A one-off commission for Parisian architect Georges Debrie, in partnership with engineer Georges Pierron, L'Ubayette was completed in 1903.
Built along the Allée des Dames for Henri Proal, a former merchant in Mexico City, the villa stands out from contemporary buildings due to its sobriety bordering on severity and its resemblance to a multitude of pavilions in the Paris suburbs.
Here, the originality lies in the exaltation of a single material, stone. L'Ubayette is thus the only villa to use stone for the structural work, mouldings and ornamentation, foregoing all other decorative elements often found in the valley, such as ceramics, woodwork, stained glass or ironwork. The varied use of stone – rough, smooth, cut and rustic – accentuates the independent character of this architecture, whose severity is reinforced by the narrow windows, which seem to want to combat the harsh mountain climate.
The exclusive choice of stone and its use could be a pre-regionalist attempt by an architect from outside the region, informed by the theory of rationalist truth in architecture.
While the ornate fireplaces adorning the interiors of the villas are made of marble, or more rarely onyx, using a mass production process, the large fireplace in the dining room of L'Ubayette is a unique work, made of walnut.
The monumental freestanding fireplace occupies the entire height of the wall up to the ceiling, in the style of medieval fireplaces.
Two fluted Corinthian columns form the jambs, supporting a heavily moulded mantelpiece. The hood, decorated with a grotesque mask and fire pots, is crowned by a Gothic-inspired canopy. For this particularly ambitious project, the artist did not hesitate to mix styles: a Gothic canopy, Renaissance jambs and mantelpiece, Mannerist decoration on the hood and classical decoration on the fireplace opening, the embers guard and the copper andirons. This fireplace is a fine example of the eclectic style that also characterises the furniture and interior décor, contrasting sharply with the severity of the exterior architecture.
Since 1978, the villa has housed the services of the Barcelonnette sub-prefecture.
Here, the originality lies in the exaltation of a single material, stone. L'Ubayette is thus the only villa to use stone for the structural work, mouldings and ornamentation, foregoing all other decorative elements often found in the valley, such as ceramics, woodwork, stained glass or ironwork. The varied use of stone – rough, smooth, cut and rustic – accentuates the independent character of this architecture, whose severity is reinforced by the narrow windows, which seem to want to combat the harsh mountain climate.
The exclusive choice of stone and its use could be a pre-regionalist attempt by an architect from outside the region, informed by the theory of rationalist truth in architecture.
While the ornate fireplaces adorning the interiors of the villas are made of marble, or more rarely onyx, using a mass production process, the large fireplace in the dining room of L'Ubayette is a unique work, made of walnut.
The monumental freestanding fireplace occupies the entire height of the wall up to the ceiling, in the style of medieval fireplaces.
Two fluted Corinthian columns form the jambs, supporting a heavily moulded mantelpiece. The hood, decorated with a grotesque mask and fire pots, is crowned by a Gothic-inspired canopy. For this particularly ambitious project, the artist did not hesitate to mix styles: a Gothic canopy, Renaissance jambs and mantelpiece, Mannerist decoration on the hood and classical decoration on the fireplace opening, the embers guard and the copper andirons. This fireplace is a fine example of the eclectic style that also characterises the furniture and interior décor, contrasting sharply with the severity of the exterior architecture.
Since 1978, the villa has housed the services of the Barcelonnette sub-prefecture.
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