The Tropics

Jean Prouvé designed La Maison Tropicale with the Congo climate in mind. The Congo has a hot and humid climate, with little variation in temperature between the wet and dry seasons, and between day and night. Prouve specified every aspect of his design to suit these extreme conditions.

Satellite photo of the Congo rain forests. (Source)

The house is supported by fifteen stilts. This allows the house to be situated on most of the ground conditions present in the Congo, as well as take advantage of the higher air flow.

Stilts after refurbishment. (Source)

Stilts used in La Maison Tropicale were similar to those used in primitive huts in the area.

The windows, doors, and other openings also make the most of the wind. The windows are circular portholes consisting of a treated glass which protects from harmful UV rays. Certain portholes are operable, and are controlled by disks. However, most of the air movement comes from sliding door panels on the north and south sides. These doors, through their placements, limit the amount of sun that enters through their large openings while maximizing cross breezes. Additionally, surrounding the veranda is a set of louvers, which assist in controlling the sunlight while still allowing the much needed ventilation. Essentially, the house promotes free airflow.

Design of the roof was derived from indigenous techniques for shading.

Sliding door with porthole windows. (Source)

There are a few exceptions to this free ventilation aspect. Primarily, the washrooms were separated from the main interior spaces, with access only from the outside. This prevents the excessively moisture laden air from entering the already humid living space. The plan also maximizes on the outdoor living space with a two metre wide veranda surrounding the entire house. This is covered by a wide overhang which protects from the sun as well as rain, and prevents material decay. This overhang is part of a double roof system, which increases ventilation and allows for heat dissipation to the outside.

Jean Prouvé's ventilation system developed from indigenous techniques

The roof and walls are light coloured, to diffuse the glare of the sun and reflect the radiation. The walls also do not absorb moisture, and are resilient to fungus and mold growth. Many portions of the walls are sliding, which provides unobstructed air flow and releases any moisture back into the atmosphere. These walls are not for a thermal barrier, since the large roof overhang protects them, but are designed more for privacy and to reduce insect disturbances.

A view of both the interior and the surrounding veranda. (Source)

Since La Maison Tropicale was designed as a prototype for modular housing, the siting conditions and orientation are malleable. Its original placement was at the bottom of a short hill, overlooking the street. Two other residential buildings surrounded La Maison Tropicale, and the third side of the lot was forested. However, these conditions were not the main factors in designing for the climate. The shorter walls were designed to be on the east and west sides, to minimize the amount of sunlight hitting the building. The adjustable stilts allow for variations in the ground conditions, including swamps and hills. These stilts also lift the house high up into the breezier air, a technique already used by many natives to the Congo. Infact, many of the design principles that greatly assist in reducing the heat were very common in the Congo, but in a cruder style.


-Clara Walker

Information Citations:

Hamilton, William L. "From Africa to Queens Waterfront, A Modernist Gem For Sale to the Highest Bidder" (2007).
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/16/nyregion/16house.html (accessed January 5 2010).

King, Emily. "Grand Designs" (2007).
http://www.frieze.com/issue/article/grand_designs (accessed January 5 2010).

"Prouve House for Design Museum at Tate Modern" (2008).
www.tate.org.uk/about/pressoffice/pressreleases/2008/14056.htm (accessed January 5 2010).

Image Sources:

Huppatz, D.J. "Maison Tropicale Sliding Doors" (image). Available from: Critical Cities
http://djhuppatz.blogspot.com/2007_05_01_archive.html (accessed on January 5 2010).

"La Maison Tropical" (image). Available from: flickr.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/202/515386615_236489cbef.jpg (accessed on January 12 2010).

"La Maison Tropicale by Jean Prouve" (image). Available from: que-sited.
http://designknowledge.quesited.com/?m=200802 (accessed on January 5 2010).

National Geographic. "Last Place on Earth" (image). Available from: The Congo.
http://rainforests.mongabay.com/congo/forestry.html (accessed on January 5 2010).

Colonial Reign

The French Congo was the original French colony. In 1879 and 1880, French explorer Pierre de Savorgnan de Brazza established control north of the Congo River. Consequently, France claimed the region as a colony in 1891.

France's African colonies. (Source)

French colonial rule included exploitation of raw materials such as ivory, rubber, palm oil, cotton and timber, as well as exploitation of the Congolese people through forced labour. Between 1892 ad 1896, the Congolese led many revolts against the French in reaction to French policy of maltreating the local population. However, the French enacted the Code de L'indigenat Act to further control their colony. It introduced forced labour and prohibited the airing of grievances by the local population. French rule was cruel and resulted in many deaths. Between 1921 and 1934, a railway was constructed between Brazzaville and Pointe-Noire, and it is estimated that between 15,000 and 20,000 died.

French General Charles de Gaulle. (Source)

During World War II, French General de Gaulle played a significant role with regards to the involvement of France's African colonies. In August of 1940, he led troops that secured various areas of Africa including Chad, Cameroon and Middle Congo. Consequently, in October of 1940, de Gaulle set up a Conseil de Defense de l'Empire of which he was the ruler.

Between 1944 and 1946, de Gaulle served as the President of the Provisional Government of the French Republic. However, his influence on the administration of the colonies continued after his resignation. In 1947, de Gaulle ordered housing to be put in place for the generals involved in the colonization of Congo. Jean Prouve was commissioned to design and manufacture prototypes of the Maison Tropicales to be shipped to Africa.

Prouvé worked in metals and had affiliation with Aluminum Francais (AF), an aluminum manufacturing company based in France. Prouve allied with AF because of its ties to the French government and to have access to markets. However, this alliance was not always mutually beneficial. The design and manufacture of the Maison Tropicale, as well as other prefabricated housing projects, was altered to appease AF requirements.

France was committed to the assimilation of its colonies into the French culture, and this assimilation extended out to assimilating architecture and building techniques. Public buildings and white neighbourhoods openly displayed modern architecture and convenience in order to contrast existing indigenous architecture. Prefabricated housing was to be a visual example for the superiority of urban life and the French culture. For the capital development of colonial Africa to succeed and benefit the French, it was essential that colonists and Africans no longer used local and free building materials. In fact, planning bylaws instituted by the French government required that all building components used in their African colonies be of European manufacture. Despite Prouvé's intentions of merely building a house for the masses that was both climate responsive and portable, once erected, the Maison Tropicale supported the political agenda of the French government.

In 1960, the Republic of Congo became an independent state. Despite this autonomy, the Republic of Congo has had many civil wars and is continually in political turmoil.

-Stephanie Koltun

Information Citations:

Cahoon, Ben. "Congo" (2000).

http://www.worldstatesmen.org/Congo-Kinshasa.html

(accessed Janury 7 2010).

Guiler, Derek. "Democratic Republic of the Congo" (2002).

http://www.essortment.com/all/democraticrepub_raob.htm

(accessed January 7 2010).

"History of the Congo" (2009). Available from: Friends of the Congo.

http://www.friendsofthecongo.org/historyofcongo/index.php

(accessed January 7 2010).

Jezer, Marty. "A Brief History of Colonialism in Congo" (2001).

http://www.peace.ca/afcolonialismcongo.htm

(accessed January 7 2010).

"The Dark Continent: European Colonization of Africa" (2009).

http://njisworld.wordpress.com/mr-duells-articles/the-dark-continent-european-colonization-in-africa/

(accessed January 7 2010).

Image Sources:

"French Equatorial Africa" (image). Available from: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:French_Equatorial_Africa.PNG

(accessed January 2010).

"General Charles Andre Joseph Marie de Gaulle" (image). Available from: Maritime Quest.

http://www.maritimequest.com/warship_directory/france/aircraft_carriers/charles_de_gaulle_r91/fs_charles_de_gaulle_general_de_gaulle.htm

(accessed January 2010).