6X9 DEMOUNTABLE HOUSE, 1944

In response to an order from the state, at the end of the War, JEAN PROUVÉ began designing temporary houses for the homeless in Lorraine and Franche-Comté.

Fine-tuning his already patented axial portal frame, he saw a quick, economical and adaptable solution as an urgent priority. The area of 6×6 meters laid down by the Ministry of Reconstruction and Town Planning, and later enlarged to 6×9 meters, was partitioned into three rooms immediately habitable on the day of assemblage. This meant that these country families did not have to move while building was going on.

Designed to be rapidly assembled on the sites of destroyed homes and, if need be, demounted and moved elsewhere, these veritable ʺarchitectural featsʺ were made up of light, prefabricated components of metal and wood. Steel, subject to strict quotas at the time, was reserved for the bent steel skeleton, into which were inserted simple, standardized wood panels. Jean Prouvé would later develop and reapply this constructive principle to durable and lasting reconstruction.

 

Jean Prouvé’s 6×9 demountable house at Art Basel Paris – Set-up

As part of the Art Basel Paris public program,GALERIE PATRICK SEGUIN is showing a JEAN PROUVÉ 6×9 demountable house on Avenue Winston Churchill, in front of the Grand Palais.

This stop-motion video, filmed during the two-day assembly of the house in the heart of Paris, highlights the fascinating construction process of this demountable architecture, designed in 1944 to be rapidly assembled and, if needed, demounted and moved elsewhere.

Free of charge and open to all, a visit to the 6×9 demountable house is an opportunity to observe the ingenuity of Prouvé’s construction system, deployed here using two portal frames around which the living spaces inside the pavilion are organized.

The 54m2 demountable house is furnished with a fine selection of Jean Prouvé furniture.

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ART BASEL – PUBLIC PROGRAM

As part of the Art Basel Paris public program, GALERIE PATRICK SEGUIN is showing JEAN PROUVÉ’s 6×9 demountable house (1944) on Avenue Winston Churchill, in front of the Grand Palais.

In response to an order from the government at the end of the War, Jean Prouvé designed temporary houses for those who had been made homeless in Lorraine and Franche-Comté. Fine-tuning the axial portal frame system that he had patented in 1939, he met the emergency situation with a quick, economical and adaptable solution. The surface area, initially set at 36 m² by the Ministry of Reconstruction, was enlarged to 54 m² and made immediately habitable on the day of assembly. This solution meant that the local residents did not have to move away while their homes were being rebuilt.

Designed to be assembled rapidly and, if need be, demounted and moved elsewhere, these “architectural feats” were made up of light, prefabricated components of metal and wood. As steel was then in short supply, it was reserved for the bent sheet frame, into which standardized wood panels were inserted.

This 54m2 demountable construction will be furnished with a selection of furniture and lighting by Jean Prouvé, Charlotte Perriand and Le Corbusier.

Free of charge and open to all, a visit to the 6×9 demountable house is an opportunity to observe the ingenuity of Prouvé’s construction system, deployed here using two portal frames around which the living spaces are organized.

For this occasion, the gallery has designed posters showcasing Prouvé’s constructional philosophy.

Come and get yours!

ART BASEL – PUBLIC PROGRAM
October 16-20, 2024
Avenue Winston Churchill, 75008 Paris