In 1925, The city council decided upon a vast
urban project called the "Plan Marquet"
(1930-1940). A wave of new construction projects
marked the development of the city.
Art Deco, with its pure and unobtrusive forms
was the chosen style for the program. Under
the leadership of Jacques D'Welles, City Architect,
the Judaïque swimming pool, and the City
Trade Union Council building (cours A. Briand)
were built with modern yet discrete forms
that integrated harmoniously with the classical
architecture of the city.
Some architects were more audacious with their
designs, such as Raoul Jourde, designer of
the arched Stade Lescure (boulevard du Maréchal
Leclerc), which is both elegant and revolutionary.
The
style is unmistakably Art Deco, yet some of
the sculptural studies of females and athletes
(Main entrance) are directly inspired from
classicism. Inaugurated in July 1938, it was
the largest and most modern stadium in Europe.
Concrete for public works, and stone for private
projects - the interesting choice of these
different materials did not prevent the Stade
Lescure from influencing the design of the
surrounding quarter from 1925.
The peaceful and shaded
streets are lined with beautiful and rather
strict residences, that have a certain elegance.
Simply designed porches play on the light
and shade, while the stained and decorated
glass of the windows (medallions, rosaries...)
add a touch of modernity.
From 1920, René Buthaud, produced masterpieces
that placed him among the finest ceramic artists
of the period between the two great wars.
The geometry is to be found not only in the
design of the decor itself, but also in the
highly arched profile of the vases themselves.
Architects, ceramic
artists and interior designers, if not always
exactly in line with pure Art Deco techniques,
are constantly in search of new creations
that complement the more traditional style.
In 1925, The city council decided upon a vast
urban project called the "Plan Marquet"
(1930-1940). A wave of new construction projects
marked the development of the city.
