Saint-Jean-de-Montmartre in Paris stands as a structural milestone, representing the first time a church utilized a reinforced concrete framework hidden behind thin masonry walls. Its creator, Anatole de Baudot, moved beyond the period's stylistic mimicry by prioritizing technical logic, long before modernism became a standard architectural philosophy in the twentieth century.
Professional Formation and Early Views
Born in 1834 in Sarrebourg, Anatole de Baudot studied at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris under the guidance of Henri Labrouste and Eugène Viollet-le-Duc. Winning the Grand Prix de Rome early in his career, he soon developed a critical perspective on contemporary teaching methods. By 1865, he became a founding member of the École Spéciale d'Architecture. His writings, particularly in the Gazette des architectes, argued against the 19th-century decline in structural honesty, which he attributed to the abandonment of Gothic principles.
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De Baudot utilized his editorial roles at the Gazette and later the Encyclopédie de l'architecture to push for a modernist paradigm. Between 1888 and 1892, he steered the Encyclopédie toward promoting structural integrity, frequently integrating photography to document monuments and archaeological sites. His polemical approach denounced the superficial mixing of historical styles and the illogical application of classical orders, advocating instead for buildings that expressed their true internal construction.
Government Service and Academic Tenure
The French state employed De Baudot in 1873 as an architect for diocesan buildings, a role that expanded when he was appointed to the historical monuments committee in 1879. He eventually served as inspector-general of historical monuments starting in 1907. Concurrent with his public service, he held academic posts, serving as a professor of History of Art at the Trocadéro from 1887 until his retirement in 1914, while also teaching medieval and renaissance architecture at the Beaux-Arts.
Pioneering Concrete Construction
By adopting the Paul Cottancin system—which used cement columns and arches reinforced with iron rods and wire mesh—De Baudot moved architecture toward a unified structural approach. This innovation was applied to the Théatre de Tulle, constructed between 1899 and 1902, which featured a polychrome facade of ceramics and brick. His design for the Lycée Lakanal in Sceaux further demonstrated his functionalist intent, utilizing a blend of stone, brick, and metal to maximize interior light and ventilation.
Fast facts
- Born: 1834, Sarrebourg
- Died: 28 February 1915, Paris
- Education: Beaux-Arts de Paris
- Notable work: Saint-Jean-de-Montmartre
- Notable work: Église Saint-Lubin-et-Saint-Jean-Baptiste de Rambouillet
- Notable work: Lycée Lakanal
- Notable work: Théatre de Tulle
Questions readers ask
What specific engineering system did Anatole de Baudot champion?
He utilized a reinforced concrete system developed by Paul Cottancin, which employed cement arches and columns braced by iron rods and wire mesh.
Was he supportive of Art Nouveau?
No, De Baudot was explicitly opposed to the Art Nouveau movement.
Achievements
- Notable work: Saint-Jean-de-Montmartre
- Notable work: Église Saint-Lubin-et-Saint-Jean-Baptiste de Rambouillet
- Trained at Beaux-Arts de Paris
