Photo by Tankakern @ Flickr
From 1900s, Perret advocated advanced building technologies like the use of reinforced concrete and steel frames. He developed a whole philosophy trying to merge modern achievements into Classicist principles. In 1913, Auguste Perret designed Théâtre des Champs-Elysées that scandalized the Parisian society - this beautifully proportioned building was a clear manifest against ornamentation and other attributes of Art Nouveau:
A striking (and, unfortunately, long gone) example of Perret’s industrial architecture is Atelier Esders, a garment factory in Paris:
As early as in 1922, Auguste Perret proposed massive constuction of similarly styled skyscrapers, the Maisons-Tours (towerhomes), 200-300 metres tall:
You can compare this idea to “Plan Voisin” proposed by Le Corbusier, Perret’s former employee, three years later.
Maisons-Tours attracted some attention for quite a long time, but the plan remained on paper.
Much more successful was the project of the Notre Dame du Raincy church that Perret designed with his brother Gustav (construction completed in 1923):
Photo by julienpaul @ Flickr
It is often called “the first architecturally satisfying building of reinforced concrete”, showcasing the mifhty aesthetic potential of the material. Besides, it’s the first reinforced-concrete built church in France.
In 1925, Perret designed a spectacular tower for the International Hydropower and Tourism Exhibition in Grenoble:
Photo by Pete Shacky @ Flickr
In 1926, Perret brothers together with Raymond Audigier and Georges Brochard entered the contest for the new Sainte-Jeanne-d'Arc basilica in Paris:
Their entry was rejected, but 25 years the concept resurrected in another place. In the meanwhile, Perret continued to design industrial buildings and artistic studios, like this one for Marguerite Huré (1931):
Photo by RUAMPS © @ Flickr
In 1936 he started to work on Palais d'Iena project (Museum of Public Works) - a symmetrical building with three wings and a courtyard in the center, heavily influenced by the Ancient Greek architecture:
Photo by Tuomas Xi @ Flickr
Photo by RUAMPS © @ Flickr
After the war Auguste Perret finally built his Maison-Tour - not in Paris, but in Amiens, only 104 metres tall and not an apartment but an office building:
Photo by twiga_swala @ Flickr
Often called “Europe’s first real skyscraper” (well, Warsaw and Antwerp may argue) it became Amien’s most striking landmark.
But the main postwar work of Perret is the reconstruction of Havre, heavily damaged during WWII. He was in charge of the new city centre and St. Joseph church - a memorial to the local citizens killed by bombs and shells.
His first proposal somehow resemled the 1926 St. Jeanne d'Arc design:
Then came some important changes:
And this is not the final “cut”, but the way.
The construction started on October 21, 1951:
… and continued after Perret’s death.
The church, 107 metres tall (incl. the cross) was completed in 1956 and inaugurated in 1957. That’s how it looks today:
And it dominates the cityscape without suppressing it:
Finally, a sculpural portrait of Perret by his friend Antoine Bourdelle (1921):
Sources: Wiki (FR), Le Havre d'Avant, Auguste Perret pool @ Flickr
1st photo by Loutron Glouton @ Flickr
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