Timber in the buildings of Jean Prouve: an industrial material

Jean Prouve (1901-84), famous for his innovations in the use of metal in construction, was also interested in timber. He used the material in its industrial-transformed form, such as prefabricated cross-laminated timber panels or plywood panels. His work with timber began during the Second World War because of the shortage of steel, and then continued throughout his later work, in two main forms: the modular prefabricated panels of facades and the roof slabs in panels of cross-laminated timber This work with timber is different from the usual practice of French architects because it implements methods and objectives used in industrialised construction. His experiments on industrialised building construction have to be compared with those of his contemporary Konrad Wachsmann (1901-80) who was conducting similar experiments during the same period. They both explored modern forms of the material, albeit from different starting points. The diachronic analysis of several buildings highlights the constancy with which he pursued the experimental development of these construction devices, by successive improvements through industrial innovations in projects which were proposed to him. This observation reveals that his technical inventiveness allowed him to introduce industrially-produced timber elements as innovations in modern construction. Thus, timber is never used by itself but compositely with other materials using its physical and mechanical properties to achieve an enhanced combined performance. The use of timber in manufactured construction products, such as large flexible cross-laminated timber panels, allowed Prouve to develop new relationships between form and structure, giving a new aspect to the material and producing an original aesthetic. One can see the work of Jean Prouve as a form of 'experimental development' in architecture, in response to the programmatic requirements of his time, vital for innovation and renewal of construction knowledge.