André Bloc’s studio/house, a testament to 1950s avant-garde architecture
& a Historical Monument, designed by Claude Parent, to be restored, in Meudon
& a Historical Monument, designed by Claude Parent, to be restored, in Meudon
Meudon,
HAUTS-DE-SEINE
paris
92190
FR
Location
Meudon, located on an immense wooded plateau that overlooks the Seine River valley, is only several kilometres from the centre of Paris, while its geography, made up of rolling countryside and views extending to the horizon, explains its overall attraction, as of the early 19th century, with many artists, architects and intellectuals in search of peace, quiet and space, all within proximity to the capital.
As for the Bellevue neighbourhood, gradually subdivided as of the 19th century, it stands out thanks to its elegant dwellings scattered amidst the vegetation and an unspoiled residential atmosphere, whereas the Meudon-Belleville train station, surrounded by many essential local shops, makes it possible to reach Montparnasse station in less than 15 minutes.
In addition, near the Meudon train station is where the Bellevue covered market is held every Wednesday and Saturday morning, while, lastly, some of the most sought-out public and private schools in the city, from primary to upper secondary, are only a 5 to 15-minute walk away.
Description
Sheltered by a long enclosure wall and dense foliage, the property is accessible via an understated recessed entrance, while the dwelling itself was designed between 1955 and 1956 by Claude Parent, “architect of the oblique” and a supporter of avant-garde architecture in the service of the imagination and utopian ideals.
Commissioned by André Bloc, an advocate of integrating the arts into architecture and a polyvalent creator who worked as a sculptor, architect, painter and publisher, the studio was added to the lot on which the artist’s dwelling, known as the “Bloc house”, had been previously constructed and whose garden features some of Bloc’s immense inhabitable sculptures.
Forming a wooded and private setting, the property is the ideal environment for the premises’ original vocation, the purpose of which was to create a retreat focussed on concentration, whereas a swimming pool, currently disused, could easily be put back into service or transformed into an ornamental pond or an aquatic garden.
As for the studio/dwelling, baptised the “Caretaker’s cottage” and located on the lower section of the tree-filled grounds, with more than 2,000 m² and sheltered from view, it is concealed from the “Bloc” house thanks to a screen of bamboo, while together these two edifices form a single commonhold property (no commonhold property fees or right of way).
Combining several materials – stone, concrete, glass and metal – the Caretaker’s cottage, eschewing all symmetry, blends straight, curved and oblique lines together, whereas, far from the functionalism of 1950s classical architecture, it was designed to hug the property’s slope. Atypical, it is much a dwelling as a work of art and, today, includes, on the garden level, a living room, sheltered from view, where the light from the south and west is filtered by dense foliage, an immense dining room with a fireplace and a kitchen, whereas a spiral staircase (a Roger Tallon design) provides access to the upstairs level, which contains three bedrooms each facing the outside thanks to large picture windows, as well as two shower rooms and a lavatory.
In addition, the large primary bedroom comes with a patio surrounded by vegetation, while a garage stands adjacent to the dwelling. It should be noted that the edifice will require a full renovation in order to update it to current standards, all the while making sure to preserve its bold architectural choices.
Lastly, the entrance, indicated by a red metal pedestrian gate, is reminiscent of Calder’s creations, even though it was created by Bloc and Parent, while, André Bloc’s three statues, which are located in the garden, but are not listed as historical monuments, could be acquired at an additional cost.
Commissioned by André Bloc, an advocate of integrating the arts into architecture and a polyvalent creator who worked as a sculptor, architect, painter and publisher, the studio was added to the lot on which the artist’s dwelling, known as the “Bloc house”, had been previously constructed and whose garden features some of Bloc’s immense inhabitable sculptures.
Forming a wooded and private setting, the property is the ideal environment for the premises’ original vocation, the purpose of which was to create a retreat focussed on concentration, whereas a swimming pool, currently disused, could easily be put back into service or transformed into an ornamental pond or an aquatic garden.
As for the studio/dwelling, baptised the “Caretaker’s cottage” and located on the lower section of the tree-filled grounds, with more than 2,000 m² and sheltered from view, it is concealed from the “Bloc” house thanks to a screen of bamboo, while together these two edifices form a single commonhold property (no commonhold property fees or right of way).
Combining several materials – stone, concrete, glass and metal – the Caretaker’s cottage, eschewing all symmetry, blends straight, curved and oblique lines together, whereas, far from the functionalism of 1950s classical architecture, it was designed to hug the property’s slope. Atypical, it is much a dwelling as a work of art and, today, includes, on the garden level, a living room, sheltered from view, where the light from the south and west is filtered by dense foliage, an immense dining room with a fireplace and a kitchen, whereas a spiral staircase (a Roger Tallon design) provides access to the upstairs level, which contains three bedrooms each facing the outside thanks to large picture windows, as well as two shower rooms and a lavatory.
In addition, the large primary bedroom comes with a patio surrounded by vegetation, while a garage stands adjacent to the dwelling. It should be noted that the edifice will require a full renovation in order to update it to current standards, all the while making sure to preserve its bold architectural choices.
Lastly, the entrance, indicated by a red metal pedestrian gate, is reminiscent of Calder’s creations, even though it was created by Bloc and Parent, while, André Bloc’s three statues, which are located in the garden, but are not listed as historical monuments, could be acquired at an additional cost.
The Former Studio
Organised into an interplay of levels imposed by the property’s slope, the dwelling’s layout is a testament to the work and brainstorming involved in creating this space: partially supported by pilings, the upper level creates an overhang over the current living room – the latter of which was originally open, but then closed off later on with the help of a semi-circular atelier window looking out on to the garden. This room then communicates with another space with a fireplace and a wood-burning stove, today used as a study, a piano room and a dining room – which is furnished with a table designed with a hydraulic piston and an integrated aquarium, by the sculptor and designer Michael Prentice.
In addition, the wall, which runs parallel to the rue du Bel-Air, facing north, boasts an immense stained glass window designed by André Bloc using colourful pieces of glass set within concrete, according to a technique very much in vogue in the 1950s and 1960s, whereas the spiral staircase to the upstairs level is an iconic work from the 1960s and 70s designed by Roger Tallon.
As for the absence of any partitions on the garden level, this was part of the original blueprint and represents the very signature of a place designed for the work of an artist, while, later on, a partition was constructed in order to separate a room where the kitchen was added, the latter of which is located next to the garage.
The Bedroom Floor
Between the living room and dining room, the spiral staircase – added after the dwelling’s construction – ascends to the upstairs level reserved for the dwelling’s sleeping quarters. Bathed in plenty of sunlight, it was initially designed as the dwelling’s sole living space, while the primary bedroom, with its private patio, comes with its own bathroom. In addition, two more bedrooms face the garden, thanks to picture windows, and share a shower room with a bathtub and a washbasin designed by Andrée Putman (who received an award for design in 1993 from the Nouvel Economiste magazine), whereas a separate lavatory can also be found on this floor.
Applied Architectural Modernism
The Caretaker’s cottage is a testament to the early theoretical and experimental work of Claude Parent (before the formal conceptualisation of his oblique architecture) in collaboration with André Bloc, then 60 years old and recognised internationally (his periodical ‘Architecture d’aujourd’hui’ or ‘Today’s Architecture’, founded in 1930 and around which gravitated such prestigious names as Le Corbusier and Mallet-Stevens, was, for many decades, the soundbox for modern architecture).
On his property in Meudon, with both his caretaker’s cottage and main dwelling, he experimented with the idea that architecture must not be a simple and functional container to which one then adds decoration, and worked on finding, through his organically-shaped sculptures, the artistic freedom that he also championed in architecture. It is for all these reasons – architectural, artistic and historical – that the commonhold property (the caretaker’s cottage, Bloc’s dwelling, the grounds with his inhabitable sculptures and the enclosure wall) has been listed a national Historical Monument.
Our opinion
This edifice goes far beyond the simple idea of a dwelling. Above all it is a work of art, designed as such, but also a document: that of a crucial moment in the history of French architecture, where several figures tried to invent radically innovative forms and break with inherited conventions.
As for its protection in virtue of its national Historical Monument status, it validates its architectural importance, but it is specifically its artistic value that makes it so exceptional. Ideal for an architectural enthusiast, conscientious of its significance, who will undertake a meticulous restoration, focussed on its conservation, as well as an art collector, a 1950s connoisseur, a designer who would like a remarkable place to display their creations or an architect, this one-of-a-kind property is just waiting for someone to breathe new life back into this stunning and one-of-a-kind dwelling.
1 895 000 €
Fees at the Vendor’s expense
Reference 331264
| Number of rooms | 5 |
| Ceiling height | m |
| Number of bedrooms | 3 |
| Annual average amount of the proportionate share of expenses | 0 € |
French Energy Performance Diagnosis
Information on the risks to which this property is exposed is available on the website: www.georisques.gouv.fr
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NB: The above information is not only the result of our visit to the property; it is also based on information provided by the current owner. It is by no means comprehensive or strictly accurate especially where surface areas and construction dates are concerned. We cannot, therefore, be held liable for any misrepresentation.
