Maison du Peuple
Architect
Marcel Lods and Eugène Beaudouin
Developer
Ville de Clichy
Engineer
Jean Prouvé and
Vladimir Bodiansky
The Maison du Peuple is a building constructed in 1938 in Clichy by Marcel Lods, Eugène Beaudouin, Jean Prouvé, and Vladimir Bodiansky. It was the first prefabricated building with a curtain wall and metal frame to be built in France.
Postal card showing the Maison du Peuple in its early years source
Same viewpoint of the building today source
The achitects and engineers envisaged a maximum use of the space. The building includes a market on the ground floor and on the upper floor. However, the upper floor can be converted into offices and a multi-purpose hall with a capacity of 1,000 seats, or into a cinema. The building is entirely modular, with demountable and retractable partitioning components. Moreover, it has a movable glass roof (open or closed attic).
The Maison du Peuple having its roof open source
© Photoy by Ville de Clichy
The roof of the Maison du Peuple source
© Photoy by Patrick Charpiat
This project (from 1938) shows that a transformable, multifunctional building is not a new invention. Having flexibility and modularity at the heart of its design, and by using light metal construction techniques, the Maison du Peuple allows to house an innovative programme and adapt to the needs of its "people".
