Labrouste, Henri( 1801 – 1875 )
Preliminary project for the Bibliothèque Ste-Geneviève, Paris,
Bibliothèque Nationale de France, 1839Henri Labrouste emerged from the tradition of the beaux-arts and heralded an era of modernism with
the use of functional building materials. Born in Paris, he followed his brother Théodore with archi-
tectural education at the École des Beaux-Arts. Henri joined the atelier of Vaudoyer and Lebas in 1819
and advanced to the first class within a year. He won the Grand Prix de Rome in 1824 and studied
three Greek temples at Paestum. Returning to Paris, his controversial project disturbed the faculty at
the Ecole, who were committed to a sculptural ‘universal vocabulary’ of the orders (Middleton, 1982 ).
With its unorthodox conclusions, Labrouste’s project examined the construction of these temples,
revealing that, in addition to stone construction, stucco and wood articulation and polychromatic
decoration were used (Middleton, 1982 ).
Over the subsequent years, Labrouste directed an atelier and in 1842 began the design of the
Bibliothèque Ste-Geneviève. The library, with minimal decoration, can be read as the binding of a
book with the names of authors prominently displayed on the exterior. The long, thin, barrel-vaulted
building was constructed of masonry with exposed iron columns on the interior. Using a rational
approach, Labrouste combined his traditional training with structurally efficient, contemporary
building materials. In 1854 he was appointed architect of the Bibliothèque Nationale. The first part
of the project required expanding the Palais Mazarin and Hôtel Chevry-Tubeuf. Again Labrouste
employed an iron framework, using glass floors between the stacks and roofing the building with
nine domes set on slender iron columns.
Although appearing rendered, this drawing (Figure 3. 10 ) suggests an example of a beaux-arts
esquisse. It consists of the typical preliminary orthographic drawings of plan, section, and elevation for
the Bibliothèque Ste-Geneviève, Paris, 1939. As a stage beyond the initial search for organization,
the content and format are consistent with a competition that would solidify a decision about direc-
tion (parti). There are several indications on the page that point to this assessment. At the bottom of
the sheet are several short ink lines showing how Labrouste tested his pen. This checked if the ink
was flowing (not dried at the nib) and to avoid the ink blob that often collected at the end during the
time the pen was not in use.
On the elevation are a series of calculations indicating he was using the image to consider dimen-
sions. An arched opening, sketched in graphite, has been added to the low connector between the two
buildings. Freehand corrections show on the stair in plan and the lower level on the cross-section.
These changes suggest the illustration represented the initial esquissethat was further developed after a
process of evaluation. It would be possible to speculate that Labrouste was referring to this page while
developing the design (the final rendu). Being the less valuable drawing (a sketch), it served its purpose
as a parti, he could make corrections and used it as a blotter for his pen.
Understanding the abbreviated schedule for competitions at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts, the tech-
niques of this sketch comparatively reveal the quickness inherent in a search for form (Harbeson,
1927 ). Quickness as expounded by Italo Calvino, involves a certain speed, economy, and wit ( 1988 ).
The concept of the partiepitomized economy, displaying the whole organization as efficiently as pos-
sible. Time allotted to the search for form was extremely short – the partiwas required to reveal a
complete perception of the space, conveying its rationale. The academics at the Ecole may have referred
to this intelligence as character, but the logic and perception may be of distinction in this case.H5719-Ch03.qxd 7/18/05 10:18 AM Page 93