Maison de Verre
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The Maison de Verre (French for House of Glass) was built from 1927 to 1932 in Paris, France. Constructed in the early modern style of architecture, the house's design emphasized three primary traits: honesty of materials, variable transparency of forms, and juxtaposition of "industrial" materials and fixtures with a more traditional style of home décor. The primary materials used were steel, glass, and glass block. Some of the notable "industrial" elements included rubberized floor tiles, bare steel beams, and heavy industrial light fixtures and mechanical fixtures.
The program of the home was somewhat unusual in that it included a ground-floor medical office for Dr. Dalsace. This variable circulation pattern was provided for by a rotating screen which hid the private stairs from patients during the day, but framed the stairs at night.
The house is notable for its splendid architecture, but it may be more well-known for another reason. It was built on the site of a much older building which the patron had purchased and intended to demolish. Much to his or her chagrin, however, the elderly tenant on the top floor of the building absolutely refused to sell, and so the patron was obliged to completely demolish the bottom three floors of the building and construct the Maison de Verre underneath, all without disturbing the original top floor!
Quick details
- Address: 31 Rue St-Guillaume, Paris, France
- Architect: Bernard Bijvoet and (primarily) Pierre Chareau
- Patron: Dr. Dalsace, a Parisian doctor
- Construction Dates: 1927 to 1932
- Alternate name: Maison Dalsace
- Style: Early Modern
- Building Use: Home and ground floor medical office
External links
- Article: "A Serious Point of Departure" - La Maison de la Rue St. Guillaume (http://www.basilisk.com/N/NN3_833.html)
- Drawings and photos (http://www.arte-tv.com/static/c4/architecture/architectures/chareau/album.html)