Relocatable masterpiece by Jean Prouvé, Croismare school, may become your possession
Jean Prouvé's Croismare Training School to be Showcased at 2025 TEFAF New York
Jean Prouvé, the self-taught architect known for his elegant and simple methods, designed and fabricated the Croismare Professional Training School for Glassmakers in 1947-1948. This significant building will be featured at the European Fine Art Foundation (TEFAF) art fair in New York, from 9-13 May 2025.
The Croismare school, located in France, was built to serve glassmaking apprentices, reflecting Prouvé’s commitment to combining functionality with innovative design in industrial contexts. It is recognized for its largest demountable structure, a testament to Prouvé's expertise in creating modular, prefabricated buildings that could be dismantled and relocated.
This approach was pioneering at the time, emphasizing efficient construction and adaptability to meet evolving educational and industrial needs. The school's display at TEFAF underscores the enduring value and influence of Prouvé’s work in design history, particularly in the context of innovative, practical structures intended for vocational training.
The Croismare school will be showcased at TEFAF New York with two yellow steel frames, resembling massive upside-down tuning forks, each standing 3m tall. These frames are a distinctive feature of the building, symbolizing Prouvé's unique architectural style.
Patrick Seguin, a design dealer who has championed Prouvé's legacy since the late 1980s, is featuring Croismare along with nine other Prouvé buildings at the TEFAF fair. Seguin bought Croismare from Jousse four years ago and has continued its meticulous restoration.
A new book titled "Jean Prouvé: From Furniture to Architecture, The Laurence and Patrick Seguin Collection" offers a look at how Seguin and his partner live with Prouvé's works. The book contains photos of their apartment in Paris and their home in the south of France.
For those interested in learning more about Jean Prouvé and his work, the article about the restoration and exhibition of Croismare at TEFAF New York is available in print from 3 April, on the website app on Apple iOS, and to subscribers of Apple News +. The video credit for Jean Prouvé, Croismare school, 1948 is given to Galerie Patrick Seguin and Réalisation Le visiomatique.
[1] Jean Prouvé, Croismare Professional Training School for Glassmakers, 1948, Galerie Patrick Seguin. [2] Jean Prouvé: From Furniture to Architecture, The Laurence and Patrick Seguin Collection, Editions Rizzoli, 2025.
The showcasing of Jean Prouvé's Croismare Professional Training School at the 2025 TEFAF New York art fair is an opportunity to appreciate his impact on lifestyle and home-and-garden design, as reflected in his innovative, modular buildings created for industrial and educational contexts. The book "Jean Prouvé: From Furniture to Architecture, The Laurence and Patrick Seguin Collection" provides insights into how one can incorporate Prouvé's designs into their home-and-garden lifestyle.
