A Midcentury Jean Prouvé Prefab on the French Riviera Asks $7.5M
Villa Dollander—the only beachfront property ever built by the acclaimed French constructeur and prefab proponent Jean Prouvé—has hit the market for $7,500,000. The hefty price tag reflects the property’s architectural pedigree and prime location in Lavandou, overlooking Saint Clair Beach and the Mediterranean Sea.
Set on a concrete slab, the prefabricated villa was constructed from 1949 to 1951.
The south-facing villa opens up to views of the water and a 0.6-acre elevated Mediterranean garden.
Fronted with floor-to-ceiling glazing with a minimalist steel frame, the beachfront villa was built using the axial portico construction system Prouvé developed in 1946. The entire house—save for the exposed stone back walls—was prefabricated in parts at factories in Maxéville, transported via rail, and then assembled on-site.
Steel tubes form the exterior supporting columns, giving the home a sense of lightness.
Bamboo soffits lend a warm and tactile feel to the home. The extended roof helps protect against unwanted solar gain.
While Prouvé took charge of construction, his brother, architect Henri Prouvé, handled the drawings for the 818-square-foot villa, which was commissioned by Roger Dollander and his family.
An open-plan living/dining room is located in the heart of the home. Terra-cotta tiles line the floors, while exposed stone was used for the rear wall (not pictured).
The kitchen, located off to the side of the living/dining area, was one of the last spaces added to the home.
The Prouvé brothers organized the prefab’s living spaces within a "day area" measuring six meters square. A "night area" measuring three by ten meters holds three bedrooms and a shared bath. The two separate units are connected by covered walkways.
The home is built around a central structural beam constructed from folded sheet metal.
U-shaped steel porticos support the steel spine.
The home remains largely faithful to the original design, although it features upgraded appliances and the former garage has been transformed into a detached three-bedroom, two-bath guesthouse.
The primary bedroom is surrounded by large windows on two sides.
All three bedrooms of Villa Dollander face views of the garden and sea. The wood batten interior walls were also prefabricated in a factory.
The guesthouse comes with an expansive living/dining area and a kitchen.
A look inside one of the three bedrooms in the guesthouse.
Luxury villa Le Lavandou is now being listed by Côte d'Azur Sotheby's International Realty for 6,360,000€. See the full listing here.
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