Maison Tropicale Building, Design Museum Exhibition London, Jean Prouvé Design

Maison Tropicale London

‘Jungle House’: Design Museum Architecture Information – design by Jean Prouvé

11 Feb 2008

Maison Tropicale Reconstruction

Design: Jean Prouvé

Design Museum Exhibition London 2008

Images by Luke Hayes:

Maison Tropicale in London

Shell rescued from Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo, Africa

Photographs received from Design Museum 12 Feb 2008

Maison Tropicale architect : Jean Prouvé

Design Museum, Shad Thames, London
020 7940 8787 designmuseum.org

Design Museum

photo © Luke Hayes

Jean Prouvé (1901-84) was a French metal worker, self-taught architect and designer. His main achievement was transferring manufacturing technology from industry to architecture, without losing aesthetic qualities. His design skills were not limited to one discipline. During his career Jean Prouvé was involved in architectural design, industrial design, structural design and furniture design.

Jean Prouvé was born in Nancy, France, the second of seven children of the artist Victor Prouvé and the pianist Marie Duhamel. The Prouvés belonged to a lively artistic circle, which included the glass artist Emile Gallé, and the furniture designer Louis Majorelle. Jean grew up surrounded by the ideals and energy of “l’École de Nancy,” the art collective to which his father belonged. Its goals were to make art readily accessible, to forge links between art and industry, as well as between art and social consciousness.

From 1957 to 1970 Prouvé lectured at the Conservatoire des Arts et Métiers in Paris. The most ambitious project he worked on during the last years of his life was the building for the Ministère de l’Education National (1970), a metal skyscraper designed around a vast internal patio, which was to be built at La Défense. In 1971, Prouvé was the president of the Jury for the design of the Centre Pompidou in Paris. Along with fellow jury member Philip Johnson, he played a very important role for the choice of the winning project by Richard Rogers and Renzo Piano. He died in Nancy in 1984.

Today, the Maison Jean Prouvé belongs to the City of Nancy, which rents it to an architect and his family on condition that the public can visit at certain times. Prouvé’s workshop from his factory has been rebuilt in the grounds.
Source: wikipedia

Location: Shad Thames, London, England, UK