a more discreet secondary street, donated by one of the estates for the purpose. In Chêne, a village was divided into two distinct political and religious districts. Finally, at Plan-les-Ouates, there is a strong contrast between the two sides of the village’s main street, which were built during different periods. These examples are indicative of what can be considered the region’s settlement period (prior to its official recognition as an administrative entity). They show that it is impossible to separate rural architecture from its surrounding and history; rather, these should be seen as an integrated whole.