attitude that he transmitted while
discussing a project or while
cû
GUILLERMO JULLIAN DE LA FUENTE
(1931-20081
Guillermo Jullian obtained his
architect's degree in 1957 from the
Catholic university of Valparoiso
and left immediately for Europe,
seeking broader horizons. He had
one thing on his mind: he wanted
to work with Le Corbusiar, no
matter what. As we all know, he
not only worked with him, but
remained one of his last and closest
collaborators until 19Ó5, after
which Jullian remained in charge
of some of the atelier's unfinished
projects, the mast relevant one
being the Venice Hospital. At 34,
with this invaluable experience
behind him, Jullion started his own
recherche patiente for his
architectural expression. He learned
how ta be an architect in Paris,
under Le Corbusier's guidance, but
he knew how to draw his own
lines; not being openly critical of
his teacher, but always trying to go
a step forward.
During our student years at the
School of Architecture in Santiago
de Chile, Jullian become a sort of
myth. We looked up towards this
Chilean architect worked hand-in-
hand with Le Corbusier, and had
developed a strongly interesting
architecture. We took his projects
as sources of a true way of
creating architecture, stopping at
each detail ond leorning from it.
Coincidence led me to meet him on
the occasion of his travel to Chile
in 2003, to donate his archives
and give a workshop at the
Catholic University in Santiaga.
We started to collaborate on what
would be his last project, a house
on the coast of Chile that would
never be built, 1 had the
opportunity, in those months, of
witnessing the design process,
the slow rumination through which
the first lines turned into torn and
glued pieces of paper, and then
turned into architectural plans and
sections. In this process, I was
surprised by his humility and spirit
of collaboration, often asking us,
his young collaborators, to
comment on and criticize his work.
He honored me with his friendship,
his simplicity, and his love-for-life
* M * N°39
Saptambm SOO«
enjoying a glass of calvados, his
favorite drink from his Parisian
yeors. He enjoyed being
surrounded by students, as he felt
that teaching ond lecturing kept his
mind young ond alert, and he
never prevented himself from
making a joke during a conference,
no matter how serious and
scholarly it was. He was always
playing like a child, and he
enjoyed life to the very last.
Since 1958, when he left Valparaiso
to wander around Europe before
stepping into Le Corbusier's office,
Guillermo never stopped being
a traveler. He mode himself by
troveling, by the sheer condition
of being a foreigner, and he was
always very conscious of the
strength of strongeness in his work
and in his life. From 1965 to
the beginning of the 1980s, he
designed severol buildings for
the French state, the most relevant
being the embassies at Rabat and
Brasilia, where he dealt with the
different contexts with ease. In spite
of this, the last time we met, in
Januory 2008 in Paris, he strongly 89
wanted to return to Chile, as if he
wanted to close the circle. That day,
in the severe salon of a Parisian
apartment, in a city that was no
longer "his" Paris, looking tired and
resigned to his failing health, a
spark in his eyes let me know that
he was ready for his next trip,
MAXIMIANO ATRIA LEMAÍTRE
secretary general Dacomomo Chile
Paul Overy died suddenly on August 7, 2008.
Docomomo International has lost a friend.
The community of architectural historians,
art historians, and architects have lost
a distinguished scholar.
Paul was a professor of architectural history
at Middlesex University in London.
His research interests focused on the history
of twientieth century architecture, art and
design. He has published extensively on
the w^orks of the Dutch avant-garde group
de Stijij and on the architecture and furniture
design of Gerrit Rietveld.
His most recent book. Light, Air and Openness:
Modern Architecture Between the Wars, was
published by Thames & Hudson in 2008.
We remember him as a generous colleague
and friend. Our thoughts go to his family
and his dear wife. Tag Gronberg.