Marseille. Jean Prouvé remastered

The Demountable House was designed by Jean Prouvé for the victims of World War II in the Lorraine region. Chateau La Coste has opened its doors to host an updated version of the 6x6 meters flat-pack house, designed by Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners, in the Art Gallery by Renzo Piano. Not only Prouvé’s work has been seminal to both Rogers and Piano but the architect was also a pivotal figure in their first major project, as he served as president of the jury of the Centre Pompidou’s competition.

In the aftermath of WWII, Jean Prouvé was commissioned a temporary dwelling to rehouse homeless civilians by the French Ministry of Reconstruction and Town Planning. The prefabricated wooden and metal box was designed to be built in a day, by only two people but it remained at the limited series stage. In 2015, Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners redesigned the modular building to transform it into a holiday home. The adaptation followed two principles: the preservation of the original structure on the one hand, and the enhancement of its autonomy as a living unit on the other. In this way, all the modifications are flexible and reversible, including the addition of two pods, containing a kitchen and a toilet. This operation gave the flat-pack house the status of a nomadic home archetype. At the end of summer the pavilion will be moved and installed as a room of Villa la Coste.