Zehrfuss, Bernard-Louis

views updated

Zehrfuss, Bernard-Louis (1911–96). French architect. From 1943 to 1948 he designed buildings, including housing, schools, hospitals, and a hippodrome in Tunisia, and, with others, was responsible for planning much that was subsequently realized in that country. Back in France (1948) he designed the Mame Printing Works, Tours (1950), and the Renault Factory, Flins (1952). Then, with Breuer and Nervi, he built the UNESCO Headquarters, Place de Fontenoy, Paris (1952–8), which made his name. Thereafter he designed the Danish Embassy, Paris (1968), the French Embassy, Warsaw (1970), the Siemens Company Headquarters, St-Denis, near Paris (1972—with Burckhardt), and the Gallo-Roman Museum, Lyons, France (1975–6). The National Centre for Industry and Technology, La Défense, Paris (1955—with Robert Camelot, (1903–92), Prouvé and Jean de Mailly, (1911–75) with a large vault by Nicolas Esquillan), (1902–89) based on a preliminary design by Nervi), was severely (and justly) criticized for its siting and impact on the Parisian skyline. In the 1980s he advocated comprehensive redevelopment of parts of Montparnasse, with proposals not notable for their sensitivity.

Bibliography

Kalman (1994);
Jane Turner (1996)

Bibliography

Emanuel (1994)