Functionalism and the Maison de Verre

Walter Gropius claimed that to be able to design something so that it functions well, essence needed to be fully explored in order that it may perfectly serve the purpose it was designed to do.  This applied whether the object was a chair, a shelf, or a house.  He went on to argue that a thing must fulfill its function durably, functionally and beautifully – that’s what its purpose was.   Thus like many other functionalists of his time, an adherence to the notion that “form follows function” can be seen throughout much of his work. 

Further deconstruction of the term “functionalism” sees that it consists of both programmatic and structural/constructional elements. The programmatic elements pertain to the function of spaces and objects within those spaces to the intent that those spaces were designed for.    

 Constructed from 1928 to 1931 in Paris, France, The Maison de Verre (French for House of Glass) was built in the early modern style of architecture.  The house was originally built on the site of a significantly older structure which the patron had purchased with the intention to demolish it. However, the elderly tenant on the top floor of the building refused to sell, and so the purchaser was obligated to entirely demolish the bottom three floors of the structure and construct the Maison de Verre below.

Focusing on an honesty of materials, a visible transparency of forms, and a juxtaposition of “industrial” components, the home consisted primarily of materials including steel, glass, and glass block.  Other materials in the building included naked steel beams, both mechanical fixtures and heavy industrial light fixture, rubberized floor tiles, and perforated metal sheet.  Embedded within the fabric, the great glass-block façade creates an exterior that portrays a significantly ambiguous view of the interior of the building.

     The exterior form is categorized by translucent glass block walls, with chosen spaces of clear glazing for transparency. The opaque glass blocks that make up the exterior of the structure create the ability for visitors on the outside to see into the structure, but only to the extent that blurry colors can be observed.  Thus the public and private lives of those inside are merged together with the outside world.  A description of the exterior glass coating reads:

…the glass skin acts as a screen, showing only what one wishes and leaving the imagination to complete an image of what is behind it. As a screen, the Maison de Verre façade has two meanings: its own, that which derives from the quality of its surface, texture and weave, and that of constituting a membrane which, by allowing glimpses of light and movement, provides a sketch of the life taking place within[1].

Within the quarters, the space is divided by a variety of gliding, folding or revolving screens in glass.  This is accentuated by other mechanical machinery including an overhead trolley from the kitchen to dining room.  Also featured was a retracting staircase located near the private sitting that led to the bedroom.  This changeable movement outline was provided for by a revolving screen which hid the private stairs during the day, but framed the stairs in the evening.  In addition there are a series of intricate bathroom cupboards and fittings.
     To this extent then the functionalist aspect of the structure served to provide the residents with an appearance of being exposed.  The programmatic form can be seen in the way in which the residents could utilize the space.  The altering glass walls and steel beams allowed for a maximum amount of flexibility in interior design.  The structural functionalism of the building can also be seen in the use of metal and glass to create the image that was ultimately desired by the purchasers of the design.   

Bobbitt, Philip. The Shield of Achilles: War, Peace, and the Course of History. New York: Knopf, 2002.

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[1] Vellay, Dominique and Halard, François.  La Maison de Verre: Pierre Chareau's modernist masterwork. Boston: Kopf, 2004.