Maison Tropicale Up For Auction

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed)
May 26th 2007 at 4:03PM

I'm late to the party on this one, various bloggers have called attention to the upcoming auction of Maison Tropicale, a unique structure currently sitting on stilts under the Queens side of the Queensboro Bridge. The Maison Tropicale was built in 1951 by French designer Jean Prouvè and was built in Brazzaville, the capital of Belgian Congo. The house was originally shipped overseas in giant containers. Now the piece is up for sale along with with other pieces of 20th century art on June 5 at Christie's New York.

Viewing of the house is going on May 17 through June 4 at Silvercup West. The Maison has no plumbing and is wired for electricity. It ships in six containers and measures 59-foot-by-32-foot–by-16-foot-tall. It has a double aluminum roof and two internal steel axial porticos with four walls comprised of aluminum facade panels, some pieced with blue glass portholes. The estimate for the house is between $4 million and $6 million.

[via Queens Tribune]

Tags: christies, jean prouve, maison tropicale, MaisonTropicale, new york, NewYork, queens