At the beginning of the 1900’s, Guadeloupe underwent a transformation. After being hit by a natural disaster, a few notable architects used their creativity and new, modern ideas to reconstruct and rebuild the island. Three architects who lead these changes were Alí Tur, André Bruyére and Gérard Michel Corbin.

Alí Tur

The foundation of the rebuilding process of Guadeloupe was started by Alí Tur in the last quarter of 1928 after a tornado hit. As most of the previous structures were made of wood not suited to withstand the strong winds of the storm, Tur was commissioned to redesign and rebuild the government buildings on the island. Between 1929 and 1937, he oversaw the construction of not only governmental buildings but a fleet of over a hundred new buildings including schools, police stations, courts, homes, memorials, markets and more. Tur’s goal was to design buildings that complimented the climate and weather. Thus, the building material of choice was to use reinforced concrete instead of wood. Other innovative ideas included slatted shutters and elevating buildings so the ground floors of buildings were well above ground. Tur’s style and rules of architecture for the rebuilding of Guadeloupe have been influential in sustainable design and development today.

Gérard Michel Corbin

Gérard Michel Corbin (1905-1975), a Guadeloupean native, also made an impact on the new modernist ways of architecture on the island. Corbin designed public buildings such as the bank of Guadeloupe, as well as designing private homes and estates; he also worked with Tur on a few projects. When hired to rebuild private homes, he combined the new modern ideas with the old creating a unique and sturdy style.

André Bruyére

In the early 1960’s, French architect André Bruyére came on the scene in Guadeloupe. Using the influences of his predecessors, he was part of the modernist movement on the island. Many buildings built during the reconstruction are preserved and used today, such as Bruyére’s Caravelle Hotel, now Club Méditerranée (pictured above), the hotel I had the pleasure of staying at while visiting Guadeloupe.

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