André Bloc
Encyclopedia
André Bloc was a French
architect
, sculptor, editor, and founder of several specialist journals. He founded the "Groupe Espace" in 1949.
His work is related to that of architects Auguste Perret
, Henri Sauvage
, and Jourdain
.
, he moved to France in 1898. He studied engineering until 1920, then worked in motor and turbine factories.
In 1921 he met Le Corbusier
who became influential in his career. After this meeting, Bloc moved towards architecture.
In 1922 he became the general secretary of the journal Science et Industrie. One year later, in 1923, he became the general secretary of the journal "Revue de l'ingénieur".
In 1924 he founded the journal "Revue général du Caoutchouc". In 1930 he founded the renowned journal L'Architecture d'Aujourd'hui, magazine still publishes, which he would direct for years.
Starting in 1940, Bloc turned towards sculpture. He created his first large sculptures in Paris between 1949 and 1956. From 1949 on, he founded several journals, such as "Art d'Aujourd'hui."
In 1951, in company with several artists, Bloc formed the group Espace. Its goal was to bring the ideals of constructivism
and neo-plasticism to urbanism
and the social arena. Artists and urbanists such as Jean Dewasne, Etienne Bóthy, Jean Gorin, Félix Del Marle, Edgard Pillet, Victor Vasarely
and Nicolas Schöffer
were members of the group, which considered architecture, painting, sculpture and art in general as a social phenomenon.
In 1952 the project and construction of the Bellevue house at Meudon
was finished. From then until his death in 1966, Bloc worked primarily as a sculptor and decorator. In 1959 he participated at "documenta II" in Kassel
. Bloc completed several sculptures, including pieces in Tehran
, Nice
, Jacksonville, and Dakar
. His sculptures demonstrate an organic sculptural form somewhere between architecture and sculpture.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
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...
, sculptor, editor, and founder of several specialist journals. He founded the "Groupe Espace" in 1949.
His work is related to that of architects Auguste Perret
Auguste Perret
Auguste 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....
, Henri Sauvage
Henri Sauvage
Henri Sauvage was a French architectural designer.Sauvage was born in Rouen, France. After studying at the École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts in the atelier of Jean-Louis Pascal, he opened a wallpaper shop in Paris for which he got orders from Hector Guimard and Louis Majorelle, he then...
, and Jourdain
Jourdain
Jourdain is a surname.People with the surname Jourdain:* Francis Charles Robert Jourdain , British ornithologist and oologist* Francis Jourdain , painter...
.
Biography
Born in AlgeriaAlgeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
, he moved to France in 1898. He studied engineering until 1920, then worked in motor and turbine factories.
In 1921 he met 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...
who became influential in his career. After this meeting, Bloc moved towards architecture.
In 1922 he became the general secretary of the journal Science et Industrie. One year later, in 1923, he became the general secretary of the journal "Revue de l'ingénieur".
In 1924 he founded the journal "Revue général du Caoutchouc". In 1930 he founded the renowned journal L'Architecture d'Aujourd'hui, magazine still publishes, which he would direct for years.
Starting in 1940, Bloc turned towards sculpture. He created his first large sculptures in Paris between 1949 and 1956. From 1949 on, he founded several journals, such as "Art d'Aujourd'hui."
In 1951, in company with several artists, Bloc formed the group Espace. Its goal was to bring the ideals of 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...
and neo-plasticism to urbanism
Urbanism
Broadly, urbanism is a focus on cities and urban areas, their geography, economies, politics, social characteristics, as well as the effects on, and caused by, the built environment.-Philosophy:...
and the social arena. Artists and urbanists such as Jean Dewasne, Etienne Bóthy, Jean Gorin, Félix Del Marle, Edgard Pillet, Victor Vasarely
Victor Vasarely
Victor Vasarely was a Hungarian French artist whose work is generally seen aligned with Op-art.His work entitled Zebra, created by Vasarely in the 1930s, is considered by some to be one of the earliest examples of Op-art...
and Nicolas Schöffer
Nicolas Schoffer
Nicolas Schöffer was a Hungarian-born French artist. He can be considered as the father of cybernetic art. He was born in Kalocsa, Hungary and resided in Paris from 1936 till his death in his Montmartre atelier in 1992. His career touched on painting, kinetic sculpture, architecture, urbanism,...
were members of the group, which considered architecture, painting, sculpture and art in general as a social phenomenon.
In 1952 the project and construction of the Bellevue house at Meudon
Meudon
Meudon is a municipality in the southwestern suburbs of Paris, France. It is in the département of Hauts-de-Seine. It is located from the center of Paris.-Geography:...
was finished. From then until his death in 1966, Bloc worked primarily as a sculptor and decorator. In 1959 he participated at "documenta II" in Kassel
Kassel
Kassel is a town located on the Fulda River in northern Hesse, Germany. It is the administrative seat of the Kassel Regierungsbezirk and the Kreis of the same name and has approximately 195,000 inhabitants.- History :...
. Bloc completed several sculptures, including pieces in Tehran
Tehran
Tehran , sometimes spelled Teheran, is the capital of Iran and Tehran Province. With an estimated population of 8,429,807; it is also Iran's largest urban area and city, one of the largest cities in Western Asia, and is the world's 19th largest city.In the 20th century, Tehran was subject to...
, Nice
Nice
Nice is the fifth most populous city in France, after Paris, Marseille, Lyon and Toulouse, with a population of 348,721 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Nice extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of more than 955,000 on an area of...
, Jacksonville, and Dakar
Dakar
Dakar is the capital city and largest city of Senegal. It is located on the Cap-Vert Peninsula on the Atlantic coast and is the westernmost city on the African mainland...
. His sculptures demonstrate an organic sculptural form somewhere between architecture and sculpture.
Literary works
- L'Architecture d'aujourd'hui, 1930
- Aujourd'hui, 1955.