JEAN PROUVÉ , 1901-1984
Andrew Wallace ,of Andrew Wallace Architects + Interior Designers from Liverpool, went to Paris this summer and visited the Centre Pompidou where there was an exhibition about Jean Prouvé.
We need machine-made houses», declared Jean Prouvé in 1945, facing up to the tasks of post-War reconstrvuction. Given the industrial methods he developed, his project relied on a number of key constructional principles : the post and beam framwork for the «Métropole» and «Tropicale» houses; the shell for the roof od the Mame printworks; the crutch for the school in Villejuif. Whether load-bearing structures or façade elements, all components were of metal (steel or aluminium), generally in the form of folded sheet. Prouvé applied his notions of architectural prefabrication to the design of furniture, exploiting his technical know-how and mastery of metal. Cetain items were put into mass production thanks to large orders for schools and for student accomodation, such as the Antony student residences.
Liverpool architects and achitects elsewhere in the UK may be interested to go to this exhibition.
