This book tracks the development of Marcel Breuer’s aesthetic clash between uniformity and singularity through the detailed examination of his seminal buildings. Each chapter examines a specific building and puts into context Breuer’s other work and the contemporary movements/architects of the post-war era such as Surrealism, Brutalism and structural expressionism. The buildings examined include the UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, France, of 1958; the IBM Research Center in Le Gaude, France, of 1962; the Annunciation Priory in Bismark, North Dakota, of 1963; and the Atlanta Central Library of 1980.
Marcel Breuer’s approach to design was inspired by the Spanish phrase, sol y sombra (sun and shadow). Sun and shadow meant for Breuer that a juxtaposition of contrasts was necessary; light glass walls and heavy concrete, masses lifted over voids, and serial precast construction resting on sculptural columns became hallmarks of Breuer’s buildings. By creating an architecture of juxtaposition, Breuer’s work can be interpreted as a surrealist recontre, as fueling a new architectural condition.
A critical evaluation of Marcel Breuer’s work, this book is written for graduate students, researchers, and academics interested in his work and how it shaped the architecture of the post-war era.
Preface
Acknowledgements
Chapter 1: Breuer and the Unity of Opposites
Chapter 2: The Shift of Le Corbusier
Chapter 3: The Starkey House: The Parts Over the Whole
Chapter 4: The UNESCO Headquarters: The Beginning
Chapter 5: IBM Le Gaude, A Precast Paestum
Chapter 6: The Convent of the Annunciation Priory: Geometry, Tension, and Anxiety
Chapter 7: The Atlanta Central Library: The End of a Long Search
Selected Bibliography
List of Abbreviations
Index
Biography
John Poros is a professor at Mississippi State University’s School of Architecture and was the previous director of both the Educational Design Institute and the Fred Carl Jr. Small Town Center at Mississippi State.
