Architectes et plasticiens dans la conception et la réalisation du campus de la faculté des Lettres et Sciences humaines de Montpellier

Abstract

The campus of the Faculty of Letters and Humanities at today’s Paul-Valéry University-Montpellier III is the most successful creation amongst the Montpellier university buildings constructed during the 1960s. The campus originally included the Faculty of Science designed by René Egger, the celebrated architect from Marseille. He worked there together with the project architects Jean-Claude Deshons and Philippe Jaulmes, from Montpellier. For the Faculty of Letters and Humanities, these last two architects evolved towards more aesthetic solutions integrating artistic creation (the artistic 1 %), associating architects and artists. Previously, Egger had collaborated with the kinetic Op art artist Victor Vasarely, whose work is beautifully illustrated at Montpellier by the great entrance railing of the campus. Other local artists intervened too in this programme, such as Albert Dupin with his so called ‘cyclopean wall’ designed for the Art and Archaeology Museum.

Keywords

• university architecture
• Montpellier
• Victor Vasarely
• René Egger
• Jean-Claude Deshons
• Philippe Jaulmes