Jean Fombertaux
Encyclopedia
Jean Fombertaux was a French émigré architect
who spent most of his career designing buildings in and around Sydney. His style was exemplary of Sydney architecture during the 1960s and was the significant to the modernism
movement.
and was brought up in the remanent French colonies of South East Asia. The young adolescent Fombertaux arrived in Australia when he was sixteen years old, after fleeing the war. His father worked in the French Foreign Service and had to endure a strict upbringing. In later years, Fombertaux studied architecture at the Sydney Technical College
with Russell Jack & Bruce Rickard. Like many of the Sydney based architects, Fombertaux chose to build his own house on the North Shore
where he built one of Australia’s iconic houses the ‘The Fombertaux house’.
In the same year of the houses completion, Fombertaux was offered a position in the office of Le Corbusier
, but never returned to France to take the offer.
Jean Fombertaux had a son, Andre Fombertaux, who for most of his life has lived and worked on Fombertaux house.
and Alvar Aalto
. Fombertaux's style has been likened to that of Harry Seidler
, who he collaborated with their entry to the Sydney Opera House
competition.
The Fombertaux house was designed by Jean Fombertaux in 1966 and is located on the sandstone
ledges of Sydney’s North Shore. Fombertaux designed the house as his own family home, and lived there with his wife and children from 1966 until his death in 1976.
Fombertaux’s proposal was an open and transparent environment with openings in walls to create a visual connection between rooms inside. He also incorporated large floor to ceiling windows to tie the sunlight and surrounds into the house.
The house is constructed of 16 slender steel columns laid out in a grid. The floors are a series of concrete
slabs that spiral upwards, defining the differently programmed areas of the house. A light well runs down the centre of the house which contains a staircase that connects all three levels.
The house was not completed to its original design at the time of construction, due to financial limitations. Less durable steel was used in construction, and eaves were left off, among other things. Due to local council regulations, no major modifications may be made to the house which has created difficulties for family wanting to complete the project to its original state.
The house is still in the possession of the Fombertaux family. Jeans son, Andre Fombertaux, currently occupies and works on the house.
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
who spent most of his career designing buildings in and around Sydney. His style was exemplary of Sydney architecture during the 1960s and was the significant to the modernism
Modernism
Modernism, in its broadest definition, is modern thought, character, or practice. More specifically, the term describes the modernist movement, its set of cultural tendencies and array of associated cultural movements, originally arising from wide-scale and far-reaching changes to Western society...
movement.
Life
Fombertaux was born in FranceFrance
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and was brought up in the remanent French colonies of South East Asia. The young adolescent Fombertaux arrived in Australia when he was sixteen years old, after fleeing the war. His father worked in the French Foreign Service and had to endure a strict upbringing. In later years, Fombertaux studied architecture at the Sydney Technical College
Sydney Technical College
The Sydney Technical College was a name used by Australia's oldest technical education institution.It began as the Sydney Mechanics' Institute in 1843...
with Russell Jack & Bruce Rickard. Like many of the Sydney based architects, Fombertaux chose to build his own house on the North Shore
North Shore (Sydney)
The North Shore is an informal term used to describe the primarily residential area of northern metropolitan Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. The term usually refers to the suburbs located on the north shore of Sydney Harbour between Middle Harbour and the Lane Cove River, up to...
where he built one of Australia’s iconic houses the ‘The Fombertaux house’.
In the same year of the houses completion, Fombertaux was offered a position in the office of Le Corbusier
Le Corbusier
Charles-Édouard Jeanneret, better known as Le Corbusier , was a Swiss-born French architect, designer, urbanist, writer and painter, famous for being one of the pioneers of what now is called modern architecture. He was born in Switzerland and became a French citizen in 1930...
, but never returned to France to take the offer.
Jean Fombertaux had a son, Andre Fombertaux, who for most of his life has lived and worked on Fombertaux house.
Architecture
Jean Fombertaux was raised in a pokey and dim federation era house his style of architecture was in revolt to these kind of environments and was heavily influenced by Frank lloyd WrightFrank Lloyd Wright
Frank Lloyd Wright was an American architect, interior designer, writer and educator, who designed more than 1,000 structures and completed 500 works. Wright believed in designing structures which were in harmony with humanity and its environment, a philosophy he called organic architecture...
and Alvar Aalto
Alvar Aalto
Hugo Alvar Henrik Aalto was a Finnish architect and designer. His work includes architecture, furniture, textiles and glassware...
. Fombertaux's style has been likened to that of Harry Seidler
Harry Seidler
Harry Seidler, AC OBE was an Austrian-born Australian architect who is considered to be one of the leading exponents of Modernism's methodology in Australia and the first architect to fully express the principles of the Bauhaus in Australia.Harry Seidler designed more than 180 buildings and he...
, who he collaborated with their entry to the Sydney Opera House
Sydney Opera House
The Sydney Opera House is a multi-venue performing arts centre in the Australian city of Sydney. It was conceived and largely built by Danish architect Jørn Utzon, finally opening in 1973 after a long gestation starting with his competition-winning design in 1957...
competition.
Notable Projects
Fombertaux HouseThe Fombertaux house was designed by Jean Fombertaux in 1966 and is located on the sandstone
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
ledges of Sydney’s North Shore. Fombertaux designed the house as his own family home, and lived there with his wife and children from 1966 until his death in 1976.
Fombertaux’s proposal was an open and transparent environment with openings in walls to create a visual connection between rooms inside. He also incorporated large floor to ceiling windows to tie the sunlight and surrounds into the house.
The house is constructed of 16 slender steel columns laid out in a grid. The floors are a series of concrete
Concrete
Concrete is a composite construction material, composed of cement and other cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag cement, aggregate , water and chemical admixtures.The word concrete comes from the Latin word...
slabs that spiral upwards, defining the differently programmed areas of the house. A light well runs down the centre of the house which contains a staircase that connects all three levels.
The house was not completed to its original design at the time of construction, due to financial limitations. Less durable steel was used in construction, and eaves were left off, among other things. Due to local council regulations, no major modifications may be made to the house which has created difficulties for family wanting to complete the project to its original state.
The house is still in the possession of the Fombertaux family. Jeans son, Andre Fombertaux, currently occupies and works on the house.