By training a furniture designer, Pierre Chareau designed a house as machine for his clients, Dr. and Mme Dalsace. The Maison de Verre functions and operates, with both hidden and visible gears and mechanical elements that show the human presence. Light is vital to the house’s design. During the day, light permeates the translucent rear and front facades. At night, exterior lights shine on the house to mimic daylight and to turn the interiors of the facades into glowing, moving screens akin to movie screens. The translucency of the glass keeps the inhabitant in a state of piqued but not satisfied curiosity, where shadows indicate activity outside but the lack of transparent moments prevents looking to see what caused those shadows.

As well as to shape light, Chareau uses mechanics to separate the public space of the doctor’s office, the semi-public space of the entertaining area, and the private spaces of the family’s quarters. A staircase is hidden by mimicing a sculptural ele-ment.

ReferencesKenneth Frampton, “Maison de Verre,” Perspecta v. 12 (1969), 80.Richard Copans and Stan Neumann, directors, La Maison de Verre, http://vimeo.com/11636468 (accessed January 25, 2013).Michelle Young, “The Maison de Verre (House of Glass),” Untapped Paris: Rediscover your city,” http://untappedcities.com/par-is/2010/07/28/the-maison-de-verre-house-of-glass/ (accessed January 27, 2013).

La Maison de Verre | Pierre Chareau

Emily Boone