Villa Cavrois

At the turn of the 1930s, Paul Cavrois, a wealthy spinner from Roubaix, wanted to build a modern house in Croix, near Roubaix, which stood out from the habits of his environment.

As a textile industrialist, aware of technical progress, Paul Cavrois was undoubtedly sensitive to Robert Mallet-Stevens' quest for modernity. Then, when he saw the buildings of Mallet-Stevens in Paris or when the latter made him discover the Hôtel-de-ville of Dudok in Hilversum (Netherlands) covered with yellow briquettes, he was reassured by this both avant-garde and classic.

This relationship of trust is reflected in the dedication of Mallet-Stevens to Paul and Lucie Cavrois in the work published after the construction of the villa, “La Demeure 1934” : " To Mr. and Mrs. Cavrois who allowed me, thanks to their foresight, their contempt for routine and their enthusiasm, to realize this residence".

What interested Paul Cavrois was that Mallet-Stevens offered him a very modern house in its forms (search for geometric precision, roof terraces), in its relationship to light and in the best technology could offer to the time (central heating, elevator, radiophony everywhere integrated into the walls, vacuum suction). The Villa Cavrois marks in a certain way the history of modernity built in France, in 1932.

The history of Villa Cavrois is marked by many vicissitudes: abandoned, vandalized, promised to bulldozers, it was finally classified as a historical monument in 1990 and bought by the State in 2001.

The Center des monuments nationaux began its restoration in 2003. The opening of the construction site to the public, during the European Heritage Days in 2013, attracted 26,000 visitors.

The restoration work is completed and the Villa Cavrois opens its doors to the public on June 13, 2015.

This qualifier of total work of art is explained by the total mastery of the project by Robert Mallet-Stevens, including the garden, but also the interior decoration and the entirely designed furniture.

The Villa Cavrois is exceptional in its design, in its realization. Not a detail has escaped the construction of the whole. Everything obeys a single thought. Every detail has been thought out by Mallet-Stevens, not only the architecture, but also its orientation, the design of the paths.

This creation is a reproduction preserving all proportions of the villa, at 1-200 scale and is based on the different plans of the villa built between 1929 and 1932.

Number of parts : 2082

Length: 48 studs - 38.4cm

Width: 24 studs - 19.2cm

Height: 15.6cm

Younger, I studied at the school of architecture located not far from Villa Cavrois. As a student, I immersed myself in the archives of Mallet-Stevens. Became an architect and AFOL, today, it is a real pleasure for me to present this model to you. There are few month, This creation was able to be presented at the LEGO® Store in Lille and had met with great success in its window.