Marcel Gascoin
| Marcel Gascoin | |
|---|---|
Gascoin in 1962
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| Born |
24 August 1907 Le Havre, France |
| Died | 29 October 1986 (aged 79) Paris, France |
| Nationality | French |
| Occupation | Designer |
| Known for | Furniture sets |
Marcel Gascoin (24 August 1907 – 29 October 1986) was a designer who specialized in modular storage units and sets of matching furniture. He played a major role in the emergence of French design after World War II (1939–45). Several of Gascoin's apprentices went on to distinguished careers as designers in their own right.
Marcel Gascoin was born on 24 August 1907 in Le Havre. His father and grandfather were both mariners, and from a young age he was interested in the precision of a boat's interior design. He studied as an interior decorator at the École nationale supérieure des arts décoratifs. His teacher Henri Sauvage interested him in the search for a new architecture for public housing. He also trained at the Ecole des beaux-arts du Havre as a carpenter and cabinet maker. Gascoin exhibited for the first time in 1930 at the Union des artistes modernes (UAM) at the recommendation of the well-known architect and designer Robert Mallet-Stevens. In 1934 he collaborated with Jean Prouvé in a craft competition to design a practical and aesthetically pleasing boat cabin. In 1936 he submitted school furniture in a UAM competition.
In 1945 Gascoin founded Comera, the COmpagnie des MEubles RAtionnels, which became Comera Cuisines, specializing in kitchen design. Gascoin developed the innovative concept of modular storage units that could fit together to make optimal use of available space. Comera Cuisines expanded steadily in the 1960s and 1970s, and in the 1980s began selling in other countries, particularly the United Kingdom. The company continued to sell fitted kitchens in the 21st century.
In the period of recovery and reconstruction after World War II (1939–45) there was high demand for reasonably priced home products. There was increased interest in using new methods and materials for mass production of furniture. Manufacturers of materials such as formica, plywood, aluminum, and steel sponsored the salons of the Société des artistes décorateurs. Designers who exhibited their experimental work at the salons in this period included Jacqueline Lecoq, Antoine Philippon, René-Jean Caillette, Joseph-André Motte, Jean Prouvé, Charlotte Perriand and Pierre Guariche. Lecoq, Philippon, Motte, and Guariche all worked for Gascoin's studio.
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