François Spoerry
Encyclopedia
After the war ended, he opened his first architectural firm in Mulhouse where he associated with a significant number of reconstruction projects. In Mulhouse, he was the planner of the new town centre. He also built in Mulhouse the Tour of Europe, the largest structure in contemporary France whose top floor was a revolving restaurant. He also built several residential structures, including Wilson Tower (highest building in the city after the Tour of Europe), the Residence Clemenceau. Residence Pierrefontaine, and others. What is most significance about the work of Spoerry is that he broke with the first principles of Planning CIAM
while rediscovering the principles of a dense urbanism. He built and developed several mixed-use, neo-traditional, developments in Europe and North America.
He is associated with the European Urban Renaissance
movement. He was an advocate of "vernacular architecture
". Spoerry is the author of A gentle architecture, from Port-Grimaud to Port-Liberté, published in 1991.
Spoerry's major works in France included:
Outside of France, his major works were:
His father-in-law, Antonin Besse
, was a wealthy merchant with businesses in Aden
and Beirut
. Also a philanthropist, Antonin founded St Antony's College, Oxford
, and saved Gordonstoun
in Moray
, Scotland
from closure.
Spoerry was an avid sailor. He died at his home in Port Grimaud in 1999 and is buried at the church in Grimaud.
Congrès International d'Architecture Moderne
The Congrès internationaux d'architecture moderne – CIAM was an organization founded in 1928 and disbanded in 1959, responsible for a series of events and congresses arranged around the world by the most prominent architects of the time, with the objective of spreading the principles of the Modern...
while rediscovering the principles of a dense urbanism. He built and developed several mixed-use, neo-traditional, developments in Europe and North America.
He is associated with the European Urban Renaissance
European Urban Renaissance
The European Urban Renaissance is an architectural movement aiming at developing the European cities according to the principles of the Traditional City and the New Urbanism.-Typology of intervention:...
movement. He was an advocate of "vernacular architecture
Vernacular architecture
Vernacular architecture is a term used to categorize methods of construction which use locally available resources and traditions to address local needs and circumstances. Vernacular architecture tends to evolve over time to reflect the environmental, cultural and historical context in which it...
". Spoerry is the author of A gentle architecture, from Port-Grimaud to Port-Liberté, published in 1991.
Spoerry's major works in France included:
- lakeside city of Grimaud in Var
- district of Cergy-PontoiseCergy-PontoiseCergy-Pontoise is a new town in France, in the Val d'Oise département, northwest of Paris on the Oise River. It owes its name to two of the communes that it covers, Cergy and Pontoise....
- development of the Tour Perret in AmiensAmiensAmiens is a city and commune in northern France, north of Paris and south-west of Lille. It is the capital of the Somme department in Picardy...
, built by Auguste PerretAuguste PerretAuguste Perret was a French architect and a world leader and specialist in reinforced concrete construction. In 2005 his post-WWII reconstruction of Le Havre was declared by UNESCO one of the World Heritage Sites....
, in - Tour de l'Europe, in Mulhouse
- center of the city of Le Plessis-RobinsonLe Plessis-RobinsonLe Plessis-Robinson is a commune in the southwestern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris.-History:Plessis was first mentioned in 839 located next to Châtenay .Plessiacus became Plessis-Raoul in 1250....
Outside of France, his major works were:
- Puerto Escondido, Baja California SurPuerto Escondido, Baja California SurPuerto Escondido is small coastal town in the Mexican state of Baja California Sur. It is located at 28 km south of Loreto, on Federal Highway 1, overlooking Isla el Carmen in the Gulf of California...
, Mexico - neighborhood of Port Liberté, Jersey CityPort Liberté, Jersey CityPort Liberté is a section of Jersey City located on Caven Point that used to be one of last natural sand beaches on the Upper New York Bay. The community is a European style village located along the western side of Upper New York Bay. The community has canals, gardens, playgrounds, and even a...
, New JerseyNew JerseyNew Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware... - district of Porto CervoPorto CervoPorto Cervo is an Italian seaside resort in northern Sardinia. It is a frazione of the comune of Arzachena, in the province of Olbia-Tempio. The village is the main centre of the Costa Smeralda, on the gulf of the same name. It was created by Prince Karim Aga Khan...
in SardiniaSardiniaSardinia is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea . It is an autonomous region of Italy, and the nearest land masses are the French island of Corsica, the Italian Peninsula, Sicily, Tunisia and the Spanish Balearic Islands.The name Sardinia is from the pre-Roman noun *sard[],... - district of Port Louis in LouisianaLouisianaLouisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
- village of BendinatBendinatBendinat is a seaside village in the municipality of Calvià on the west coast of the island of Majorca, part of the Spanish autonomous community of the Balearic Islands. It is located at the foot of the Serra de Na Burguesa. Much of Bendinat is a residential area, and it is situated next to the...
in Majorca, Spain - Saifi VillageSaifi VillageSaifi Village, commonly referred to as Le Quartier des Arts, is a residential upscale neighbourhood in Beirut, Lebanon. Saifi Village is located at the southeastern periphery of Centre Ville...
, BeirutBeirutBeirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, with a population ranging from 1 million to more than 2 million . Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coastline, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport, and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan...
Personal life
On 27 October 1945, Spoerry married Joy Pierrette Besse (1923-1952). Spoerry and his wife had two sons, Yves and Bernard.His father-in-law, Antonin Besse
Antonin Besse
Antonin Besse of Aden, a merchant of French descent. St Antony's College, Oxford was established in 1950 as a result of his gift.-Early life:...
, was a wealthy merchant with businesses in Aden
Aden
Aden is a seaport city in Yemen, located by the eastern approach to the Red Sea , some 170 kilometres east of Bab-el-Mandeb. Its population is approximately 800,000. Aden's ancient, natural harbour lies in the crater of an extinct volcano which now forms a peninsula, joined to the mainland by a...
and Beirut
Beirut
Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, with a population ranging from 1 million to more than 2 million . Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coastline, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport, and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan...
. Also a philanthropist, Antonin founded St Antony's College, Oxford
St Antony's College, Oxford
St Antony's College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England.St Antony's is the most international of the seven all-graduate colleges of the University of Oxford, specialising in international relations, economics, politics, and history of particular parts of the...
, and saved Gordonstoun
Gordonstoun
Gordonstoun School is a co-educational independent school for boarding and day pupils in Moray in North East Scotland. Named after the estate originally owned by Sir Robert Gordon in the 1600s, the school now uses this estate as its campus...
in Moray
Moray
Moray is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland. It lies in the north-east of the country, with coastline on the Moray Firth, and borders the council areas of Aberdeenshire and Highland.- History :...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
from closure.
Spoerry was an avid sailor. He died at his home in Port Grimaud in 1999 and is buried at the church in Grimaud.