Vernacular Architecture of Provence · 2019. 6. 13. · Vernacular Architecture of Provence...
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Vernacular Architecture of Provence Provence’s local architectural typologies were greatly influenced by political and geographic phenomena that are unique to the area and its history. This study seeks to identify those phenomena and explain their effect on the region’s buildings. Urban Forms Rural Residences Strategically built to defend themselves from the political turmoil of the Middle Ages following the fall of the Western Rome in 476 C.E., Provençal villages are wrapped in a wall of thick ramparts with a central defensive keep located at the heart of the town (Williams, 20). As these towns advanced through the ages, the keep became either a central castle or cathedral depending on their affiliation during the 14th Century’s French Wars of Religion (Guichard, 6-13). These hectic periods produced surprisingly charming towns, composed of winding cobblestone streets, steps, alleys, and archways that conformed organi- cally to the regional topography (Williams, 20). Les Villages Perchés Settled on top of the Luberon foothills, the perched villages were built to monitor and defend their residents against attacks from the valley below (Lavedan, 170). At the peak of the town would be a castle or a cathedral with the rest of the town cascading down the mountain (Lavedan, 170). These towns would have large stone walls called ramparts built to defend their perimeter (Marchand,39). Les Villages des Pleins Valley villages are circular in form and usually have multiple sets of ramparts for defense since they do not have the same strategic advantages as perched villages (Marchand, 39). Valley villages are also much younger - their origins usually date back to the 16th century- because only in recent centuries has there been enough peace to form communes in low-lying areas (Freigang, 182). Laid-out like a stone ship, the citadel begins with the church and old cemetery at its stern and ends with a pointed garden at its bow (Marchand, 39). These towns are built upon impressive escarpments (long cliffs or very steep hillsides) and usually incorporate thick retaining walls into their ramparts (Marchand, 39). Les Citadelles (Cliff Villages) Les Bories Bories are neolithic dwellings -some dating back to 2,000 B.C.E.- that consist of stone vaults constructed out of rubble slate and limestone without any mortar (Williams, 169). They were built until the beginning of the 20th century, but most of the surviving examples date back to the 17th and 19th centuries, during a period of fervent agricultural development (Marchand, 40). Bories use a particular method of building by stacking successive corbellings of limestone, making it possible to create vaulted ceilings without scaffolding or external buttresses (Marchand 40). Bories have multiple shapes and uses. For example, one can find houses, stables, sheepfolds, barns, grain lofts, silkworm factories, bakehouses, vat houses, tanning mills, henhouses, pigsties, and goat shelters built in this fashion (Barnicaud, 140-1). Le Borie en Gradin Also known as the pyramidal borie, this typology usually consists of a square base with multiple sets of steps to form the roof of the structure (Marchand, 41). It usually has a circular, bowl-shaped top. These can also be elongated to form the Borie en Gouttiére (The tube-shaped Borie) (Marchand, 41). Le Borie en Rouche Similar in shape to a bee- hive, this typology rests on a circular base, which slowly tapers into a cone-shaped top (Marchand, 41). These are the most common forms found in the Provençal countryside, and larger ones could be used as residences (Marchand, 41). The composite borie combines the various typologies presented above to compose a multicellular space with a complex plan (Marchand, 41). These bories were most commonly used as larger houses and did not serve an agricultural purpose (Marchand, 41). Le Borie Composite Residences in the rural portions of Provence and the Côte d’Azur are highly influenced by both the typical weather conditions and the region’s Roman past. Great efforts were taken to protect their residences from the Mistral winds -a type of Mediterranean monsoon that produces cold winds that can reach up to 115 miles / hour- and the region’s typically arid and hot climate (Marchand, 47). Hence, Provençal dwellings usually have thick limestone walls, small windows, and reinforced doors and shutters (Williams 22). Most buildings face the southwest to minimize the physical impact of the Mistral winds and maximize their potential to receive year-round daylight (Marchand 47). Additionally, several countryside homes were influenced by the design of Roman villas (Marchand, 46). Le Cabanon The French word for cottage, the cabanons are smaller, temporary structures used by farmers to store agricultural equipment or house livestock. These can range in size from tiny 4x4m huts to multi-story dwellings (Marchand, 46). Many mas farmhouses are the result of cabanons that have grown after centuries of additions (Marchand 46). Le Mas Fermé This type of farmhouse has existed since the 16th century, and several are built over the ruins of ancient Roman villas (Marchand, 46). Hence, these houses take on the traditionally Roman square- shaped or L-shaped floor-plans (Marchand, 46). These houses are usually enclosed with large stone walls to protect the structure from the wind, creating an isolated interior climate that is comfortable year-round (Marchand 46-7). A rural castle of sorts, the bastide is a large country house built between the 17th and 18th centuries in Provence for nobility to use as a rural estate (Marchand, 47; Barnicaud, 137). These can house multiple generations of a single family, and, in some cases, can be as large as a small town (Marchand 47). They are usually accompanied by a stable and walled gardens (Marchand 47). Le Bastide Other Typologies Le Moulin À Vent Provençal windmills had their golden age during an agricultural boom in the 17th & 18th centuries (Marchand, 45). They are usually built at the edge of a village on a windy crest and are integrated the keeper’s house (Marchand, 45). Its central masonry pivot made it possible to save large pieces of wood, a rare material in the region (Marchand, 45). Le Pigeonnier Pigeons, raised by the Provençal for their meat, eggs, fertilizer, and couriership, were kept in dovecots called pigeonniers (Marchand 47). These structures would have small holes inside for the pigeons to nest and a ladder to allow the keeper to clean them out (Marchand 47). The walls would be covered with glazed earthenware and are quite decorative (Marchand 47). Le Lavier Laviers are reservoirs used by the villagers to clean themselves and their possessions and gather potable water (Marchand 48). Two pools, one for washing and one for rinsing, as well as a fountain were located at the bottom of a perched village, usually where a stream or spring was located (Marchand 48). A shed roof would be built over the lavier to protect it from the elements, and a wooden bar would be installed nearby to dry wet clothes (Marchand 48). • Barnicaud, Sabine, Philippe Blanchet, Sylvestre Clap, Evelyne Cregut-Bonnoure, Rene Grosso, Celine Magrini, Claude Mauron, and Pierre Moulet. Vaucluse. Paris: Christine Bonneton Éditeur, 1995. Pages 132-141. • Lavedan, Pierre. French Architecture. London: Scolar Press, 1979. Pages 169-171. • Freigang, Christian. Provence: Art, Architecture, Landscape. Cologne, Germany: Könemann Verlagsgesellschaft mbH, 1999. Pages, 164-5, 178, 182. • Guichard, Celeste Lovette. Lacoste Guidebook Manuscript. Savannah, Georgia: Savannah College of Art and Design, n.d. . Pages 6-13. • Marchand, Pierre. Parc Naturel Régional du Luberon. Paris: Guides Gallimard, 1996. Pages 39-49. • Williams, Roger. DK Eyewitness Travel: Provence & The Côte d’Azur. London: Dorling Kindersley Limited, 1995. Pages 20-23, 169. Works Cited Hew Evans ARTH 240-01 Treasures of Provence Professor Turner Lacoste (2019) Digital Photograph Work by Author Le Cabanon (2019) Digital Photograph Photo by Author Maison Basse (2019) Digital Photograph Photo by Author Le Lavier (2019) Digital Photograph Photo by Author Lacoste (2019) Digital Photograph Work by Author Menerbes (n.d.) Digital Photograph Ashley Cooper, Untitled (Getty Images, n.d.) https://tinyurl.com/ yya9of95 Le Borie en Gradin (2009) Digital Photograph HPS68, Borie des Claparèdes à Sivergues (Wikimedia Commons, 16 August 2009) https://tinyurl.com/y6xx8sn8 Le Borie en Rouche (2019) Digital Photograph Philippe Clin, Borie de là Region de Bonnieux en Luberon (Luberon News, 2019) https://tinyurl.com/y3mljvub Le Borie Composite (2012) Digital Photograph Medieval Village of Bories in Southern France (Sablet Homes, May 2012) https://tinyurl.com/ y3qd5kbr Le Bastide de Gordes (2019) Digital Photograph Facade (Gordes Bastide, February 2019) https://tinyurl.com/ y567tr5q Le Moulin À Vent (n.d.) Digital Photograph Tanino, Provence Windmills (Pexels, n.d.) https://tinyurl. com/y3he2jxz Le Pigeonnier (2019) Digital Photograph The Dovecote (Château des Baux Provence, 2019) https:// tinyurl.com/yyjwyhw3
Transcript of Vernacular Architecture of Provence · 2019. 6. 13. · Vernacular Architecture of Provence...
Vernacular Architecture of ProvenceProvence’s local architectural typologies were greatly influenced by political and geographic phenomena that are unique to the
area and its history. This study seeks to identify those phenomena and explain their effect on the region’s buildings.
UrbanForms
RuralResidences
Strategically built to defend themselves from the political turmoil of the Middle Ages following the fall of the Western Rome in 476 C.E., Provençal villages are wrapped in a wall of thick ramparts with a central defensive keep located at the heart of the town (Williams, 20). As these towns advanced through the ages, the keep became either a central castle or cathedral depending on their affiliation during the 14th Century’s French Wars of Religion (Guichard, 6-13). These hectic periods produced surprisingly charming towns, composed of winding cobblestone streets, steps, alleys, and archways that conformed organi-
cally to the regional topography (Williams, 20).
Les Villages PerchésSettled on top of the Luberon foothills, the perched villages
were built to monitor and defend their residents against attacks from the valley below (Lavedan, 170). At the peak
of the town would be a castle or a cathedral with the rest
of the town cascading down the mountain (Lavedan, 170). These towns would
have large stone walls called ramparts built to defend their
perimeter (Marchand,39).
Les Villages des PleinsValley villages are circular in
form and usually have multiple sets of ramparts for defense since they do not have the
same strategic advantages as perched villages (Marchand, 39). Valley villages are also
much younger - their origins usually date back to the 16th
century- because only in recent centuries has there
been enough peace to form communes in low-lying areas
(Freigang, 182).
Laid-out like a stone ship, the citadel begins with the church
and old cemetery at its stern and ends with a pointed garden at its bow (Marchand, 39). These
towns are built upon impressive escarpments (long cliffs or
very steep hillsides) and usually incorporate thick retaining walls into their ramparts (Marchand,
39).
Les Citadelles (Cliff Villages)
LesBories
Bories are neolithic dwellings -some dating back to 2,000 B.C.E.- that consist of stone vaults constructed out of rubble slate and limestone without any mortar (Williams, 169). They were built until the beginning of the 20th century, but most of the surviving examples date back to the 17th and 19th centuries,
during a period of fervent agricultural development (Marchand, 40). Bories use a particular method of building by stacking successive corbellings of limestone, making it possible to create vaulted ceilings without scaffolding or external buttresses (Marchand 40). Bories have multiple shapes and uses. For example, one can find houses, stables, sheepfolds, barns, grain lofts, silkworm factories, bakehouses, vat houses, tanning mills, henhouses, pigsties, and goat
shelters built in this fashion (Barnicaud, 140-1).
Le Borie en GradinAlso known as the pyramidal borie, this typology usually consists of a square base
with multiple sets of steps to form the roof of the structure (Marchand, 41). It usually has a circular, bowl-shaped top. These can also be elongated
to form the Borie en Gouttiére (The tube-shaped
Borie) (Marchand, 41).
Le Borie en RoucheSimilar in shape to a bee-
hive, this typology rests on a circular base, which slowly
tapers into a cone-shaped top (Marchand, 41). These are the most common forms found in the Provençal countryside, and larger ones could be used as residences (Marchand, 41).
The composite borie combines the various typologies presented above to compose a multicellular
space with a complex plan (Marchand, 41). These bories were
most commonly used as larger houses and did not serve an
agricultural purpose (Marchand, 41).
Le Borie Composite
Residences in the rural portions of Provence and the Côte d’Azur are highly influenced by both the typical weather conditions and the region’s Roman past. Great efforts were taken to protect their residences from the Mistral winds -a type of Mediterranean monsoon that produces cold winds that can reach up to 115 miles / hour- and the region’s typically arid and hot climate (Marchand, 47). Hence, Provençal dwellings usually have thick limestone walls, small windows, and reinforced doors and shutters (Williams 22). Most buildings face the southwest to minimize the
physical impact of the Mistral winds and maximize their potential to receive year-round daylight (Marchand 47). Additionally, several countryside homes were influenced by the design of Roman villas (Marchand, 46).
Le CabanonThe French word for cottage,
the cabanons are smaller, temporary structures used by farmers to store agricultural
equipment or house livestock. These can range in size from tiny 4x4m huts to multi-story
dwellings (Marchand, 46). Many mas farmhouses are the result of cabanons that
have grown after centuries of additions (Marchand 46).
Le Mas FerméThis type of farmhouse has
existed since the 16th century, and several are built over
the ruins of ancient Roman villas (Marchand, 46). Hence,
these houses take on the traditionally Roman square-
shaped or L-shaped floor-plans (Marchand, 46). These houses
are usually enclosed with large stone walls to protect the structure from the wind, creating an isolated interior climate that is comfortable
year-round (Marchand 46-7).
A rural castle of sorts, the bastide is a large country house built between the 17th and 18th
centuries in Provence for nobility to use as a rural estate (Marchand,
47; Barnicaud, 137). These can house multiple generations of a single family, and, in some cases, can be as large as a small town (Marchand 47). They are usually
accompanied by a stable and walled gardens (Marchand 47).
Le Bastide
Other TypologiesLe Moulin À Vent
Provençal windmills had their golden age during an agricultural boom in the 17th & 18th centuries (Marchand, 45). They are
usually built at the edge of a village on a windy crest and are integrated the keeper’s house (Marchand, 45). Its
central masonry pivot made it possible to save large pieces
of wood, a rare material in the region (Marchand, 45).
Le PigeonnierPigeons, raised by the
Provençal for their meat, eggs, fertilizer, and couriership,
were kept in dovecots called pigeonniers (Marchand 47). These structures would have
small holes inside for the pigeons to nest and a ladder to allow the keeper to clean them out (Marchand 47). The walls would be covered with glazed
earthenware and are quite decorative (Marchand 47).
Le LavierLaviers are reservoirs used by
the villagers to clean themselves and their possessions and gather
potable water (Marchand 48). Two pools, one for washing
and one for rinsing, as well as a fountain were located at the bottom of a perched village,
usually where a stream or spring was located (Marchand 48). A shed roof would be built over
the lavier to protect it from the elements, and a wooden bar
would be installed nearby to dry wet clothes (Marchand 48).
• Barnicaud, Sabine, Philippe Blanchet, Sylvestre Clap, Evelyne Cregut-Bonnoure, Rene Grosso, Celine Magrini, Claude Mauron, and Pierre Moulet. Vaucluse. Paris: Christine Bonneton Éditeur, 1995. Pages 132-141.
• Lavedan, Pierre. French Architecture. London: Scolar Press, 1979. Pages 169-171.• Freigang, Christian. Provence: Art, Architecture, Landscape. Cologne, Germany: Könemann Verlagsgesellschaft mbH, 1999. Pages,
164-5, 178, 182.• Guichard, Celeste Lovette. Lacoste Guidebook Manuscript. Savannah, Georgia: Savannah College of Art and Design, n.d. . Pages
6-13.• Marchand, Pierre. Parc Naturel Régional du Luberon. Paris: Guides Gallimard, 1996. Pages 39-49.• Williams, Roger. DK Eyewitness Travel: Provence & The Côte d’Azur. London: Dorling Kindersley Limited, 1995. Pages 20-23, 169.
WorksCited
Hew Evans
ARTH 240-01
Treasures of Provence
Professor Turner
Lacoste (2019)Digital PhotographWork by Author
Le Cabanon (2019)Digital PhotographPhoto by Author
Maison Basse (2019)Digital PhotographPhoto by Author
Le Lavier (2019)Digital PhotographPhoto by Author
Lacoste (2019)Digital PhotographWork by Author
Menerbes (n.d.)Digital PhotographAshley Cooper, Untitled (Getty Images, n.d.) https://tinyurl.com/yya9of95
Le Borie en Gradin (2009)Digital PhotographHPS68, Borie des Claparèdes à Sivergues (Wikimedia Commons, 16 August 2009) https://tinyurl.com/y6xx8sn8
Le Borie en Rouche (2019)Digital PhotographPhilippe Clin, Borie de là Region de Bonnieux en Luberon (Luberon News, 2019) https://tinyurl.com/y3mljvub
Le Borie Composite (2012)Digital PhotographMedieval Village of Bories in Southern France (Sablet Homes, May 2012) https://tinyurl.com/y3qd5kbr
Le Bastide de Gordes (2019)Digital PhotographFacade (Gordes Bastide, February 2019) https://tinyurl.com/y567tr5q
Le Moulin À Vent (n.d.)Digital PhotographTanino, Provence Windmills (Pexels, n.d.) https://tinyurl.com/y3he2jxz
Le Pigeonnier (2019)Digital PhotographThe Dovecote (Château des Baux Provence, 2019) https://tinyurl.com/yyjwyhw3
