Fernand Pouillon’s Involvement in the Urban War Reconstruction for the Old Port of Marseilles

His planning theory as seen in his Autobiography Memoire d’un Architecte and the formation of the Mediterranean vista

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to clarify the Fernand Pouillon's struggle for the reconstruction of the Old Port of Marseille through a close reading of "Memoire d’un Architecte". After the destruction of the old city by the Nazis, E.Beaudouin's plan was frustrated and the reconstruction started from zero. R.Expert's budget plan failed, and A.Leconte's plan was unpopular because it was overscaled. Pouillon was entrusted with La Tourette, but it was an "exile to the heights”. Pouillon developed his own style of using stone through the implementation of the Marcerou’s stone and the study of Le Thronet Abbey. With the support of Mayor M.Carlini and MRU's P.Dalloz and P.Herbé, Pouillon elaborated an alternative plan, and the replacement of Leconte with Perret was realized at the Supreme Council of Architecture. As a result, a spatial diversity with the vistas of the Mediterranean characteristics was realized in the Old Port.