Auguste Perret [Hardcover]

Karla Britton (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 22, 2001

French architect Auguste Perret (1874-1954) was highly influential in the development of 20th-century architecture. He was one of the first architects to exploit the architectural potential of concrete, a material that previously had been perceived as common and industrial. Works such as the apartment building in Rue Franklin, Paris, and the Church of Notre Dame de Raincy made an impact on Le Corbusier and a generation of Modernist architects, although Perret himself never abandoned a Classical vocabulary. This monograph offers a study of the architect and provides an insight into his many buildings and projects - from small-scale buildings such as houses and artists' studios, to larger-scale civic works such as the Musee des Travaux in Paris, and the urban planning projects undertaken during World War II. It also features an appendix of Perret's writings, including his published work of aphorisms, "Contribution to a Theory of Architecture", plus essays on "Concrete" and "Architecture", which provide an insight into the forces behind his craft and its artistic and social principles.

Editorial Reviews

Review

'[An] erudite exploration of Perret's output. . .Britton's study presents a fascinating, authoritative figure.'

About the Author

Karla Britton is a historian, specialising in twentieth-century French architecture. She is Director of the New York/Paris Program of Columbia University's Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation in Paris.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Phaidon Press (October 22, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0714840432
• ISBN-13: 978-0714840437
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 8.6 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,051,290 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a forgotten master, March 8, 2005

By 

l.k. (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Auguste Perret (Hardcover)

I was first drawn to Auguste Perret when I saw an exhibit of his work in Paris and have since been searching for a book which can convey the beauty of Perret's life work. Although this book has many great pictures, I miss the quality exhibited in the actual renderings. The book however, has much more to offer, and goes into depth about Perret's philosophies, the effects of his work, and his relationship with the infamous Le Corbusier. The style of writing coveys all of this information in an interesting fashion by incoporating specific stories. I particularly loved the cartoon that Corb drew with Perret sitting in front of a ribbon window (the commentary behind it is equally funny if you know architecture). The portion of the book on housing gives to architects a valuable lesson on how a building should not only serve a function but should make the ordinary daily routine much more interesting and enjoyable. I am struck with this quote from the book given by a man living in the pavillion for Madame Mela Muter: "The elements of this house are of such a fashion that to live there is pleasurable. It is pleasurable to open a door, pleasurable to close it, pleasurable to go from one room to another. What is marvellous, is that it remains as pleasurable at the end of two years as on the first day." If only we could learn from the work of Perret, a truly unique and gifted man who stood stubbornly by his vertical Parisian window while the austere architecture of Le Corbusier's strip window took hold of our concept of modern architecture.

4 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Auguste Perret, December 28, 2001

By 

Michael Webb (Los Angeles) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Auguste Perret (Hardcover)

A valuable addition to a series of monographs from this publisher. Karla Britton's account of the great French architect-engineer, a master of concrete construction like Breuer, but one who straddled two eras, combining boldly expressed structures with rich surface ornament. The Theatre des Champs Elysees was completed before the first world war, and its "nudity" shocked Parisians as much as the barbaric rhythms of Stravinsky's Rite of Spring, which provoked a riot when it was premiered here. Now, Perret's masterwork can be seen as a perfect balance of grace and daring--the greatest theater in the city. A couple of apartment blocks were even more ahead of their time, but Perret, like Breuer, stayed around too long and the later work, particularly the rebuilding of Le Havre, diminished his standing. Books of this quality and importance deserve much better production values. The series is overpriced and poorly designed; the bindings are fragile, the illustrations drab, and there is not even a proper title page.