“Air, light, work, sports, hygiene, comfort and efficiency.” These words guided the design of Villa Cavrois. It is a true masterpiece of modern architecture. We are standing before a unique example of 1930s design in northern France.
Villa Cavrois was built in 1932. Robert Mallet-Stevens designed it for Paul Cavrois. Paul was an industrialist from Roubaix. He was active in the textile industry. The villa is in Croix, about 7km from Lille.
Paul Cavrois wanted a mansion for his family of seven children. He met Robert Mallet-Stevens in 1925. The owner gave the architect free rein. Mallet-Stevens oversaw the entire project. He even chose the last details. The villa became a total work of art. It represents his technical and aesthetic ideas.
The Villa Cavrois was innovative for its time. Its style broke from neighboring houses. The villa is 60 meters long. It has 3800 square meters. This includes living space and terraces. The garden spans 17600 square meters. Villa Cavrois embodies the modernist vision of the 1920s. Luminosity, hygiene, and comfort define it. The villa illustrates this concept with simplicity and elegance.
The large mansion was designed for family living. It also facilitated the staff’s work. Mallet-Stevens designed the interior and gardens too.
Materials included concrete, metal, steel, and glass. Green Swedish marble features in the dining room. Yellow Siena marble is in the hall-salon’s fireplace. Oak, iroko, zebrawood, and Cuban mahogany make up the parquets. Furniture choices reflected the space’s hierarchy. Everything was adapted for its use. Simplicity and functionality prevailed. The luxury lies in the materials’ richness. Unadorned marble, metal, and wood create the tone.
Villa Cavrois offered many amenities. These were rare for the time. Electric lighting was in each room. Radios, electric clocks, and telephones were installed. People could communicate between rooms. The villa had a modern boiler room and wine cellar. The water system provided hot, cold, and softened water. Lighting received special attention. Indirect lighting was delicate and elegant. André Salomon collaborated on the lighting design. They directed light toward the ceiling. This created a natural light. Hygiene was very important. The kitchen had a clinical design. There was also a 27-meter swimming pool.
The entrance is in the northwest corner. A round driveway leads to the garage. The villa presents a yellow brick shell. Bonzel created twenty-six brick molds. These covered diverse areas. Willem Marinus Dudok’s town hall of Hilversum inspired the brick.
The villa’s aesthetic is modern. It features large windows and flat roofs. There is an absence of decoration. Its plan aligns with French tradition. Symmetrical wings surround the central area. The vestibule and hall-salon form this core. The villa’s plan promotes easy movement. It organizes domestic life.
During World War II, the family fled. German troops used the villa as barracks. The Cavrois family returned after the war. Later, the sons sold the furniture at auction. The villa was then sold to a real estate company. It was abandoned and looted. In 1990, the property became a historic monument. An association formed to protect it.
The French State purchased the building in 2001. Restoration work began in 2004. In 2008, the Ministry of Culture entrusted Villa Cavrois to the Centre des Monuments Nationaux. They restored the interior and decor. The goal was to recreate the 1930s condition. One room was left untouched. It shows the damage from previous decades. The gardens and lighting were also restored. The villa opened to the public on June 13, 2015.
Historian Willem de Bruijn noted the mirrors in Villa Cavrois. He believes this relates to Mallet-Stevens’ film set design background.