Jean Badovici
Encyclopedia
Jean Badovici was an Romania
n architect
and architecture critic
active in Paris
.
, Romania, Jean Badovici studied architecture in Paris after World War I
. Since 1923 he edited the important French magazine
for avantgarde architecture L'Architecture Vivante
. Furthermore he designed two buildings (residential houses for himself) in Vézelay
(1924) and in Paris near Pont de Sèvres (1934). In Roquebrune-Cap-Martin
he assisted Eileen Gray
- they were lovers until 1932 - in designing and constructing a home for them, one of the important buildings of the International style, E-1027
).
After World War II
Badovici was involved in reconstructing and saving the architectural heritage of France in a board called Bâtiments civils et palais nationaux et des monuments historiques. There he served as assistant to the chief architect Robert Édouard Camelot (1903–1992).
, Constructivism
, De Stijl
). Le Corbusier
- a friend of Badovici - for instance became one of the architects whose ideals were frequently discussed in this magazine. Badovici cultivated relations to European avantgarde magazines like Wendingen
(Netherlands
) and Cahiers d’Art (France, founded in 1926) of his friend Christian Zervos
.
Regularly each issue of L’Architecture Vivante presented a number of architects and their works but there were also some very few dealing with just one artist (Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeanneret
and in 1929 Eileen Gray
and her home E-1027).
In Europe (excerpts):
The complete edition:
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
n architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
and architecture critic
Critic
A critic is anyone who expresses a value judgement. Informally, criticism is a common aspect of all human expression and need not necessarily imply skilled or accurate expressions of judgement. Critical judgements, good or bad, may be positive , negative , or balanced...
active in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
.
Biography
Born in BucharestBucharest
Bucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River....
, Romania, Jean Badovici studied architecture in Paris after World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. Since 1923 he edited the important French magazine
Magazine
Magazines, periodicals, glossies or serials are publications, generally published on a regular schedule, containing a variety of articles. They are generally financed by advertising, by a purchase price, by pre-paid magazine subscriptions, or all three...
for avantgarde architecture L'Architecture Vivante
L'architecture Vivante
L'Architecture Vivante was a French magazine for avantgarde architecture published from 1923 - 1932.- L’Architecture Vivante :Jean Badovici edited this magazine for avantgarde architecture between 1923 and 1932...
. Furthermore he designed two buildings (residential houses for himself) in Vézelay
Vézelay
Vézelay is a commune in the Yonne department in Burgundy in north-central France. It is a defendable hill town famous for Vézelay Abbey. The town and the Basilica of St Magdelene are designated UNESCO World Heritage sites....
(1924) and in Paris near Pont de Sèvres (1934). In Roquebrune-Cap-Martin
Roquebrune-Cap-Martin
Roquebrune-Cap-Martin is a commune in the Alpes-Maritimes department in southeastern France between Monaco and Menton. The name was changed from Roquebrune to differentiate the town from Roquebrune-sur-Argens in the neighboring Var Department.-History:In pre-Roman times the area was settled by the...
he assisted Eileen Gray
Eileen Gray
Kathleen Eileen Moray Gray was an Irish furniture designer and architect and a pioneer of the Modern Movement in architecture.- Biography :...
- they were lovers until 1932 - in designing and constructing a home for them, one of the important buildings of the International style, E-1027
E-1027
In 1924 Eileen Gray and Jean Badovici began work on their vacation house, E-1027 in Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, Alpes-Maritimes, in southern France . L-shaped and flat-roofed with floor-to-ceiling windows and a spiral stairway to the guest room, E-1027 was both open and compact...
).
After World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
Badovici was involved in reconstructing and saving the architectural heritage of France in a board called Bâtiments civils et palais nationaux et des monuments historiques. There he served as assistant to the chief architect Robert Édouard Camelot (1903–1992).
L’Architecture Vivante
Jean Badovici gained reputation not for constructing buildings but for analyzing and supporting avantgarde architecture. He was an influential critic and mentor of international modern architecture in France since he began editing the magazine L’Architecture Vivante in 1923. He convinced the publisher Albert Morancé of the importance for such an avantgarde magazine which ran from 1923 till 1933. L’Architecture Vivante became immediately an influential mouthpiece of the International style (BauhausBauhaus
', commonly known simply as Bauhaus, was a school in Germany that combined crafts and the fine arts, and was famous for the approach to design that it publicized and taught. It operated from 1919 to 1933. At that time the German term stood for "School of Building".The Bauhaus school was founded by...
, Constructivism
Constructivism (art)
Constructivism was an artistic and architectural philosophy that originated in Russia beginning in 1919, which was a rejection of the idea of autonomous art. The movement was in favour of art as a practice for social purposes. Constructivism had a great effect on modern art movements of the 20th...
, De Stijl
De Stijl
De Stijl , propagating the group's theories. Next to van Doesburg, the group's principal members were the painters Piet Mondrian , Vilmos Huszár , and Bart van der Leck , and the architects Gerrit Rietveld , Robert van 't Hoff , and J.J.P. Oud...
). Le Corbusier
Le Corbusier
Charles-Édouard Jeanneret, better known as Le Corbusier , was a Swiss-born French architect, designer, urbanist, writer and painter, famous for being one of the pioneers of what now is called modern architecture. He was born in Switzerland and became a French citizen in 1930...
- a friend of Badovici - for instance became one of the architects whose ideals were frequently discussed in this magazine. Badovici cultivated relations to European avantgarde magazines like Wendingen
Wendingen
Wendingen was an art magazine that appeared from 1918 to 1932. It was a monthly publication aimed at architects and interior designers. The booklet was published by Amsterdam publisher Hooge Brug and it was a mouthpiece for the architect association Architectura et Amicitia. . The chief editor was...
(Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
) and Cahiers d’Art (France, founded in 1926) of his friend Christian Zervos
Christian Zervos
Christian Zervos . French art collector, writer and publisher.Better known as a publisher of books than as an art critic in his own right, Zervos founded the magazine Cahiers d'art in Paris, and ran an art gallery.He was a connoisseur of modern painting in his time, and of Greek art and...
.
Regularly each issue of L’Architecture Vivante presented a number of architects and their works but there were also some very few dealing with just one artist (Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeanneret
Pierre Jeanneret
Pierre Jeanneret was a Swiss architect who collaborated with his more famous brother Charles Edouard Jeanneret for about twenty years....
and in 1929 Eileen Gray
Eileen Gray
Kathleen Eileen Moray Gray was an Irish furniture designer and architect and a pioneer of the Modern Movement in architecture.- Biography :...
and her home E-1027).
Personal Life
He lived with Eileen Gray, who was openly lesbian, in E 1027. Le Corbusier vandalized the wall by his drawing Three Women depicting Eileen and Jean together, even though he was "granted full authorization". He didn't think of it as "an invasion, but as a gift". (From "Battle Lines"- Beatriz Colomina)L’Architecture Vivante in libraries
In the United States (excerpts):- New York Public Library (each of the issues from 1923 - 1933 seems to be available)
- Library of Congress (some issues available and complete reprint edition (New York, 1975) available)
- Chicago Public Library (complete reprint edition (New York, 1975) available)
- San Francisco Public Library (complete reprint edition (New York, 1975) available)
In Europe (excerpts):
- Courtauld Institute, London (complete reprint edition (New York, 1975) available)
- Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, München (roundabout 9 issues)
- Bibliothèque nationale de France, Paris (some issues)
- Zentralinstitut für Kunstgeschichte, München (complete edition available)
Reeditions L’Architecture Vivante
The issue concerning Eileen Gray / E.1027:- Eileen Gray, Jean Badovici: E. 1027: Maison en bord de mer. In L’Architecture Vivante. Reedition Éd. Imbernon, Marseille 2006, ISBN 2-9516396-5-1.
The complete edition:
- L'Architecture vivante, Da Capo Press, New York, c 1975