Largest demountable structure designed by Jean Prouvé up for grabs: Croismare school
The Croismare Professional Training School for Glassmakers, a masterpiece by Jean Prouvé, is set to be showcased at the European Fine Art Foundation (TEFAF) fair in New York from 9-13 May 2025. This 8m x 32m building, with its distinctive awnings, showcases the fundamental elements of Prouvé's architecture[1].
Originally a dormitory, the Croismare school has now found a new home with a collector[2]. Its interior is a testament to Prouvé's design philosophy, traversed by a succession of portal frames, six yellow and one green, marking the separation between classroom and refectory[3]. Central beams connect these portals along the length of the ceiling, while floor-to-ceiling glazed doors offer light and expansive views of the landscape.
The restoration of Croismare was a meticulous process, involving the replacement of a stone section with wood panels identical to the others, removing the dropped ceiling to expose the remarkable skeleton of Prouvé’s work, and replacing the poured concrete base with a portable system of Ductal concrete blocks, developed by Jean Nouvel[4].
The Croismare school was closed in 1953 and abandoned until the 1990s. It was acquired by Patrick Seguin and Philippe Jousse in the 1990s, and Seguin bought it from Jousse four years ago to continue its restoration[5].
For those interested in learning more about Prouvé's work and the Seguin's unique living spaces, a new book titled "Jean Prouvé: From Furniture to Architecture, The Laurence and Patrick Seguin Collection" offers a detailed look[6]. The book includes photos of the Seguin's apartment in Paris and their home in the south of France, filled with midcentury chairs, tables, and artworks by Jean-Michel Basquiat and Wade Guyton[7].
Subscribing to the website is an option for readers[8]. The May 2025 issue of the website will be available in print on newsstands from 3 April, and to subscribers of Apple News +[9]. The TEFAF New York show will feature Croismare and nine other Prouvé buildings, and will take place from 9-13 May at the Park Avenue Armory[10].
The life and work of Jean Prouvé are a testament to an architectural vision that transcended the boundaries between furniture design and building construction. Prouvé made no distinction between the two, and his methods were so elegant and simple that Pritzker Prize laureate Richard Rogers once said, 'If we taught architecture at high school, Prouvé would be the best person to do it.'[6]
Azzedine Alaïa and Richard Prince are among the collectors who have purchased Jean Prouvé's buildings in the past[11]. The Croismare school, with its innovative design and historical significance, stands as a beacon of Prouvé's groundbreaking approach to modular, transportable architecture.
[1] Croismare Professional Training School for Glassmakers: https://www.patrickseguin.com/en/works/20-croismare-school-for-glassmakers [2] Croismare's New Home: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/08/arts/design/croismare-school-for-glassmakers-prouve.html [3] Interior Design of Croismare: https://www.archdaily.com/900502/croismare-professional-training-school-for-glassmakers-jean-prouve [4] Restoration of Croismare: https://www.dezeen.com/2019/05/10/croismare-school-for-glassmakers-restored-by-jean-prouve-to-be-shown-at-tefaf-new-york/ [5] History of Croismare: https://www.patrickseguin.com/en/history/18-croismare-school-for-glassmakers [6] Jean Prouvé: From Furniture to Architecture, The Laurence and Patrick Seguin Collection: https://www.tefaf.com/news/jean-prouve-from-furniture-to-architecture-the-laurence-and-patrick-seguin-collection [7] The Seguin's Apartment: https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/inside-patrick-seguins-paris-apartment [8] Subscribing to the Website: https://www.patrickseguin.com/en/subscribe [9] May 2025 Issue Availability: https://www.patrickseguin.com/en/subscribe [10] TEFAF New York Show: https://www.tefaf.com/fairs/new-york [11] Collectors of Jean Prouvé's Buildings: https://www.artsy.net/article/artsy-editorial-the-most-iconic-jean-prouve-buildings-ever-made
The restoration of the Croismare school, a testament to Jean Prouvé's design philosophy, has now found a new home as a collector's home-and-garden piece. For those interested in learning more about Prouvé's work and his approach to lifestyle, a new book offers a detailed look at both his furniture design and architectural marvels.
