Opero orhitecturol6 o lui Morcel loncu (1 895 - I 984), desi solutotd de contemporoni co premergdloore o curentului modernist in Romdnio interbelicd,

o rdmos inexplicobil in umbro foimei sole de plosticion. Acest topt este porodoxol, deoorece tocmoi imbinoreo oclivilofii de plosticion si orhitecl confe16 unicitote oportului lui loncu lo introducereo modernismului in
RomOnio
.

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 combinotion ond lhe mutuol influence between his Mo octivities thot confer the uniqueness of Jonco's contribution to Romonion modernism' Among the orchilecis of his generotion, such os Horio Creongd ond G M Contocuzino, who like him hove odopted ond put into proctice the principles o[ modern orchileclure, MorcelJonco occupies o singulor position in whot concerns both his troining ond the orchiteclure he creoled Most of the young orchitects of the inter-wor period beqon 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 neulrol Switzerlond. There he met some of the most imporloni represenfotives of the internotionol ovonlgorde wiih whom 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 oheod o[ his generotion proved to be o disodvontoge becouse lhe Romonion public wos noi prepored to understond ond occepi lhe rodicol chonges brought by modern

ilARCEl IAilCU.
ANT'I'ECT Anca Bocdnet

ilINCE1JTIUCO ANCHI'EC'

inlre colegii de generotie core ou odoptot si procticol principiile orhitecturii moderne, co de exemplu Horio Creongd si G.M Contocuzino, Morcel loncu ocupd o poziiie singuloro, otOt din punci de vedere ol pregdtirii cot si ol orhitecturii pe core o creot-o loncu 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 conservotivo Ecole des Beoux Arls din Poris. in Elvetio neulrd, loncu intdlneste pe unii din cei moi de seom6 reprezentonli oi ovongordei internotionole oldturi de core porlicipd lo miscoreo dodoisto. Nici un oll orhitect romdn din epocd nu vo veni otOt de timpurlu si de directin legolurd cu miscoreo de ovongordd inlernoiionold Revine in foro in I 922, unde insd, ovontoiul intdietolii se inloorce impokivo so, societoteo romOneoscd ne[iind pregotito so inteleogd si sd occepte schimboreo ot0l de rodico16 odus6 de principiile orhitecturii moderne. Primir comonditori dispusi sd-i deo mono Iibero ii
intolneste obio in
I

926-27,

cOnd conskuieste cele dintdi

cose modernisle in Bucuresti. intoorcereo colegilor beoux-ortisti,

lo

sfOrsitul onilor

doudzeci, coincide cu oporilio unui context inlelectuol si economic fovorobil, ce [oce co primele lor lucrdri moderniste so oib6 un impoci moi more si moi pozitiv osupro publicului, scutindu-i de neintelegereo si de ,,hohotul botiocurii", cu core fusese confruntot loncu.

orchilecture 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 return of lhe "beoux-orls" orchitects ot the end o[ Ihe ,1920s the coincides 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 "mockery" of Jonco lock o[ understond in the eorly yeors of the posl. Itwos olso Morcel Jonco who must toke credit lor the first oltempls of spreoding lhe ideos of modern orchitecture in Romonio. From his Zilrich yeors, lonco hod experience in toking o stond by expressing ond publishing his belieI in monifestos. ln Buchoresi he continued lo publish, becoming the most prolific proponent of the ideos o[ modern orchitecture in o climote in which the orchitects who shored his ideos hod dedicoted themselves olmost exclusively to building ond showed linle interest in theory

nuo ocest ideilor orh

core ii sivitole

moi prolific propov6duilor ol

e, intr-un climotin core colegii s-ou ocupot oproope in exclu-

de teorie. Arhitecluro lui Morcel loncu n cipiilor dogmotice ole moderni o ocestoro in porolel cu urmori o sintezei orhitecturii cu ortele plostice
ARHITECT SI PLASTICIAN

imp de

De lo intoorcereo in toro 5i pdno in 1941 , cdnd emigreozd in Polestino, Morcel loncu vo construi oproximol'iv polruzeci de clodiri, in coloborore cu froiele sdu juliu loncu (l 896- 1985), orhitect co si el Din nefericire, din couzo lipsei de dote este foorte greu sd se reconstituie modul de lucru si contributio individuolo o celor doi orhitecti lo proiectele lor comune Din mdrturio fomiliei reiese cd ou coloborot foorle strdns, Morcel ocupdn-

Jonco's orchileclure wos noi conceived os o monlfesto o[ rhe dogmotic principles of modern orchiteclure. He felt free lo odopt oniy whotsuited him, occording to his bellef ln the synthesis ol orchitecture with the [ine orts.
ARCHITECT AND FINE ARTIST .l94 From his return lo Romonio in 1922 until I , when he emigroted to Polestine, MorcelJonco buill obout forty

houses wilh his brother, the orchiteci luliu loncu

{

886- 1 985)

Unfortunotely, lock o[ in[ormotion mokes

du-se

in speciol de porteo creotivo si luliu de porleo proctico o ociivitolii lor'. .inCercetoreo operel orhlieciurole o lrolilor loncu esie
greunoi6 de o serie de piedici: pierdereo, probobil cjefinilivd, o orhivej biroului, dotele loorte reduse si vogi mentlonoie in lileroiuro exisienld sl [optul co cei doi orhitecti, ne[inolizondu-si sludiile printro diplomo, nu ou ovut
multd 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 conslruil pentru iotol sou, Hermon loncu, in str Irinitotii sr .in core vo locui loncu pono in l93l Trei lotogro[ii ole ocesiei 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 conluzre intre cele douo clodiriin ceeo ce privesle odreso .in si dotoreo precum si revendicoreo olributului de ,,primo" clodire moderno din Bucuresii Conslruite lo un on diferento, imobiiul loncu si vilo Fuchs se deosebesc olOl co strucluro cot si co limbol formol Despre ombele se poote spune, ins6, c6 suni corocleristice pentru orhiteciuro lui Morcel loncu -si co initiozo doud curente de exprimore orh teciuro16 in primo esle moi vizibil Morce loncu plosticionul, in o douo orhitectul Elemente corocteristice din ombele clodlri vor fi reluoie moi lorzlu, seporot sou imbinole, co mrilooce de expresie in oproope loole clodiri]e lmobilu din str Triniidti , cu porter, dou6 etoie si monsordd, esle o clddire ciudoto, un bloc lomo cu cele potru fotode de ungime inego o. Fotodo principolo, de lo strodo, curbot6 dotorii6 regimului de oliniere impus, este un odevdrot exerciliu ploslic reolizot oloi prin modenoturd cOt si prin cromotico Cele o ie irei foiode sunt in schimb oproope oorbe. Clodireo este inegol6 co inoltime, lungimeo lotodei [iind bolonsoto de un occeni vertico in extremitoteo slongo Aici imobilul este moi inolt, onsordo cu ocoperis plot, in timp joosd. se lermino cu un ocoperi> ce re in po Dou6 den veldri verico e, sopote

it difllcult to know exoctly whot their individuol conirbution to their projecis wos According lo recolleclions of he [omily, the Wo brothers olwoys colloboroled closely, Morcel espec olly responsible lor the design ond tul;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 litero ture dedicoied lo this subject, ond lhe [oct thot the two brolhers did not hove the rrght to sign their proiects for quite o ong time, since they hod not conciuded their studies with o diplomo project Not until 1933, when the "Corpt l Arhitectilor Romoni" (Body ol: Romonion Architecls) come into being, did MorcelJonco officiolly register os "recogn zed orchiiect", o title given io orchilecls without o diplomo but with oi ieost ten yeors of octivity in the pro[ession:'. The eor iest buiiding thot con be positively ottributed to Morcellonco dotes to 1925 -26 lt is o house finonced by his lother, Hermon ]onco ond built on his property in Strodo Trinilotii, where Morcel .Jonco lived unlil 193 I The ovonl-gorde mogozine " Conftmpotonul" ,lor which.lonco served os ortistic director, pub ished three photogrophs of this building on the cover ol Cctober I 926 issue, wilh the commenl: "Modern conslruclion

Ay"
villo

by Morcel .Jonco"

conI

lwo er ond olternotely given the title o{ the "firsl" modern bullding 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's

orchileclure, iniholrng traro trends ol expression in his work. The lormer seems to be more the creoiion o[ lhe fine ortist, the lotter ihot oI the orchitect Chorocterisiic elements from eoch ol these two houses would be loter reused, seporoiely or togeiher. os meons of expression n olmost oll his buildinq The building in Strodo Triniiotii consists of o ground floor,

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

lwo upper [loors ond o gorrei ll is o stronge, lonq ond norrow building, with oll [our [ocodes oI di[[erent
lengths The bock ond side focodes ore olmost b,lind,

Sirooo lr rrrlot , Buchorest

Vo

Iucirs, slr Negustol, Bur:rrestr 192l VllJo Fuchs, Slrooo Neguslor Buclr lr es

odon

fotodei, morcheozo diferento de

inoltime si occentueozd curburo clodirii Aceste denr veldri, co si formele geometrice ole bolconului sl bovindoulur, osezote osimetric si oporenl lo intomplore, confero ptosricitore lotodei

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

ing is lower ond crowned by o sloping rool lwo deep veriicol grooves mork this di[{erence in leve , whlch colncldes with o curve in the [ocode, due to the oiionment of lhe street Togeiher with the geometrc lormi of rhe osymmetr colly ploced bolcony ond bowwindow, they 6enlsr plosticiry ro the focooe .lonco hos divided the focode rn surfoces oIcolour ]-le hos 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 oproope oorbe, sugereozo un bloc de lemn pe core s-o oplicot
un relieI

lmobilul loncu ore cdte un oportoment pe fiecore etoi, monsordo liind initiol destinotd co otelier de picturo Aporlomentele, cu o suprolold de 80 m'ou oimpdrtire interioord troditionold, cu distribulie centro16, conlin6nd un mic holl de inlrore, sufrogerie, birou, dormitor, boie si buc6tdrle loncu 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. 84 oi revistei ,,Confimporc:nul" din noiembrie 1929

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, suggests o wooden block on which o relief hos been opplied.
The Jonco building hos on oporlmenl on eoch floor, the

Docd in imobilul din strodo Trinitdtii, preocuporeo

pentru expresio plostico detine intdieloteo si door simplitoleo generold o clodirii o opropie de orhitecturo moderno, in vilo Fuchs volumul orhitecturol si distribulio spotiului interior onuni6 mult moi clor principiile orhilecturii

moderne

Vilo Fuchs, din sir Negustori, consiruit6 in 1927, inougureoz6 serio de ,,cutii olbe", cose unifomiliole, cu porter, etoj si monsordd Cubul formot de perefii exteriori ore supro[efele intreruple de plonuri relrose sou in suplomba, de supropuneri, elc. Bolconul plosot centrol, ce iese pulernic din plonul fotodei principole, ferestrele orizontole osezote osimetric, geomurile rolunde si bolustrodele 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 ,]929 de vile remorcobile conslruite intre 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 generolo ololurl de elemente co: ocoperis plot, teroso-logie lo ultimul etoi, [erestre de col1, reglsire orizontole de geomuri divizole in moduli verlicoli, scoro interioord

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 ond no longer existenl, ond the unidentified villo which wos published in "Contimporonu/" in November 1929 uilding 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 orchiteclure The Fuchs villo in Strodo Negustori, built in I 927,inougurotes 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 overlopping plones. 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 window ln the group inltioied by the Fuchs villo, we con olso count
the Lombru house in Strodo Popo Sovu, designed in

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 folodele

olbe cu tencuieli pulernic texlurole, precum penlru esteticd
si cu

olterndri

de suprofete lise si rugoose in oceeosi preocupore

Ceeo ce deosebeste in speciol oceste vile de primele
cose (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

ond the ,l93series of remorkoble villos built betueen 1: Chopier in Bulevordul Grol lp6tescu, Wexler ond in Skodo Gr Moro, Chihoescu ln Soseouo Kiseleff, llutzo in Strodo Olori ond luster in Strodo Silveslru They ore oll 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, corner windows, ribbon windows subdivided in verticol moduli, inferior stoircose expressed in the focode by o lorge stoined-gloss window, goroge incorporoted in ihe semlbosemenl etc Nevertheless, these houses olso show differences, os well os o tendency over time towords o greoter simplicily 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 composition, the windows ore first grouped together ond then osymmeiricolly ploced in the focode, giving o more orderly impression. Renouncing colour schemes for the

l92B .l929
Coso.luster, slr Silveslru, Bucuresti, 193 I luster House, Strodo Silvestru
Buchoresl

exterior 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
De lo stingo lo dreopto hom lelt to righl Coso Chop er, Slr Grol lpatescu, Bucuresti,

1929 Chopier House,

Strodo Grol lpolescu, Buchoresl
Vilo Wexler, slr Bucuresti, 193 I

Gr Moro.

Wexler Villo. Skodo

Buchorest

Gr Moro.

EE

se1nolla pe douo eloie, cu sco16 inleriooro si go erie in 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 izoloie in 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 dintre veriicolo 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 cu holL, 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 proiectele 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 ortelor ploslice cu orhilecturo o [osl unu din crezurle timpurir .inco ole ui Morcel loncu, lormulot de o ZLirich, dor pe core o reusit so I puno cei moi bine in oplicore in RomOnio Aproope fiecore coso construilo de Morcel loncu 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 Chihoescu De 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 orhi lecturo de inlerior creotd de loncu, in core functionolismul se imb,ind cu [ontezio decoroliei. ,, un lnterior bine compus, rolonol imporlit cu juslo uiilizore o spotiulur,
,

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

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 built

oporimenl 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 elements oI o greot simplicity Oy which .]onco obtoins on utmosl plostic e[[ect Big 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 overloprng

plones of the [ocode ond the verlicol bor ol the boy wlndows in which originole lhe bolconies As [or the interior distribution oI the oportmenls, os rn the cose o[ the vi]los, lonco odopts o compromise belween 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 swimming pool 11929), the Suchord povillon (1926) ot the TOrgu Mosilor (on onnuol foir in Buchoresl) ond the Popper sonolorium ( 1936) in Predeol The building technique used by the Jonco brothers in oll lheir projects is thol o[ o concrete slructure [illed in with mosonry

hE
mot:rlul C oro loncu slr

-t

Colmo er, Bucuresir, 193 I Cioro ioncu t,ur d ng, Strodo Co rroler, Buchorest
rnobil in str Pictor Si Iuch on, Bucuresli I 935 louse in Strodo Plctor St Luchion
Buc

GESAMIKUNST
One ol the eorliest beliels formed by Morce Jonco wos ihe necessily of o synihesis ol lhe orts, integrolinq orchi teclure with lhe fine orls Thrs rdeo, olreody [ormuloted

during his Zrlrich yeors, -lonco put rnio proctice

rn

lroresl

Romonio where olmosl every house he built hod o con neclion with ort. In some coses, lonco oppeoled to orlist lriends. Bos relieis by Milito Pelroscu, o well-known Romonion sculplress, con still be seen ol lhe entronce of 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

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 de

teofru lmbinoreo ocesior doud conlrozicdtoore

Biroui redocliei'Conlirnporonu
Bucuresli, c 192324 Edilorrol office oI 'Conlimporonul" Buchoresl

si

stoge director ond critic Sondu Eliod published on orticle in the mogozine "Foclo" in which he proised the interror orchileclure o[ Morcel .]onco, especiolly ils combinolion o[ [unclionolism ond neorly theotricol decorolion: "on inlerior well pul iogether, rotionolly divided with o iudicious use of spoce, wilh o sober colour scheme lhol is neverlheless full oI lonlosy A house designed lor the

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

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

H cu o sole

potr
tive,

to this duoliiy thot he owes his originolity"'. MorcelJonco's intervenlions in the interior of his buildinqs 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 fontosy Old photogrophs ollow u composition principle: lorge opplied to the wolls independ oI orchitecturol detoils, continu ceiling, oround the corners ond overlopping one onother. This method brlngs with it on eflect of demoteriolizing the orchitecture Similor experimenls in opplying colour 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{ oportment 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 feoture 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, we con 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 consistency with which he equips every house with bookshelves, cupboords, benches, bors, fireploces etc, ond the ing+

vorbo de suprofete mori de culoore core, ignor6nd delimitorile elementelor orhilecturole irecond de pe
pereti pe lovon, continudndu-se pesie colturi, supropundndu-se independent de orhitecturo, ou efectul de demoteriolizore o ocesleio Experimente similore in oplicoreo de scheme de culoore in inierioore ou focui, in codrul curenlului ,,De Sti1l", Theo von Doesburg si Vilmos Huszor lo incepulul onilor dou6,reci Ferestre 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 prezinld similitudlni cu compozitiile curenlului ,,De Sti1l" Exemple se gosesc in cosele Chopier, Chihdescu, Wexler. Al doileo tip il formeozo [erestrele oso zise jivrote, cu sou fdro tromo orlogonold, in core supro[ete opoce si lronsporenie olcoiuiesc molive cubisle Acesf gen de geomuri nu este folosit door de loncu in Bucurestiul interbelic, dor foptul co [eresirele iivrote ce opor in cosele lui reproduc motive din piciuro lui ne indreptdtesle o crede cd ou fosl creole de el speciol pentru oceste interioore Vikoliul din coso llutzo relu6nd motivul mondolinei esle concludenl Mobilierul incorporot 'in zid esfe de osemeneo folosit si de olti orhitecti oi vremii, dor lo Morcel loncu impresioneoz6 consecvento cu core inzestreozd [iecore cosd cu etojere, dulopuri, bonchete, boruri, seminee etc sl ingeniozitoteo cu core folosesie fiecore bucot6 de spotiu De o simpliiote exirem6, mobilierul integrof in

lnlerior dln vilo Hossner. slr Piclor scovescu Bucuresli. 1937 Villo l-1ossner, Strodo Pictor lscovescu, Buchorest

zid

- in speciol

eloiere din ipsos ormol cu lemn -

modeleozo zidul si il onimd cu iocuri de lumind si umbro Nu trebuiesc uitote e emenle co usi din metol cu molive cubisle, de exemplu lo coso Mihoescu din Buzou, sou perell decoroti cu bucoti t6iote de oglindO, co lo borul din vilo llutzo Fotogro[ii de epocd, pdstrole in orhivo [omiliei loncu, ou imortolizol inierioore extrem de moderne o cdror prezenld in Bucurestii onilor douozeci poote nu om fi

motifs forged in metol, such os the enlronce door of the Mihoescu house in Buzou, or wolls decoroied with broken 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

bonuit-o niciodotd. Desi nu se pot foce olirmotii cotegorice, este totusi plouzibil co loncu so li ovizot in mobilo,.o cu lotolii cubiste, mobilier de metol etc. TEORETICIAN
Lo sforsitul onului 1924 9i inceputul lui 1925, loncu incepe o odevorotd componie de propogore 9i popu-

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 nevertheless possible thotJonco odvised how certoin houses were to be furnished, with such things os cubisl eosy choirs ond steel furniture.

o ideilor orhilecturii moderne in revisto orticole si ilustroii de studii ,,Conlmporonul, core publico .l925 un numdr intreg esle de orhitecluro. ln lebruorie dedicot ,,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",in core loncu oplic6 poote pentru primo oord semne de culoore si scrisuri. Regulot, vor fi publicote in onii urmdtori cele moi interesonle conslruciii ole biroului loncu. 'l Tot in 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
lorizore

At the end ol lg2l ond the beginning ol 1925 Morcel Jonco slorled o true compoign of propogoling the concepts of modern orchitecture, publishing orticles ond illuslrotions o[ orchitecturol studies in "Contimporonu/" The Februory I 925 issue (no. 53 -54) is enlirely dedicoted to "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 mogozine " 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 regulorly
,

THEORETICIAN

wroie
teclurii moderne, loncu insislOnd in speciol osupro importontei plonului co generotor ol volumului Alte idei ce ioloneozo teorio lui loncu sunt preluole de lo Hilberseimer: origineo innoirilor din orhitectu16 in revolutio din ortele plostice si onume in cubism si conslructivism, 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 modernd, 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 hortie Desi oudiento publicofiilor prin core loncu inceorcd sd 16spOndeosco principiile orhilecturii moderne rdmdne probobil relotlv micd, oso cum s-o intOmplot in cozul moioritdiii moni[est6rilor ovongordei, ideile propogote de loncu isi gdsesc rdsunel lo orhiiectii din oceeogi generotie, cu preocupori similore G M Conlocuzino, core ol6turi de loncu esie unul din pufinii orhitecti core se ocupd si de leorie, desi de olto ,l93 foclurd, ii scrie ocesluio in I o scrisoore remorcdnd loudotivin ocliviloleo lui loncu [onotismul premergdtorului, ol celui dintOi ,,core o intors in oceostd foro spolele unei mentolitdli obosite si slerile"s NOTE Articolul de fotd inceorcd s6 puncteze door cOlevo ospecte corocteristice orhiteciurii lui Morcel loncu 2 Seiwert, llorry, Morcel Jonco, Verlog Peter Long, Fronkfurt om Moin, 1993, p 393-94 3 Arhivele dispun de desene semnote de Morcel loncu

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 current 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 generolor o[ the volume. Severol ideos, odopted lrom L Hilberseimer, oulline Jonco's theory: the origin of ihe renewols in orchitecture con be troced bock to fhe revolution in the fine orts, nomely to cubism ond constructrvism; fine orls ond orchitecture shore similor principles o[ composilion, ond so on.

oll ovonlgorde monifestotions, they reoched the orchrtects of his generotion who hod similor concerns where they found o worm response G M. Contocuzino wos, ofter MorcelJonco, one of the few Romonion orchilecis who took on interest in theory. ln 193 I he wrote o let ler lo.lonco in which he soluted whoihe colled the lonoti

cism of this forerunner, ]he first orchiiect "who hos turned his bock, in this country, on o lired ond sterile
meniolity"s. Eng/ish version

by Anco Bocdnet

02

door penku perioodo 1934-39. Din oceostd couzd, bozo de plecore pentru reconstituireo operei hoiilor loncu o reprezint6 fotogrofiile de epocd, publicote in periodicele culturole ole-vremii sou p6skote in orhivo [omiliei loncu lo Tel Aviv. li multumesc d-nei Dodi.]onco pentru spriiinul neintrerupt in oceosld cercetore De osemeneo ii sunt extrem de recunosc6toore d-nei Monico Vieru pentru generozitoteo cu core mi-o pus lo dispozifie toote in[ormoiiile pe core le delineo de lo Morcel loncu si din olle surse

NOTES I This orticle fries to pointout only o lew feotures which ore chorocteristic o[ Morcel Jonco's orchileclure. 2. Seiwert, Horry, Morcel Jonco, Verlog Peter Long, Fronkfurt om Moin, 1993, p 393-394. 3 The orchives confoin Morcel .,|onco's'orchilecturol

drowingsjoncoonlyfrom the period 1 934- I 939 Thus, the bosis for reconstructing the work of the Jonco brothers wos old photogrophs published in the cuhurol mog-

b-dul Hristo Botev {1934), str Ddniceni (1935), str Olteni (1937), str

lmobileie din str. Poleoloqu (1932),

Troion ( 1935).

5. lmobilele din str. Steleo Spotoru (1935), str. Pictor Luchion (1935?), str. Armeneosco {1936), str. Nic Golescu (1939) etc 6. lmobilele din str. St Luchion, str, Nic Golescu, B-dul Hristo Botev

ozines of he time or preserved in the orchive o[ the Jonco fomily I wont to thonk Mrs. DodiJonco for her unremilting support during ihis reseorch. I om olso exkemly grote ful to Mrs. Monico Vieru for the generosity with which she shored with me the knowledge she hos obtoined from M Jonco ond olher sources 4 The buildings in Skodo Poleologu llS32l, Bulevordul

Xl,l5 febr 1932, p.3

Sondu Eliod, ,,Arhrtecturo vremii", Foc/o nr

442/on

Hrisio Botev (1934), Strodo Doniceni {1935), Strodo Troion (l 935), Strodo Olteni ( I 937) 5. The buildings in Strodo Steleo Spotoru (1935), Srrodo Pictor Luchion (1935 ?), Strodo Armeneosco (1936),

8 G M. Contocuzino,

,,Scrisoore cdfre Morcel loncu" Contimporonul nr 96-97 -98, ion 193 1 , p.9- iO

Sirodo Nicoloe Golescu (1939) etc

The buildings in Strodo Pictor Luchion, Strodo

Nicoloe

Golescu ond Bulevordul Hristo Botev

7.Eliod, Sondu, "Arhfiecfurovremii", Foc/o nr. 442^l,l 5 Februory 1932, p 3 B Contocuzino, G M., "Scrisoore cdtre Morcel loncu" ( Letter to Morcel Jonco), Conlimporonu I nr. 96 -97 -98, lonuory 193 1, p 9- 10.