BOCANET_Marcel Iancu - Arhitect

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Opero orhitecturol6 o lui Morcel loncu (1 895 - I 984),

desi solutotd de contemporoni co premergdloore o

curentului modernist in Romdnio interbelicd, o rdmosinexplicobil in umbro foimei sole de plosticion. Acest

topt este porodoxol, deoorece tocmoi imbinoreooclivilofii de plosticion si orhitecl confe16 unicitote

oportului lui loncu lo introducereo modernismului in

RomOnio .

inlre colegii de generotie core ou odoptot si procticolprincipiile orhitecturii moderne, co de exemplu Horio

Creongd si G.M Contocuzino, Morcel loncu ocupdo poziiie singuloro, otOt din punci de vedere ol pregdtirii

cot si ol orhitecturii pe core o creot-oloncu studioz6 orhitecturo lo E.T.H. in Zr.lrich, in timpul

primului rozboi mondiol, in timp ce moioritoteo linerilor

orhitecti romOni pleocd lo srudii obio dupo rozboi si

opteozo pentru prestigiooso dor foorle conservotivoEcole des Beoux Arls din Poris. in Elvetio neulrd, loncuintdlneste pe unii din cei moi de seom6 reprezentonlioi ovongordei internotionole oldturi de core porlicipdlo miscoreo dodoisto. Nici un oll orhitect romdn din

epocd nu vo veni otOt de timpurlu si de directin lego-

lurd cu miscoreo de ovongordd inlernoiionold

Revine inforo

in I 922, unde insd, ovontoiul intdietoliise inloorce impokivo so, societoteo romOneoscd ne[iind

pregotito so inteleogd si sd occepte schimboreo ot0lde rodico16 odus6 de principiile orhitecturii moderne.Primir comonditori dispusi sd-i deo mono Iibero iiintolneste obio in I 926-27, cOnd conskuieste cele dintdicose modernisle in Bucuresti.

intoorcereo colegilor beoux-ortisti, lo sfOrsitul onilordoudzeci, coincide cu oporilio unui context inlelectuol

si economic fovorobil, ce [oce co primele lor lucrdrimoderniste so oib6 un impoci moi more si moi pozitivosupro publicului, scutindu-i de neintelegereo si de

,,hohotul botiocurii", cu core fusese confruntot loncu.

nuo ocest moi prolific propov6duilor olideilor orh e, intr-un climotin core colegiicore ii imp s-ou ocupot oproope in exclu-sivitole de de teorie.Arhitecluro lui Morcel loncu n

cipiilor dogmotice ole moderni

o ocestoro in porolel cu urmorio sintezei orhitecturii cu ortele plostice

ARHITECT SI PLASTICIAN

De lo intoorcereo in toro 5i pdno in 1941 , cdndemigreozd in Polestino, Morcel loncu vo construi opro-ximol'iv polruzeci

de clodiri, in coloborore cu froiele sdujuliu loncu (l 896- 1985), orhitect co si el Din nefericire,din couzo lipsei de dote este foorte greu sd se reconsti-tuie modul de lucru si contributio individuolo o celor doiorhitecti lo proiectele lor comune Din mdrturio fomilieireiese cd ou coloborot foorle strdns, Morcel ocupdn-

MorcelJonco (l 895- l9B4) hos been occloimed by

his conlemporories os lhe forerunner of modernism in

lhe orchitecture o[ inter-wor Romonio. Neverlheless, his

orchifecturol work hos olwoys been overshodowed by

his [ome os o [ine oriist, ond in the course of time even

forgollen, This is ironic, becouse it is exoctly ihe com-

binotion ond lhe mutuol influence between his Mo octiv-

ities thot confer the uniqueness of Jonco's contribution

to Romonion modernism'Among the orchilecis of his generotion, such os HorioCreongd ond G M Contocuzino, who like him hove

odopted ond put into proctice the principles o[ mod-

ern orchileclure, MorcelJonco occupies o singulor posi-

tion in whot concerns both his troining ond the orchi-

teclure he creoled

Most of the young orchitects of the inter-wor periodbeqon iheir siudies ot the end of the first world wor,

,ruoily in Poris, ot lhe Ecole des Beoux Arts lonco hod

on eorlier stort, studying during the wor in neulrolSwitzerlond. There he met some of the most imporloni

represenfotives of the internotionol ovonlgorde wiihwhom he iook port in ihe Dodo Movement No other

Romonion orchiiect o[ the time come so eorly ond so

directly in contoct with the ovont-gorde

.Jonco returned to Buchorest in 1922. But being oheodo[ his generotion proved to be o disodvontoge becouselhe Romonion public wos noi prepored to understondond occepi lhe rodicol chonges brought by modernorchilecture Only in 1926-27.lonco would meet the

[irsl clients io give him o free hond ond enoble him to

build the lirst modernist houses in Buchorest

Ihe return of lhe "beoux-orls" orchitects ot the end o[the

,1920scoincides wilh the emergence of o more

[ovoroble intellectuol ond economic climole in Romonio.

As o consequenc ern proiects hod o

greoier ond more pon the public. The

lock o[ understond "mockery" of Joncoin the eorly yeors of the posl.

Itwosolso

MorcelJonco who

must tokecredit lor

the

first oltempls of spreoding lhe ideos of modern orchi-tecture in Romonio. From his Zilrich yeors, lonco hod

experience in toking o stond by expressing ond pub-lishing his belieI in monifestos. ln Buchoresi he contin-ued lo publish, becoming the most prolific proponentof the ideos o[ modern orchitecture in o climote in whichthe orchitects who shored his ideos hod dedicoted them-

selves olmost exclusively to building ond showed linleinterest in theory

Jonco's orchileclure wos noi conceived os o monl-festo o[ rhe dogmotic principles of modern orchitec-lure. He felt free lo odopt oniy whotsuited him, occord-ing to his bellef ln the synthesis ol orchitecture withthe [ine orts.

ARCHITECT AND FINE ARTIST

From his return lo Romonio in 1922 until.l94

I , whenhe emigroted to Polestine, MorcelJonco buill obout fortyhouses wilh his brother, the orchiteci luliu loncu

{ I 886- 1 985) Unfortunotely, lock o[ in[ormotion mokes

ilARCEl IAilCU.ANT'I'ECT

Anca Bocdnet

ilINCE1JTIUCO -ANCHI'EC'



rrnobilu llermon loncu, str

Irrn loi i, Bucur-.str, I 926rlerrron oncu bui/ding,

Sirooo lr rrrlot , Buchorest

V o Iucirs, slr Negustol,Bur:rrestr 192lVllJo Fuchs, Slrooo NeguslorBuclr lr es

du-se in speciol de porteo creotivo si luliu de porleo

proctico o ociivitolii lor'.

Cercetoreo operel orhlieciurole o lrolilor loncu esie.in-

greunoi6 de o serie de piedici: pierdereo, probobil cjefi-

nilivd, o orhivej biroului, dotele loorte reduse si vogi

mentlonoie in lileroiuro exisienld sl [optul co cei doi orhi-

tecti, ne[inolizondu-si sludiile printro diplomo, nu ou ovutmultd vreme dreptul so si semneze proieclele Ab o rn 1933,

cu ocozio formorii Corpului Arhitectilor RomOni, Morcel

loncu opore inscrs pe lislo ,,orhiiectilor recunoscuti",respeciiv o orhiteclilor nediplomoti dor core puleou sd

dovedeosco cd ou profesol cel puiin 10 oni:'

Ceo moi limpurie clodire despre core se poote olirmo

cu cerlitudine co o fost prorectoto de Morcel loncu,

doteozo din )925-26 Este vorbo de un tmobil con-

slruil pentru iotol sou, Hermon loncu, in str Irinitotii sr.in

core vo locui loncu pono in l93l Trei lotogro[ii oleocesiei cose sunl pub icole pe coperto revislei

,Conltmporonul" din octombrie 1926, cu mentiuneo

,,Conslruclie modern6 de Morce] loncu"Un on mol lOrziu, in 1927, Morce loncu conslruresre

vilo Fuchs din slr Negustori Multo vreme o domnit con-

luzre intre cele douo clodiriin ceeo ce privesle odreso

si dotoreo precum si.in

revendicoreo olributului de

,,primo" clodire moderno din BucuresiiConslruite lo un on diferento, imobiiul loncu si vilo Fuchs

se deosebesc olOl co strucluro cot si co limbol formolDespre ombele se poote spune, ins6, c6 suni corocle-ristice pentru orhiteciuro lui Morcel loncu

-sico initiozo

doud curente de exprimore orh teciuro16 in primo eslemoi vizibil Morce loncu plosticionul, in o douo orhitectul

Elemente corocteristice din ombele clodlri vor fi reluoie

moi lorzlu, seporot sou imbinole, co mrilooce de expre-

sie in oproope loole clodiri]elmobilu din str Triniidti , cu porter, dou6 etoie si mon-

sordd, esle o clddire ciudoto, un bloc lomo cu cele potrufotode de ungime inego o. Fotodo principolo, de lo

strodo, curbot6 dotorii6 regimului de oliniere impus, este

un odevdrot exerciliu ploslic reolizot oloi prin mode-

noturd cOt si prin cromotico Cele o ie irei foiode suntin schimb oproope oorbe. Clodireo este inegol6 coinoltime, lungimeo lotodei [iind bolonsoto de un occenivertico in extremitoteo slongo Aici imobilul este moiinolt, onsordo cu ocoperis plot, in timpce re joosd. se lermino cu un ocoperi>in po Dou6 den veldri verico e, sopoteodon fotodei, morcheozo diferento deinoltime si occentueozd curburo clodirii Aceste denrveldri, co si formele geometrice ole bolconului sl bovin-doulur, osezote osimetric si oporenl lo intomplore,

confero ptosricitore lotodei

Rezullotul ocestei moniere de modelore plostlco pooleevoco osemdnori cu re iefurile de ohips reolizote deMorcel loncu lo Zurich, incepond cu I 9I Z. insosi lormo

it difllcult to know exoctly whot their individuol conir-bution to their projecis wos According lo recolleclions

of he [omily, the Wo brothers olwoys colloboroled close-ly, Morcel espec olly responsible lor the design ondtul;u lor rhe pioclie ol ospecrs o[ rheu ocr v ry

Study of ihe orchitecture creoted by the Jonco firm is

mode di[[icult by o series o[ impediments. the loss o[lhe orchive. the sporciiy ond vogueness of the literoture dedicoied lo this subject, ond lhe [oct thot the two

brolhers did not hove the rrght to sign their proiects forquite o ong time, since they hod not conciuded their

studies with o diplomo project Not until 1933, whenthe "Corpt l Arhitectilor Romoni" (Body ol: Romonion

Architecls) come into being, did MorcelJonco officiolly

register os "recogn zed orchiiect", o title given io orchi-lecls without o diplomo but with oi ieost ten yeors ofoctivity in the pro[ession:'.

The eor iest buiiding thot con be positively ottributed toMorcellonco dotes to 1925 -26 lt is o house finoncedby his lother, Hermon ]onco ond built on his propertyin Strodo Trinilotii, where Morcel .Jonco lived unlil

193 I The ovonl-gorde mogozine " Conftmpotonul" ,lorwhich.lonco served os ortistic director, pub ished three

photogrophs of this building on the cover ol CctoberI 926 issue, wilh the commenl: "Modern conslruclionby Morcel .Jonco"Ay"villo

conI

lwoer ond olternotely given the title o{ the "firsl" modernbullding in Buchorest

Built within o yeor, the Trinitotii building ond the Fucns

vil o differ rn skucture ond formol longuoge. Nevertheless

bolh con be considered illusirotive of Morce .]onco'sorchileclure, iniholrng traro trends ol expression in his work.The lormer seems to be more the creoiion o[ lhe fineortist, the lotter ihot oI the orchitect Chorocterisiic ele-ments from eoch ol these two houses would be loter

reused, seporoiely or togeiher. os meons of expressionn olmost oll his buildinq

The building in Strodo Triniiotii consists of o ground floor,lwo upper [loors ond o gorrei ll is o stronge, lonq ondnorrow building, with oll [our [ocodes oI di[[erentlengths The bock ond side focodes ore olmost b,lind,

ing is lower ond crowned by o sloping rool lwo deepveriicol grooves mork this di[{erence in leve , whlch coln-cldes with o curve in the [ocode, due to the oiionmentof lhe street Togeiher with the geometrc lormi of rhe

osymmetr colly ploced bolcony ond bowwindow, they6enlsr plosticiry ro the focooe

.lonco hos divided the focode rn surfoces oIcolour ]-lehos olso used colour to occeniuole lhe conirosl beh,azeen

lhe geometric lorm oithe different elements of the focode

9B



clodirii, de lomo ingustd, cu cele trei [otode oproopeoorbe, sugereozo un bloc de lemn pe core s-o oplicot

un relieIlmobilul loncu ore cdte un oportoment pe fiecore etoi,

monsordo liind initiol destinotd co otelier de picturo

Aporlomentele, cu o suprolold de 80 m'ou oimpdrtireinterioord troditionold, cu distribulie centro16, conlin6nd

un mic holl de inlrore, sufrogerie, birou, dormitor, boie

si buc6tdrleloncu vo concepe lo1ode policrome si lo olte construclli

din oceeosi periood6 de inceput, co de exemplu coso

Henry Doniel din srr. Ceres, construii6 totfn 1926 9i ostozi

disporuto, sou vrlo incd neidenlificoto, publicoto in nr. 84oi revistei ,,Confimporc:nul" din noiembrie 1929Docd in imobilul din strodo Trinitdtii, preocuporeopentru expresio plostico detine intdieloteo si door simpli-

toleo generold o clodirii o opropie de orhitecturo mo-

derno, in vilo Fuchs volumul orhitecturol si distribuliospotiului interior onuni6 mult moi clor principiile orhilecturii

moderne

Vilo Fuchs, din sir Negustori, consiruit6 in 1927, inou-

gureoz6 serio de ,,cutii olbe", cose unifomiliole, cu por-

ter, etoj si monsordd Cubul formot de perefii exteriori

ore supro[efele intreruple de plonuri relrose sou in su-plomba, de supropuneri, elc. Bolconul plosot centrol, ce

iese pulernic din plonul fotodei principole, ferestrele ori-

zontole osezote osimetric, geomurile rolunde si bolustro-

dele de merol ce omintesc ,,stilul pochebol", fereosko

de coll, toole ocesle elemenle modeleozo pulernic

folodo

in ocest grup initiot prin vilo Fuchs se inscrie si coso

Lombru, din slr Popo Sovu, construilo in l928, si suito

de vile remorcobile conslruite intre,]929

si 193 I .

Chopier din str Grol lpotescu, Wexler din sk Gr Moro,Chihoescu de pe sos Kiseleff, llutzo din sk Olori siJuster

din str Silveslru Un vocobulor formol osemdndtor le

corocterizeoz6, in core osimetrio esle o lrds6turd gene-

rolo ololurl de elemente co: ocoperis plot, teroso-logie

lo ultimul etoi, [erestre de col1, reglsire orizontole degeomuri divizole in moduli verlicoli, scoro interioord

exprimoid pe [oiodo printr-o more fereostro-vitroliu,

goroiul incorporot lo demi-sol, etc Voriotiunile sunlinso

in ropori cu olte detolii ole [otodei, creind ostlel o im

oresie moi ordonoto.

in locul schemelor cromotice, loncu ocoperd folodeleolbe cu tencuieli pulernic texlurole, precum si cu olterndride suprofete lise si rugoose in oceeosi preocuporepenlru esteticd

Ceeo ce deosebeste in speciol oceste vile de primelecose (Trinitofii, Ceres) este kotoreo spofiului inierior. Desi

loncu nu vo odopto niciodoid in totolitote plonul liber,

oceste clodiri ou toole spofiile de primire si de lucru

desporfite door prin droperii, pereti de sticld glisonti sou

poropete, ceeo ce le conferd flexibilitote Holl-uri ce

On the other hond, certoin dislontly ploced detoils, like

the windows, ore connected visuolly by lines troced

between ihem

The resuli recolls the ploster reliefs creoted by Morcel

Jonco in Ziirich os eorly os l9l Z. Even the building

itself, with its olmost blind bock ond side [ocodes, sug-

gests o wooden block on which o relief hos been

opplied.The

Joncobuilding hos on oporlmenl on eoch floor, the

gorret being reserved os o studio. The oportments ore

ioditionolly portitioned, with centrol dislribution of the

rooms ond include o smoll enlronce holl, o dining room,

o study room, o bedroom ond o bolhroom,

MorcelJonco continued to design polychrome focodes

during the following yeors, Known exomples ore the

H Doniel house in the Slrodo Ceres, built in I 926 ondno longer existenl, ond the unidentified villo which wos

published in "Contimporonu/" in November 1929uilding shows o strong concern

while only its simplicity of design

rn orchileclure, in the Fuchs villo,

e, the [ormol longuoge ond the

interior distribution cleorly onnounce the principles of

modern orchiteclureThe Fuchs villo in Strodo Negustori, built in I 927,inou-gurotes he series o[ "white boxes" in.Jonco's orchitecture.

It is o fomily house with groundfloor, upper floor ond

gorret. The cube formed by the exterior wolls is strong-

y modelled 6y receding, proiecting ond overloppingplones. The front locode is shoped by lhe centrolly

ploced bolcony, the osymmetricolly ploced horizoniol

windows, lhe oculi ond metol bolustrode recolling the"poquebot slle" ond the corner windowln the group inltioied by the Fuchs villo, we con olso count

the Lombru house in Strodo Popo Sovu, designed in l92Bond the series of remorkoble villos built betueen

.l929

ond,l93

1: Chopier in Bulevordul Grol lp6tescu, Wexlerin Skodo Gr Moro, Chihoescu ln Soseouo Kiseleff, llutzo

in Strodo Olori ond luster in Strodo Silveslru They oreoll chorocterized by o similor formolvocobulory in which

osymmelry is lhe moin feolure, olongside other elements,

such os: llot roof, terroce-loggio on the upper floor, cor-

ner windows, ribbon windows subdivided in verticol mod-

uli, inferior stoircose expressed in the focode by o lorgestoined-gloss window, goroge incorporoted in ihe seml-

bosemenl etc

Nevertheless, these houses olso show differences, os

well os o tendency over time towords o greoter sim-

plicily ond sobriety lf in the Chopier house ( 1929) detoils

such os windows ore scoltered on the locode, in the

Wexler house (193 I ), which hos o similor composi-tion, the windows ore first grouped together ond then

osymmeiricolly ploced in the focode, giving o more

orderly impression. Renouncing colour schemes for theexterior wolls, Jonco covers lhe white focodes with

strongly textured ploster, or olternoles smooth ond

rugged surfoces

Whot differentioles these villos still more frorn the first

houses built byJonco (Trinitolii, Ceres), is the treotment

Coso.luster, slr Silveslru,

Bucuresti, 193 I

luster House, Strodo SilvestruBuchoresl

De lo stingo lo dreoptohom lelt to righlCoso Chop er,

Slr Grol lpatescu, Bucuresti,

1929Chopier House,

Strodo Grol lpolescu, Buchoresl

Vilo Wexler, slr Gr Moro.

Bucuresti, 193 I

Wexler Villo. Skodo Gr Moro.Buchorest



EE

se1nolla pe douo eloie, cu sco16 inleriooro si go eriein lurulvidului de lo eio , foc legoturo vizuolb dintre dile

rilele nivele. ln rest, spoll le deslinote servrciu ui si odih

nei sunl net delimitole si izoloiein o[ora de vile, lrotii loncu conslru esc si mulie lmobile

de oporlomente,'in speciol in onii ireizeci. Dinlre imo

bilele mici-, cu porler 9i 2-3 eioje, se remorco cel drn

slrodo Colmolei ( I 93 1 ), linontolchior de loncu, in core

o locuit si in core s-o oflot si biroul loncu lo lnceputul

onilor trelzeci Compozitio [otodei, controsful dintreveriicolo bovldoului oproope orb si orizonlolele bol

coonelor, iencuiolo lexluro16 prin striuri orizontole odoncr,

sunltoole elemente de o more simplitote cu core loncu

obli"e rn erecl ploslrc rnox'rr

lmobile mori ' cu pesie cinci eloie finontote de osociotii

de locotori, vor fi consiruite de biroul loncu in o douo

iumoiote o onilor treizeci Cel moi cunoscuteste cel din

slr Piclor Luchion. cu solutio speciflco o co tului rolunlii,

lotodo cu denivelori si supropuneri si boro verticold o

oovioorrilor oin core oornesc bolcoone'e.

in ceeo ce priveste plonul oportomenlelor, co si in cozul

vrlelor, loncu odoplo un compromis inlre plonul troditionoi

si plonul lrber in generol triportil, pionul grupeozo [unctii e

in benzi porolele. spotiu de serviciu, continOnd vestibul,

oficiu, bucotorie, deborole; spotiu de zi si pr mire cuholL, solon, sufrogerie, birou s spotiul de odlhno cu

dormitoore si bdi

Pe longo orhiteciuro rezidenfiolo, biroul loncu o consiruii

si cOtevo clodiri de utilitote publico: strondul Kiselelf

l)929), povil onul Suchord (1 926) de lo To^rgul Mosllor

si sonotoriul Popper (l 936) din Predeol ln loote pro-

iectele lor, frotii loncu ou lolosit co tehnico de conslructie

siructuro de beton ormotumplutd cu zlduri de coromido

GESAMTKUNST

Necesitoleo unei sinteze o ortelor, o integrdrii ortelorploslice cu orhilecturo o [osl unu din crezurle timpurir

ole ui Morcel loncu, lormulot.inco de o ZLirich, dor

pe core o reusit so I puno cei moi bine in oplicore in

RomOnio Aproope fiecore coso construilo de Morcelloncu ore o legoturd cu orto in unele cozuri loncu o

opeloi Jo prieteni oriisti, moi oles c6nd o lost vorbo de

sculpturo Bosorelieluri de Miilo Petroscu se moi

pdstreoz6 lo inlroreo unor imobiie de oporlomenle ,

ior in foiogrofii de epoco se poole vedeo o sculpluro,

ostozi disporulo, in grodino vilei ChihoescuDe mu i moi more onvergurd esleinsd proprlo contributie

o lui Morcel loncu, olot in exlerioru , dor moi o es in

inferiorul clodirilor in 1932 regizorul si criticul Sondu

Eliod publlcO in ,,Foclo" un ortico in core elog ozo orhilecturo de inlerior creotd de loncu, in core functionolismul

se imb,ind cu [ontezio decoroliei. ,, un lnterior binecompus, rolonol imporlit cu juslo uiilizore o spotiulur,

cu o sobrd si plino de fontezie, tolusi, decorotie

colorisiicd Coso [ocuto pentru conforlul locotoru ur,

penlru igieno si ocuroleleo veocului Un interior [ocut

de Morcel loncu ore cevo din slricleteo si ulo loculsbu,ol unei uzine, sdrbdtorescLr si veselio unui decor deteofru lmbinoreo ocesior doud conlrozicdtoore si

Biroui redocliei'Conlirnporonu

Bucuresli, c 192324Edilorrol office oI'Conlimporonul" Buchoresl

of the lnterior spoce Although Jonco never entirely odopled lhe open pJon, he conceived lhe rooms thof weremeont[or living ond working os llexible f low ng spoces,

divlded only by curtoins, s iding doors or gloss wolls

The holls, wh ch rise on two floors, wilh on inier or sloir

cose ond o gollery on lhe upper lloor, insure visuol com-

municolion between the different levels The spoces

meontfor sleeping, hygiene ond services, ore oll cleor

ly delimited ond seporoted

ln oddition io [omily dwellings, ihe Jonco o[fice olso builtoporimenl buildings, especiolly in the I 93Os Among

lhe smoll blocks olflots'', with groundfloor ond 2 - 3 upper

iloors, the mosl remorkoble is ihe one ln Strodo Coimolei( 193 I ) The composilion oI the locode, the controst

between the strongly projecting verticol bor on lhe lefi

side ond the horizontol lines oI the bolconies ond the

ploster textured by deep horizontol grooves ore ele-

ments oI o greot simplicity Oy which .]onco obtoins on

utmosl plostic e[[ectBig oporlment buildings', wilh more thon []ve floors, were

designed by ihe Jonco office in the second holl oI the

I 93Os The best known is ihe bloc[ in Strodo Pictor

Luchion, with iis specific round corner, the overloprngplones of the [ocode ond the verlicol bor ol the boy

wlndows in which originole lhe bolconiesAs [or the interior distribution oI the oportmenls, os rn

the cose o[ the vi]los, lonco odopts o compromisebelween the troditionol ond the open plon Within o

generolly lriporfite plon, the [unclions ore grouped in

porollel slripes: circu olion ond service spoce, living ond'working oreo, ond sleeping quorlers

Besides residentiol orchileclure, the .lonco office olso

designed o lew buildings of public utiliry: the Kiseleff swim-

ming pool 11929), the Suchord povillon (1926) ot the

TOrgu Mosilor (on onnuol foir in Buchoresl) ond the

Popper sonolorium ( 1936) in Predeol The building tech-

nique used by the Jonco brothers in oll lheir projects is

thol o[ o concrete slructure [illed in with mosonry

GESAMIKUNSTOne ol the eorliest beliels formed by Morce Jonco wosihe necessily of o synihesis ol lhe orts, integrolinq orchiteclure with lhe fine orls Thrs rdeo, olreody [ormulotedduring his Zrlrich yeors, -lonco put rnio proctice rn

Romonio where olmosl every house he built hod o conneclion with ort. In some coses, lonco oppeoled to orlistlriends. Bos relieis by Milito Pelroscu, o well-knownRomonion sculplress, con still be seen ol lhe entronceof o coupie o[oportmentbuildings', ond old photoqrophs

show o scu pture in the front o[ the Chlhoescu villo

More importont isJonco's own conlribution os o fine ortisl

to his buildings, especiol y to lheir interiors n 1932, the

stoge director ond critic Sondu Eliod published on orti-

cle in the mogozine "Foclo" in which he proised the inte-

rror orchileclure o[ Morcel .]onco, especiolly ils combi-nolion o[ [unclionolism ond neorly theotricol decorolion:"on inlerior well pul iogether, rotionolly divided with o

iudicious use of spoce, wilh o sober colour scheme lholis neverlheless full oI lonlosy A house designed lor the

-t

(

mot:rlul C oro loncu slr

Colmo er, Bucuresir, 193 I

Cioro ioncu t,ur d ng,

Strodo Co rroler, Buchorest

rnobil in str Pictor Si Iuch on,

Bucuresli I 935louse in Strodo Plctor St Luchion

Buc lroresl

hE

r00



intregitoore infoli90ri, e dotoritd orhitecturo so si voloo-

reo ei, si tol ocestei duolitOti oporente dotoreozo

originoliio teo"'Intervenliile lui Morcel loncu lo interioorele coselor

construite de el sunf dintre cele moi diverse: lroloreo

colorislico o peretilor, [olosireo [erestrelor si usilor co

opere de orl5, consiruireo de mobilier incorporot in zid,

16o

lo H potrcu o tive,

sole ore,

co redoctio revister ,,Confim poronul" , si un numdr de locotii'incd neidentificote, loncu o concepui scheme de culoore

ce ou ocoperil integrol peretii Culorile ocestor scheme

sunl greu doco nu chior imposibil de reconstituit Sondu

Eliod le numesle sobre, dor pline de fonlezie Fologrofii

de epoco ne [urnizeozd dote din core se poote deduce

principiul de compozilie. In moloriioteo cozurilor esle

vorbo de suprofete mori de culoore core, ignor6nd

delimitorile elementelor orhilecturole irecond de pe

pereti pe lovon, continudndu-se pesie colturi, supropu-

ndndu-se independent de orhitecturo, ou efectul de de-

moteriolizore o ocesleio Experimente similore in oplicoreo

de scheme de culoore in inierioore ou focui, in codrulcurenlului ,,De Sti1l", Theo von Doesburg si Vilmos Huszor

lo incepulul onilor dou6,reciFerestre gen vitroliu opor lo moioritoteo coselor lui

Morcel loncu, Tn cele moi dilerile dimensiuni, lo coso

scdrilor, in holurile de inlrore o blocurilor, lo usi glisonle

in zono de primire, pOno si lo modestele Iuminotoore

ole unor degoiomente Se disting doud tipuri Primul tip

il lormeoz6 [ereslrele din geom obisnuii sou colorot,

divizote conform unor scheme ortogonole ce prezinldsimilitudlni cu compozitiile curenlului ,,De Sti1l" Exemplese gosesc in cosele Chopier, Chihdescu, Wexler. Aldoileo tip il formeozo [erestrele oso zise jivrote, cu sou

fdro tromo orlogonold, in core supro[ete opoce si lron-

sporenie olcoiuiesc molive cubisle Acesf gen de geo-

muri nu este folosit door de loncu in Bucurestiul inter-belic, dor foptul co [eresirele iivrote ce opor in coselelui reproduc motive din piciuro lui ne indreptdtesle o

crede cd ou fosl creole de el speciol pentru oceste inte-

rioore Vikoliul din coso llutzo relu6nd motivul mondolinei

esle concludenlMobilierul incorporot 'in zid esfe de osemeneo folosit

si de olti orhitecti oi vremii, dor lo Morcel loncu impre-

sioneoz6 consecvento cu core inzestreozd [iecore cosd

cu etojere, dulopuri, bonchete, boruri, seminee etc sl

ingeniozitoteo cu core folosesie fiecore bucot6 despotiu De o simpliiote exirem6, mobilierul integrof in

zid - in speciol eloiere din ipsos ormol cu lemn -modeleozo zidul si il onimd cu iocuri de lumind si umbroNu trebuiesc uitote e emenle co usi din metol cu molive

cubisle, de exemplu lo coso Mihoescu din Buzou, souperell decoroti cu bucoti t6iote de oglindO, co lo boruldin vilo llutzoFotogro[ii de epocd, pdstrole in orhivo [omiliei loncu,

ou imortolizol inierioore extrem de moderne o cdrorprezenld in Bucurestii onilor douozeci poote nu om fi

to this duoliiy thot he owes his originolity"'.

MorcelJonco's intervenlions in the interior of his build-inqs ore quiie diverse: lhe colour lreotment o[ the wolls,

thJ use of windows ond doors os works o[ orl, the design

of built-in furniture ln certoin houses, lor instonce the

Hossner villo ond his own oporimenl in Strodo Poleologu,

Jonco pointed figurotive frescos, odoptlng themes from

his pointings. For the editoriol office o[ the mogozine"Confimporonu/" ond some still unidentified houses,

Jonco creoted chromotic compositions thotcovered the

wolls entirely The colours ore difficult if not impossible

to lroce. Sondu Eliod colls them sober but lull ol fon-

tosy Old photogrophs ollow u

composition principle: lorge

opplied to the wolls independ

oI orchitecturol detoils, continu

ceiling, oround the corners ond overlopping one onoth-er. This method brlngs with it on eflect of demoterioliz-ing the orchitecture Similor experimenls in opplyingcolour schemes to interiors were mode by the "De Stii/"

movemenl by Theo von Doesburg ond Vilmos Huszor,

ot 'he beginning of the I 920s.

Stoinedgloss windows o[oll dilferentsizes oppeor in mony

of Jonco's houses: in stoircoses, in enkonce holls o{ oport-

ment buildings, on sliding doors in living rooms ond even

in modest dormer windows Two mojor types con be dis

tinguished Cne lype consists of windows subdivided

occording to oriogonol schemes recolling "De Stil/" grid

pointings ond [illed in with plones ol coloured gloss

Exomples o[ this con be found in ]he Chopier, Chihoescu

ond Wexler houses In the other l'ype, the ortogonol grid

is secondory or moy be missing oll together, the moin feo-ture being the opoque ond konsporent surfoces of gloss

thot form cubist motifs This kind o[ windows wos not used

exclusively byJonco in inter'wor Buchorest, but becouse

cubist themes ore token over from Jonco's pointings, wecon deduce thot they were designed byJonco personol

ly An edifying exomple is to be found in the llutzo villo,

where lhe sioircose window shows o mondoline motif

Built-in furniture hos been used by other orchitects o[ ihe

lime os well, bul Morcellonco is impressive by the con-

sistency with which he equips every house with bookshelves,

cupboords, benches, bors, fireploces etc, ond the ing+

motifs forged in metol, such os the enlronce door of the

Mihoescu house in Buzou, or wolls decoroied with bro-

ken pieces o[ mirror, like the bor in the llutzo house

Old phoiogrophs hove rescued lrom oblivion the

lnlerror dinlrun imobil necunoscul

lnterior o[ on unknown building

lnlerior dln vilo Hossner. slr

Piclor scovescu Bucuresli. 1937Villo l-1ossner, Strodo Pictor

lscovescu, Buchorest



bonuit-o niciodotd. Desi nu se pot foce olirmotii cote-

gorice, este totusi plouzibil co loncu so li ovizot in mobi-

lo,.o cu lotolii cubiste, mobilier de metol etc.

TEORETICIAN

Lo sforsitul onului 1924 9i inceputul lui 1925, loncu in-

cepe o odevorotd componie de propogore 9i popu-

lorizore o ideilor orhilecturii moderne in revisto

,,Conlmporonul, core publico orticole si ilustroii de studii

de orhitecluro. ln lebruorie.l925

un numdr intreg eslededicot ,,orhilecturii moderne" (nr 53-54), ilustroi cu

proiecle ce ou rdmos probobil nereolizole. Urmeozd

in oprilie un olt numdr dedicot inleriorului {nr. 5Z-58),cu ilustrotii din redoclio si biroul ,,Contimporonului",incore loncu oplic6 poote pentru primo oord semne de

culoore si scrisuri. Regulot, vor fi publicote in onii urmd-

tori cele moi interesonle conslruciii ole biroului loncu.

Tot in 'l 925 io fiint6 si revisto ,,Arto si Orosu/" din o

c6rei redoctie foce porte si Morcel loncu si core isi

propune so lomiliorizeze publicul lorg cu orhitecturo

modern6. De osemeneo, ii opor trecvenl comenlorii

teclurii moderne, loncu insislOnd in speciol osupro im-

portontei plonului co generotor ol volumului

Alte idei ce ioloneozo teorio lui loncu sunt preluole de

lo Hilberseimer: origineo innoirilor din orhitectu16 in revo-

lutio din ortele plostice si onume in cubism si conslructi-

vism, concepfio osemdndloore de creofie ce existo in

ortele plostice si in orhiteclurS, etc.

O topico ce opore frecvent in scrierile lui loncu este

rolul sociol ce trebuie s6-l implineoscd orhitecluro mo-

dernd, co expresie o democroiiei. Lo fel co olti orhitecti

contemporoni, Morcel loncu intelege urgento locuintelor

sociole ieltine Dor lipso unor proiecte spriiinite de siol

si municipolitote ou focut co oceste idei so rdmOno in

more mdsurd pe hortieDesi oudiento publicofiilor prin core loncu inceorcd sd

16spOndeosco principiile orhilecturii moderne rdmdne

probobil relotlv micd, oso cum s-o intOmplot in cozulmoioritdiii moni[est6rilor ovongordei, ideile propogotede loncu isi gdsesc rdsunel lo orhiiectii din oceeogi ge-

nerotie, cu preocupori similore

G M Conlocuzino, core ol6turi de loncu esie unul din

pufinii orhitecti core se ocupd si de leorie, desi de olto

foclurd, ii scrie ocesluio in,l93

I o scrisoore remorcdnd

loudotivin ocliviloleo lui loncu [onotismul premergdto-

rului, ol celui dintOi ,,core o intors in oceostd foro spo-

lele unei mentolitdli obosite si slerile"s

NOTE

I Articolul de fotd inceorcd s6 puncteze door cOlevoospecte corocteristice orhiteciurii lui Morcel loncu

2 Seiwert, llorry, Morcel Jonco, Verlog Peter Long,

Fronkfurt om Moin, 1993, p 393-943 Arhivele dispun de desene semnote de Morcel loncu

imoge ol extremely modern interiors, which we might

not hove expected to find in the'Buchoresl o[the 1 920s.Although no definite otlribution con be mode, il is nev-

ertheless possible thotJonco odvised how certoin hous-

es were to be furnished, with such things os cubisl eosy

choirs ond steel furniture.

THEORETICIAN

At the end ol lg2l ond the beginning ol 1925 Morcel

Jonco slorled o true compoign of propogoling the con-cepts of modern orchitecture, publishing orticles ond illus-

lrotions o[ orchitecturol studies in "Contimporonu/" The

Februory I 925 issue (no. 53 -54) is enlirely dedicotedto "modern orchilecture", illusiroted with unbuilt proiecls

of Morcel lonco. lt wos followed by onolher issue (no.

57-5Bl dedicoted to the "interior" ond illustroted with

photogrophs of the editoriol offlce of "Contimporonul",

which wos one o[ the [irst exomples of colour schemes

opplied to wolls During ihe following yeors,"Conlimporonul" would olso publish the mosi interes

ing houses construcled by the Jonco office

Morcel Jonco wos olso one of the editors of the mogo-

zine " Arto $i Orosu/" (Ari ond the City), published for the

[irsl time in 1925 ond oiming oi fomiliorizinq the public

with modern orchileclure Besides thoi, Jonco regulorlywroie o column on orchitecture in the mogozine"Miscoreo lilerorl" ond published orticles in other cul-

turol mogozines

Jonco's orticles for lhe most porl odopted ihe ideos cur-

rent in the internollonol ovont-gorde ond formuloled

them in simple longuoge with the obvious purpose o[

brood populorizotion From Le Corbusier's wriiinqs,

ionco presenfed the principles of modern orchitectuie,insisting insisting on the importonce of the plon os gen-

erolor o[ the volume. Severol ideos, odopted lrom L

Hilberseimer, oulline Jonco's theory: the origin of iherenewols in orchitecture con be troced bock to fhe rev-

olution in the fine orts, nomely to cubism ond construc-

trvism; fine orls ond orchitecture shore similor principles

o[ composilion, ond so on.

oll ovonlgorde monifestotions, they reoched the orchr-

tects of his generotion who hod similor concerns wherethey found o worm response G M. Contocuzino wos,ofter MorcelJonco, one of the few Romonion orchileciswho took on interest in theory. ln 193 I he wrote o let

ler lo.lonco in which he soluted whoihe colled the lonoticism of this forerunner, ]he first orchiiect "who hosturned his bock, in this country, on o lired ond sterilemeniolity"s.

Eng/ish version by Anco Bocdnet

02



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BOCANET_Marcel Iancu - Arhitect