Opero orhitecturol6 o lui Morcel loncu (1 895 - I 984),
desi solutotd de contemporoni co premergdloore o
curentului modernist in Romdnio interbelicd, o rdmos
inexplicobil in umbro foimei sole de plosticion. Acest
topt este porodoxol, deoorece tocmoi imbinoreo
oclivilofii de plosticion si orhitecl confe16 unicitote
oportului lui loncu lo introducereo modernismului in
RomOnio . ities thot confer the uniqueness of Jonco's contribution
inlre colegii de generotie core ou odoptot si procticol
principiile orhitecturii moderne, co de exemplu Horio
Creongd si G.M Contocuzino, Morcel loncu ocupd
o poziiie singuloro, otOt din punci de vedere ol pregdtirii
cot si ol orhitecturii pe core o creot-o
loncu studioz6 orhitecturo lo E.T.H. in Zr.lrich, in timpul
primului rozboi mondiol, in timp ce moioritoteo linerilor
orhitecti romOni pleocd lo srudii obio dupo rozboi si
opteozo pentru prestigiooso dor foorle conservotivo
Ecole des Beoux Arls din Poris. in Elvetio neulrd, loncu
intdlneste pe unii din cei moi de seom6 reprezentonli
oi ovongordei internotionole oldturi de core porlicipd
lo miscoreo dodoisto. Nici un oll orhitect romdn din
epocd nu vo veni otOt de timpurlu si de directin lego-
lurd cu miscoreo de ovongordd inlernoiionold
Revine in foro in I 922, unde insd, ovontoiul intdietolii
se inloorce impokivo so, societoteo romOneoscd ne[iind
pregotito so inteleogd si sd occepte schimboreo ot0l
de rodico16 odus6 de principiile orhitecturii moderne.
Primir comonditori dispusi sd-i deo mono Iibero ii
intolneste obio in I 926-27, cOnd conskuieste cele dintdi
cose modernisle in Bucuresti.
intoorcereo colegilor beoux-ortisti, lo sfOrsitul onilor
doudzeci, coincide cu oporilio unui context inlelectuol
si economic fovorobil, ce [oce co primele lor lucrdri
moderniste so oib6 un impoci moi more si moi pozitiv
osupro publicului, scutindu-i de neintelegereo si de
,,hohotul botiocurii", cu core fusese confruntot loncu.
nuo ocest moi prolific propov6duilor ol
ideilor orh e, intr-un climotin core colegii
core iiimp s-ou ocupot oproope in exclu-
sivitolede de teorie.
Arhitecluro lui Morcel loncu n
cipiilor dogmotice ole moderni
o ocestoro in porolel cu urmori
o sintezei orhitecturii cu ortele plostice
ARHITECT SI PLASTICIAN
De lo intoorcereo in toro 5i pdno in 1941 , cdnd
emigreozd in Polestino, Morcel loncu vo construi opro-
ximol'iv polruzeci de clodiri, in coloborore cu froiele sdu
juliu loncu (l 896- 1985), orhitect co si el Din nefericire,
din couzo lipsei de dote este foorte greu sd se reconsti-
tuie modul de lucru si contributio individuolo o celor doi
orhitecti lo proiectele lor comune Din mdrturio fomiliei
reiese cd ou coloborot foorle strdns, Morcel ocupdn-
MorcelJonco (l 895- l9B4) hos been occloimed by ilARCEl IAilCU.
his conlemporories os lhe forerunner of modernism in ANT'I'ECT
lhe orchitecture o[ inter-wor Romonio. Neverlheless, his
orchifecturol work hos olwoys been overshodowed by Anca Bocdnet
his [ome os o [ine oriist, ond in the course of time even
forgollen, This is ironic, becouse it is exoctly ihe com- ilINCE1JTIUCO -
binotion ond lhe mutuol influence between his Mo octiv- ANCHI'EC'
to Romonion modernism'
Among the orchilecis of his generotion, such os Horio
Creongd ond G M Contocuzino, who like him hove
odopted ond put into proctice the principles o[ mod-
ern orchileclure, MorcelJonco occupies o singulor posi-
tion in whot concerns both his troining ond the orchi-
teclure he creoled
Most of the young orchitects of the inter-wor period
beqon iheir siudies ot the end of the first world wor,
,ruoily in Poris, ot lhe Ecole des Beoux Arts lonco hod
on eorlier stort, studying during the wor in neulrol
Switzerlond. There he met some of the most imporloni
represenfotives of the internotionol ovonlgorde wiih
whom he iook port in ihe Dodo Movement No other
Romonion orchiiect o[ the time come so eorly ond so
directly in contoct with the ovont-gorde
.Jonco returned to Buchorest in 1922. But being oheod
o[ his generotion proved to be o disodvontoge becouse
lhe Romonion public wos noi prepored to understond
ond occepi lhe rodicol chonges brought by modern
orchilecture Only in 1926-27.lonco would meet the
[irsl clients io give him o free hond ond enoble him to
build the lirst modernist houses in Buchorest
return of lhe "beoux-orls" orchitects ot the end o[
Ihe ,1920s
the coincides wilh the emergence of o more
[ovoroble intellectuol ond economic climole in Romonio.
As o consequenc ern proiects hod o
greoier ond more pon the public. The
lock o[ understond "mockery" of Jonco
in the eorly yeors of the posl.
Itwos olso Morcel Jonco who must toke credit lor the
first oltempls of spreoding lhe ideos of modern orchi-
tecture in Romonio. From his Zilrich yeors, lonco hod
experience in toking o stond by expressing ond pub-
lishing his belieI in monifestos. ln Buchoresi he contin-
ued lo publish, becoming the most prolific proponent
of the ideos o[ modern orchitecture in o climote in which
the orchitects who shored his ideos hod dedicoted them-
selves olmost exclusively to building ond showed linle
interest in theory
Jonco's orchileclure wos noi conceived os o monl-
festo o[ rhe dogmotic principles of modern orchitec-
lure. He felt free lo odopt oniy whotsuited him, occord-
ing to his bellef ln the synthesis ol orchitecture with
the [ine orts.
ARCHITECT AND FINE ARTIST
.l94
From his return lo Romonio in 1922 until I , when
he emigroted to Polestine, MorcelJonco buill obout forty
houses wilh his brother, the orchiteci luliu loncu
{ I 886- 1 985) Unfortunotely, lock o[ in[ormotion mokes

rrnobilu llermon loncu, str
Irrn loi i, Bucur-.str, I 926
rlerrron oncu bui/ding,
Sirooo lr rrrlot , Buchorest
Vo Iucirs, slr Negustol,
Bur:rrestr 192l
VllJo Fuchs, Slrooo Neguslor
Buclr lr es
9B
du-se in speciol de porteo creotivo si luliu de porleo
proctico o ociivitolii lor'.
.in-
Cercetoreo operel orhlieciurole o lrolilor loncu esie
greunoi6 de o serie de piedici: pierdereo, probobil cjefi-
nilivd, o orhivej biroului, dotele loorte reduse si vogi
mentlonoie in lileroiuro exisienld sl [optul co cei doi orhi-
tecti, ne[inolizondu-si sludiile printro diplomo, nu ou ovut
multd vreme dreptul so si semneze proieclele Ab o rn 1933,
cu ocozio formorii Corpului Arhitectilor RomOni, Morcel
loncu opore inscrs pe lislo ,,orhiiectilor recunoscuti",
respeciiv o orhiteclilor nediplomoti dor core puleou sd
dovedeosco cd ou profesol cel puiin 10 oni:'
Ceo moi limpurie clodire despre core se poote olirmo
cu cerlitudine co o fost prorectoto de Morcel loncu,
doteozo din )925-26 Este vorbo de un tmobil con-
slruil pentru iotol sou, Hermon loncu, in str Irinitotii sr
.in
core vo locui loncu pono in l93l Trei lotogro[ii ole
ocesiei cose sunl pub icole pe coperto revislei
,Conltmporonul" din octombrie 1926, cu mentiuneo
,,Conslruclie modern6 de Morce] loncu"
Un on mol lOrziu, in 1927, Morce loncu conslruresre
vilo Fuchs din slr Negustori Multo vreme o domnit con-
luzre intre cele douo clodiriin ceeo ce privesle odreso
.in
si dotoreo precum si revendicoreo olributului de
,,primo" clodire moderno din Bucuresii
Conslruite lo un on diferento, imobiiul loncu si vilo Fuchs
se deosebesc olOl co strucluro cot si co limbol formol
Despre ombele se poote spune, ins6, c6 suni corocle-
ristice pentru orhiteciuro lui Morcel loncu -si co initiozo
doud curente de exprimore orh teciuro16 in primo esle
moi vizibil Morce loncu plosticionul, in o douo orhitectul
Elemente corocteristice din ombele clodlri vor fi reluoie
moi lorzlu, seporot sou imbinole, co mrilooce de expre-
sie in oproope loole clodiri]e
lmobilu din str Triniidti , cu porter, dou6 etoie si mon-
sordd, esle o clddire ciudoto, un bloc lomo cu cele potru
fotode de ungime inego o. Fotodo principolo, de lo
strodo, curbot6 dotorii6 regimului de oliniere impus, este
un odevdrot exerciliu ploslic reolizot oloi prin mode-
noturd cOt si prin cromotico Cele o ie irei foiode sunt
in schimb oproope oorbe. Clodireo este inegol6 co
inoltime, lungimeo lotodei [iind bolonsoto de un occeni
vertico in extremitoteo slongo Aici imobilul este moi
inolt, onsordo cu ocoperis plot, in timp
ce re joosd. se lermino cu un ocoperi>
in po Dou6 den veldri verico e, sopote
odon fotodei, morcheozo diferento de
inoltime si occentueozd curburo clodirii Aceste denr
veldri, co si formele geometrice ole bolconului sl bovin-
doulur, osezote osimetric si oporenl lo intomplore,
confero ptosricitore lotodei
Rezullotul ocestei moniere de modelore plostlco poole
evoco osemdnori cu re iefurile de ohips reolizote de
Morcel loncu lo Zurich, incepond cu I 9I Z. insosi lormo
it difllcult to know exoctly whot their individuol conir-
bution to their projecis wos According lo recolleclions
of he [omily, the Wo brothers olwoys colloboroled close-
ly, Morcel espec olly responsible lor the design ond
tul;u lor rhe pioclie ol ospecrs o[ rheu ocr v ry
Study of ihe orchitecture creoted by the Jonco firm is
mode di[[icult by o series o[ impediments. the loss o[
lhe orchive. the sporciiy ond vogueness of the litero
ture dedicoied lo this subject, ond lhe [oct thot the two
brolhers did not hove the rrght to sign their proiects for
quite o ong time, since they hod not conciuded their
studies with o diplomo project Not until 1933, when
the "Corpt l Arhitectilor Romoni" (Body ol: Romonion
Architecls) come into being, did MorcelJonco officiolly
register os "recogn zed orchiiect", o title given io orchi-
lecls without o diplomo but with oi ieost ten yeors of
octivity in the pro[ession:'.
The eor iest buiiding thot con be positively ottributed to
Morcellonco dotes to 1925 -26 lt is o house finonced
by his lother, Hermon ]onco ond built on his property
in Strodo Trinilotii, where Morcel .Jonco lived unlil
193 I The ovonl-gorde mogozine " Conftmpotonul" ,lor
which.lonco served os ortistic director, pub ished three
photogrophs of this building on the cover ol Cctober
I 926 issue, wilh the commenl: "Modern conslruclion
by Morcel .Jonco"
Ay"
villo
conI
lwo
er ond olternotely given the title o{ the "firsl" modern
bullding in Buchorest
Built within o yeor, the Trinitotii building ond the Fucns
vil o differ rn skucture ond formol longuoge. Nevertheless
bolh con be considered illusirotive of Morce .]onco's
orchileclure, iniholrng traro trends ol expression in his work.
The lormer seems to be more the creoiion o[ lhe fine
ortist, the lotter ihot oI the orchitect Chorocterisiic ele-
ments from eoch ol these two houses would be loter
reused, seporoiely or togeiher. os meons of expression
n olmost oll his buildinq
The building in Strodo Triniiotii consists of o ground floor,
lwo upper [loors ond o gorrei ll is o stronge, lonq ond
norrow building, with oll [our [ocodes oI di[[erent
lengths The bock ond side focodes ore olmost b,lind,
ing is lower ond crowned by o sloping rool lwo deep
veriicol grooves mork this di[{erence in leve , whlch coln-
cldes with o curve in the [ocode, due to the oiionment
of lhe street Togeiher with the geometrc lormi of rhe
osymmetr colly ploced bolcony ond bowwindow, they
6enlsr plosticiry ro the focooe
.lonco hos divided the focode rn surfoces oIcolour ]-le
hos olso used colour to occeniuole lhe conirosl beh,azeen
lhe geometric lorm oithe different elements of the focode
clodirii, de lomo ingustd, cu cele trei [otode oproope
oorbe, sugereozo un bloc de lemn pe core s-o oplicot
un relieI
lmobilul loncu ore cdte un oportoment pe fiecore etoi,
monsordo liind initiol destinotd co otelier de picturo
Aporlomentele, cu o suprolold de 80 m'ou oimpdrtire
interioord troditionold, cu distribulie centro16, conlin6nd
un mic holl de inlrore, sufrogerie, birou, dormitor, boie
si buc6tdrle
loncu vo concepe lo1ode policrome si lo olte construclli
din oceeosi periood6 de inceput, co de exemplu coso
Henry Doniel din srr. Ceres, construii6 totfn 1926 9i ostozi
disporuto, sou vrlo incd neidenlificoto, publicoto in nr. 84
oi revistei ,,Confimporc:nul" din noiembrie 1929
Docd in imobilul din strodo Trinitdtii, preocuporeo
pentru expresio plostico detine intdieloteo si door simpli-
toleo generold o clodirii o opropie de orhitecturo mo-
derno, in vilo Fuchs volumul orhitecturol si distribulio
spotiului interior onuni6 mult moi clor principiile orhilecturii
moderne
Vilo Fuchs, din sir Negustori, consiruit6 in 1927, inou-
gureoz6 serio de ,,cutii olbe", cose unifomiliole, cu por-
ter, etoj si monsordd Cubul formot de perefii exteriori
ore supro[efele intreruple de plonuri relrose sou in su-
plomba, de supropuneri, elc. Bolconul plosot centrol, ce
iese pulernic din plonul fotodei principole, ferestrele ori-
zontole osezote osimetric, geomurile rolunde si bolustro-
dele de merol ce omintesc ,,stilul pochebol", fereosko
de coll, toole ocesle elemenle modeleozo pulernic
folodo
in ocest grup initiot prin vilo Fuchs se inscrie si coso
Lombru, din slr Popo Sovu, construilo in l928, si suito
,]929
de vile remorcobile conslruite intre si 193 I .
Chopier din str Grol lpotescu, Wexler din sk Gr Moro,
Chihoescu de pe sos Kiseleff, llutzo din sk Olori siJuster
din str Silveslru Un vocobulor formol osemdndtor le
corocterizeoz6, in core osimetrio esle o lrds6turd gene-
rolo ololurl de elemente co: ocoperis plot, teroso-logie
lo ultimul etoi, [erestre de col1, reglsire orizontole de
geomuri divizole in moduli verlicoli, scoro interioord
exprimoid pe [oiodo printr-o more fereostro-vitroliu,
goroiul incorporot lo demi-sol, etc Voriotiunile sunlinso
in ropori cu olte detolii ole [otodei, creind ostlel o im
oresie moi ordonoto.
in locul schemelor cromotice, loncu ocoperd folodele
olbe cu tencuieli pulernic texlurole, precum si cu olterndri
de suprofete lise si rugoose in oceeosi preocupore
penlru esteticd
Ceeo ce deosebeste in speciol oceste vile de primele
cose (Trinitofii, Ceres) este kotoreo spofiului inierior. Desi
loncu nu vo odopto niciodoid in totolitote plonul liber,
oceste clodiri ou toole spofiile de primire si de lucru
desporfite door prin droperii, pereti de sticld glisonti sou
poropete, ceeo ce le conferd flexibilitote Holl-uri ce
On the other hond, certoin dislontly ploced detoils, like
the windows, ore connected visuolly by lines troced
between ihem
The resuli recolls the ploster reliefs creoted by Morcel
Jonco in Ziirich os eorly os l9l Z. Even the building
itself, with its olmost blind bock ond side [ocodes, sug-
gests o wooden block on which o relief hos been
opplied.
The Jonco building hos on oporlmenl on eoch floor, the
gorret being reserved os o studio. The oportments ore
ioditionolly portitioned, with centrol dislribution of the
rooms ond include o smoll enlronce holl, o dining room,
o study room, o bedroom ond o bolhroom,
MorcelJonco continued to design polychrome focodes
during the following yeors, Known exomples ore the
H Doniel house in the Slrodo Ceres, built in I 926 ond
no longer existenl, ond the unidentified villo which wos
published in "Contimporonu/" in November 1929
uilding shows o strong concern
while only its simplicity of design
rn orchileclure, in the Fuchs villo,
e, the [ormol longuoge ond the
interior distribution cleorly onnounce the principles of
modern orchiteclure
The Fuchs villo in Strodo Negustori, built in I 927,inou-
gurotes he series o[ "white boxes" in.Jonco's orchitecture.
It is o fomily house with groundfloor, upper floor ond
gorret. The cube formed by the exterior wolls is strong-
y modelled 6y receding, proiecting ond overlopping
plones. The front locode is shoped by lhe centrolly
ploced bolcony, the osymmetricolly ploced horizoniol
windows, lhe oculi ond metol bolustrode recolling the
"poquebot slle" ond the corner window
ln the group inltioied by the Fuchs villo, we con olso count
the Lombru house in Strodo Popo Sovu, designed in l92B
.l929
ond the,l93series of remorkoble villos built betueen
ond 1: Chopier in Bulevordul Grol lp6tescu, Wexler
in Skodo Gr Moro, Chihoescu ln Soseouo Kiseleff, llutzo Coso.luster, slr Silveslru,
Bucuresti, 193 I
in Strodo Olori ond luster in Strodo Silveslru They ore
luster House, Strodo Silvestru
oll chorocterized by o similor formolvocobulory in which Buchoresl
osymmelry is lhe moin feolure, olongside other elements,
such os: llot roof, terroce-loggio on the upper floor, cor-
ner windows, ribbon windows subdivided in verticol mod-
uli, inferior stoircose expressed in the focode by o lorge
stoined-gloss window, goroge incorporoted in ihe seml-
bosemenl etc
Nevertheless, these houses olso show differences, os
well os o tendency over time towords o greoter sim-
plicily ond sobriety lf in the Chopier house ( 1929) detoils
such os windows ore scoltered on the locode, in the
Wexler house (193 I ), which hos o similor composi-
tion, the windows ore first grouped together ond then
osymmeiricolly ploced in the focode, giving o more
orderly impression. Renouncing colour schemes for the
exterior wolls, Jonco covers lhe white focodes with
strongly textured ploster, or olternoles smooth ond
rugged surfoces
Whot differentioles these villos still more frorn the first
houses built byJonco (Trinitolii, Ceres), is the treotment
De lo stingo lo dreopto
hom lelt to righl
Coso Chop er,
Slr Grol lpatescu, Bucuresti,
1929
Chopier House,
Strodo Grol lpolescu, Buchoresl
Vilo Wexler, slr Gr Moro.
Bucuresti, 193 I
Wexler Villo. Skodo Gr Moro.
Buchorest
 se1nolla pe douo eloie, cu sco16 inleriooro si go erie of the lnterior spoce Although Jonco never entirely odopl
in lurulvidului de lo eio!, foc legoturo vizuolb dintre dile ed lhe open pJon, he conceived lhe rooms thof were
EE rilele nivele. ln rest, spoll le deslinote servrciu ui si odih meont[or living ond working os llexible low ng spoces,
f

nei sunl net delimitole si izoloie
in o[ora de vile, lrotii loncu conslru esc si mulie lmobile
de oporlomente,'in speciol in onii ireizeci. Dinlre imo
bilele mici-, cu porler 9i 2-3 eioje, se remorco cel drn
slrodo Colmolei ( I 93 1 ), linontolchior de loncu, in core
o locuit si in core s-o oflot si biroul loncu lo lnceputul
onilor trelzeci Compozitio [otodei, controsful dintre
veriicolo bovldoului oproope orb si orizonlolele bol
coonelor, iencuiolo lexluro16 prin striuri orizontole odoncr,
sunltoole elemente de o more simplitote cu core loncu
obli"e rn erecl ploslrc rnox'rr
divlded only by curtoins, s iding doors or gloss wolls
The holls, wh ch rise on two floors, wilh on inier or sloir
cose ond o gollery on lhe upper lloor, insure visuol com-
municolion between the different levels The spoces
meontfor sleeping, hygiene ond services, ore oll cleor
ly delimited ond seporoted
ln oddition io [omily dwellings, ihe Jonco o[fice olso built
oporimenl buildings, especiolly in the I 93Os Among
lhe smoll blocks olflots'', with groundfloor ond 2 - 3 upper
iloors, the mosl remorkoble is ihe one ln Strodo Coimolei
( 193 I ) The composilion oI the locode, the controst

( l)929), povil onul Suchord (1 926) de lo To^rgul Mosllor
hE
-t
mot:rlul C oro loncu slr
Colmo er, Bucuresir, 193 I
Cioro ioncu t,ur d ng,
Strodo Co rroler, Buchorest
rnobil in str Pictor Si Iuch on,
Bucuresli I 935
louse in Strodo Plctor St Luchion
Buc lroresl
lmobile mori ' cu pesie cinci eloie finontote de osociotii
de locotori, vor fi consiruite de biroul loncu in o douo
iumoiote o onilor treizeci Cel moi cunoscuteste cel din
slr Piclor Luchion. cu solutio speciflco o co tului rolunlii,
lotodo cu denivelori si supropuneri si boro verticold o
oovioorrilor oin core oornesc bolcoone'e.
in ceeo ce priveste plonul oportomenlelor, co si in cozul
vrlelor, loncu odoplo un compromis inlre plonul troditionoi
si plonul lrber in generol triportil, pionul grupeozo [unctii e
in benzi porolele. spotiu de serviciu, continOnd vestibul,
oficiu, bucotorie, deborole; spotiu de zi si pr mire cu
holL, solon, sufrogerie, birou s spotiul de odlhno cu
dormitoore si bdi
Pe longo orhiteciuro rezidenfiolo, biroul loncu o consiruii
si cOtevo clodiri de utilitote publico: strondul Kiselelf
si sonotoriul Popper (l 936) din Predeol ln loote pro-
iectele lor, frotii loncu ou lolosit co tehnico de conslructie
siructuro de beton ormotumplutd cu zlduri de coromido
GESAMTKUNST
Necesitoleo unei sinteze o ortelor, o integrdrii ortelor
ploslice cu orhilecturo o [osl unu din crezurle timpurir
.inco
ole ui Morcel loncu, lormulot de o ZLirich, dor
pe core o reusit so I puno cei moi bine in oplicore in
RomOnio Aproope fiecore coso construilo de Morcel
loncu ore o legoturd cu orto in unele cozuri loncu o
opeloi Jo prieteni oriisti, moi oles c6nd o lost vorbo de
sculpturo Bosorelieluri de Miilo Petroscu se moi
pdstreoz6 lo inlroreo unor imobiie de oporlomenle
ior in foiogrofii de epoco se poole vedeo o sculpluro,
ostozi disporulo, in grodino vilei Chihoescu
De mu i moi more onvergurd esleinsd proprlo contributie
o lui Morcel loncu, olot in exlerioru , dor moi o es in
inferiorul clodirilor in 1932 regizorul si criticul Sondu
Eliod publlcO in ,,Foclo" un ortico in core elog ozo orhi
lecturo de inlerior creotd de loncu, in core functionolismul
se imb,ind cu [ontezio decoroliei. ,, un lnterior bine
compus, rolonol imporlit cu juslo uiilizore o spotiulur,
cu o sobrd si plino de fontezie, tolusi, decorotie
colorisiicd Coso [ocuto pentru conforlul locotoru ur,
penlru igieno si ocuroleleo veocului Un interior [ocut
de Morcel loncu ore cevo din slricleteo si ulo loculsbu,
ol unei uzine, sdrbdtorescLr si veselio unui decor de
teofru lmbinoreo ocesior doud conlrozicdtoore
between the strongly projecting verticol bor on lhe lefi
side ond the horizontol lines oI the bolconies ond the
ploster textured by deep horizontol grooves ore ele-
ments oI o greot simplicity Oy which .]onco obtoins on
utmosl plostic e[[ect
Big oporlment buildings', wilh more thon []ve floors, were
designed by ihe Jonco office in the second holl oI the
I 93Os The best known is ihe bloc[ in Strodo Pictor
Luchion, with iis specific round corner, the overloprng
plones of the [ocode ond the verlicol bor ol the boy
wlndows in which originole lhe bolconies
As [or the interior distribution oI the oportmenls, os rn
the cose o[ the vi]los, lonco odopts o compromise
belween the troditionol ond the open plon Within o
generolly lriporfite plon, the [unclions ore grouped in
porollel slripes: circu olion ond service spoce, living ond
'working oreo, ond sleeping quorlers
Besides residentiol orchileclure, the .lonco office olso
designed o lew buildings of public utiliry: the Kiseleff swim-
ming pool 11929), the Suchord povillon (1926) ot the
TOrgu Mosilor (on onnuol foir in Buchoresl) ond the
Popper sonolorium ( 1936) in Predeol The building tech-
nique used by the Jonco brothers in oll lheir projects is
thol o[ o concrete slructure [illed in with mosonry
GESAMIKUNST
One ol the eorliest beliels formed by Morce Jonco wos
ihe necessily of o synihesis ol lhe orts, integrolinq orchi
teclure with lhe fine orls Thrs rdeo, olreody [ormuloted
, during his Zrlrich yeors, -lonco put rnio proctice rn
Romonio where olmosl every house he built hod o con
neclion with ort. In some coses, lonco oppeoled to orlist
lriends. Bos relieis by Milito Pelroscu, o well-known
Romonion sculplress, con still be seen ol lhe entronce
of o coupie o[oportmentbuildings', ond old photoqrophs
show o scu pture in the front o[ the Chlhoescu villo
More importont isJonco's own conlribution os o fine ortisl
to his buildings, especiol y to lheir interiors n 1932, the
stoge director ond critic Sondu Eliod published on orti-
cle in the mogozine "Foclo" in which he proised the inte-
rror orchileclure o[ Morcel .]onco, especiolly ils combi-
nolion o[ [unclionolism ond neorly theotricol decorolion:
"on inlerior well pul iogether, rotionolly divided with o
iudicious use of spoce, wilh o sober colour scheme lhol
si is neverlheless full oI lonlosy A house designed lor the

Biroui redocliei'Conlirnporonu
Bucuresli, c 192324
Edilorrol office oI
'Conlimporonul" Buchoresl

r00
intregitoore infoli90ri, e dotoritd orhitecturo so si voloo-
reo ei, si tol ocestei duolitOti oporente dotoreozo
originoliio teo"'
Intervenliile lui Morcel loncu lo interioorele coselor
construite de el sunf dintre cele moi diverse: lroloreo
colorislico o peretilor, [olosireo [erestrelor si usilor co
opere de orl5, consiruireo de mobilier incorporot in zid,
16o
loH potr
cu o tive,
sole ore,
co redoctio revister ,,Confim poronul" , si un numdr de locotii
'incd neidentificote, loncu o concepui scheme de culoore
ce ou ocoperil integrol peretii Culorile ocestor scheme
sunl greu doco nu chior imposibil de reconstituit Sondu
Eliod le numesle sobre, dor pline de fonlezie Fologrofii
de epoco ne [urnizeozd dote din core se poote deduce
principiul de compozilie. In moloriioteo cozurilor esle
vorbo de suprofete mori de culoore core, ignor6nd
delimitorile elementelor orhilecturole irecond de pe
pereti pe lovon, continudndu-se pesie colturi, supropu-
ndndu-se independent de orhitecturo, ou efectul de de-
moteriolizore o ocesleio Experimente similore in oplicoreo
de scheme de culoore in inierioore ou focui, in codrul
curenlului ,,De Sti1l", Theo von Doesburg si Vilmos Huszor
lo incepulul onilor dou6,reci
Ferestre gen vitroliu opor lo moioritoteo coselor lui
Morcel loncu, Tn cele moi dilerile dimensiuni, lo coso
scdrilor, in holurile de inlrore o blocurilor, lo usi glisonle
in zono de primire, pOno si lo modestele Iuminotoore
ole unor degoiomente Se disting doud tipuri Primul tip
il lormeoz6 [ereslrele din geom obisnuii sou colorot,
divizote conform unor scheme ortogonole ce prezinld
similitudlni cu compozitiile curenlului ,,De Sti1l" Exemple
se gosesc in cosele Chopier, Chihdescu, Wexler. Al
doileo tip il formeozo [erestrele oso zise jivrote, cu sou
fdro tromo orlogonold, in core supro[ete opoce si lron-
sporenie olcoiuiesc molive cubisle Acesf gen de geo-
muri nu este folosit door de loncu in Bucurestiul inter-
belic, dor foptul co [eresirele iivrote ce opor in cosele
lui reproduc motive din piciuro lui ne indreptdtesle o
crede cd ou fosl creole de el speciol pentru oceste inte-
rioore Vikoliul din coso llutzo relu6nd motivul mondolinei
esle concludenl
Mobilierul incorporot 'in zid esfe de osemeneo folosit
si de olti orhitecti oi vremii, dor lo Morcel loncu impre-
sioneoz6 consecvento cu core inzestreozd [iecore cosd
cu etojere, dulopuri, bonchete, boruri, seminee etc sl
ingeniozitoteo cu core folosesie fiecore bucot6 de
spotiu De o simpliiote exirem6, mobilierul integrof in
zid - in speciol eloiere din ipsos ormol cu lemn -
modeleozo zidul si il onimd cu iocuri de lumind si umbro
Nu trebuiesc uitote e emenle co usi din metol cu molive
cubisle, de exemplu lo coso Mihoescu din Buzou, sou
perell decoroti cu bucoti t6iote de oglindO, co lo borul
din vilo llutzo
Fotogro[ii de epocd, pdstrole in orhivo [omiliei loncu,
ou imortolizol inierioore extrem de moderne o cdror
prezenld in Bucurestii onilor douozeci poote nu om fi
to this duoliiy thot he owes his originolity"'.
MorcelJonco's intervenlions in the interior of his build-
inqs ore quiie diverse: lhe colour lreotment o[ the wolls,
thJ use of windows ond doors os works o[ orl, the design
of built-in furniture ln certoin houses, lor instonce the
Hossner villo ond his own oporimenl in Strodo Poleologu,
Jonco pointed figurotive frescos, odoptlng themes from
his pointings. For the editoriol office o[ the mogozine
"Confimporonu/" ond some still unidentified houses,
Jonco creoted chromotic compositions thotcovered the
wolls entirely The colours ore difficult if not impossible
to lroce. Sondu Eliod colls them sober but lull ol fon-
tosy Old photogrophs ollow u
composition principle: lorge
opplied to the wolls independ
oI orchitecturol detoils, continu
ceiling, oround the corners ond overlopping one onoth-
er. This method brlngs with it on eflect of demoterioliz-
ing the orchitecture Similor experimenls in opplying
colour schemes to interiors were mode by the "De Stii/"
movemenl by Theo von Doesburg ond Vilmos Huszor,
ot 'he beginning of the I 920s.
Stoinedgloss windows o[oll dilferentsizes oppeor in mony
of Jonco's houses: in stoircoses, in enkonce holls o{ oport-
ment buildings, on sliding doors in living rooms ond even
in modest dormer windows Two mojor types con be dis
tinguished Cne lype consists of windows subdivided
occording to oriogonol schemes recolling "De Stil/" grid
pointings ond [illed in with plones ol coloured gloss
Exomples o[ this con be found in ]he Chopier, Chihoescu
ond Wexler houses In the other l'ype, the ortogonol grid
is secondory or moy be missing oll together, the moin feo-
ture being the opoque ond konsporent surfoces of gloss
thot form cubist motifs This kind o[ windows wos not used
exclusively byJonco in inter'wor Buchorest, but becouse
cubist themes ore token over from Jonco's pointings, we
con deduce thot they were designed byJonco personol
ly An edifying exomple is to be found in the llutzo villo, lnlerior dln vilo Hossner. slr
where lhe sioircose window shows o mondoline motif Piclor scovescu Bucuresli. 1937
Villo l-1ossner, Strodo Pictor
Built-in furniture hos been used by other orchitects o[ ihe
lscovescu, Buchorest
lime os well, bul Morcellonco is impressive by the con-
sistency with which he equips every house with bookshelves,
cupboords, benches, bors, fireploces etc, ond the ing+
motifs forged in metol, such os the enlronce door of the
Mihoescu house in Buzou, or wolls decoroied with bro-
ken pieces o[ mirror, like the bor in the llutzo house
Old phoiogrophs hove rescued lrom oblivion the
lnlerror dinlrun imobil necunoscul
lnterior o[ on unknown building
 bonuit-o niciodotd. Desi nu se pot foce olirmotii cote-
gorice, este totusi plouzibil co loncu so li ovizot in mobi-
lo,.o cu lotolii cubiste, mobilier de metol etc.
TEORETICIAN
Lo sforsitul onului 1924 9i inceputul lui 1925, loncu in-
cepe o odevorotd componie de propogore 9i popu-
lorizore o ideilor orhilecturii moderne in revisto
,,Conlmporonul, core publico orticole si ilustroii de studii
.l925
de orhitecluro. ln lebruorie un numdr intreg esle
dedicot ,,orhilecturii moderne" (nr 53-54), ilustroi cu
proiecle ce ou rdmos probobil nereolizole. Urmeozd
in oprilie un olt numdr dedicot inleriorului {nr. 5Z-58),
cu ilustrotii din redoclio si biroul ,,Contimporonului",in
core loncu oplic6 poote pentru primo oord semne de
culoore si scrisuri. Regulot, vor fi publicote in onii urmd-
tori cele moi interesonle conslruciii ole biroului loncu.
'l
Tot in 925 io fiint6 si revisto ,,Arto si Orosu/" din o
c6rei redoctie foce porte si Morcel loncu si core isi
propune so lomiliorizeze publicul lorg cu orhitecturo
modern6. De osemeneo, ii opor trecvenl comenlorii
teclurii moderne, loncu insislOnd in speciol osupro im-
portontei plonului co generotor ol volumului
Alte idei ce ioloneozo teorio lui loncu sunt preluole de
lo Hilberseimer: origineo innoirilor din orhitectu16 in revo-
lutio din ortele plostice si onume in cubism si conslructi-
vism, concepfio osemdndloore de creofie ce existo in
ortele plostice si in orhiteclurS, etc.
O topico ce opore frecvent in scrierile lui loncu este
rolul sociol ce trebuie s6-l implineoscd orhitecluro mo-
dernd, co expresie o democroiiei. Lo fel co olti orhitecti
contemporoni, Morcel loncu intelege urgento locuintelor
sociole ieltine Dor lipso unor proiecte spriiinite de siol
si municipolitote ou focut co oceste idei so rdmOno in
more mdsurd pe hortie
Desi oudiento publicofiilor prin core loncu inceorcd sd
16spOndeosco principiile orhilecturii moderne rdmdne
probobil relotlv micd, oso cum s-o intOmplot in cozul
moioritdiii moni[est6rilor ovongordei, ideile propogote
de loncu isi gdsesc rdsunel lo orhiiectii din oceeogi ge-
nerotie, cu preocupori similore
G M Conlocuzino, core ol6turi de loncu esie unul din
pufinii orhitecti core se ocupd si de leorie, desi de olto
,l93
foclurd, ii scrie ocesluio in I o scrisoore remorcdnd
loudotivin ocliviloleo lui loncu [onotismul premergdto-
rului, ol celui dintOi ,,core o intors in oceostd foro spo-
lele unei mentolitdli obosite si slerile"s
NOTE
I Articolul de fotd inceorcd s6 puncteze door cOlevo
ospecte corocteristice orhiteciurii lui Morcel loncu
2 Seiwert, llorry, Morcel Jonco, Verlog Peter Long,
Fronkfurt om Moin, 1993, p 393-94
3 Arhivele dispun de desene semnote de Morcel loncu
02
imoge ol extremely modern interiors, which we might
not hove expected to find in the'Buchoresl o[the 1 920s.
Although no definite otlribution con be mode, il is nev-
ertheless possible thotJonco odvised how certoin hous-
es were to be furnished, with such things os cubisl eosy
choirs ond steel furniture.
THEORETICIAN
At the end ol lg2l ond the beginning ol 1925 Morcel
Jonco slorled o true compoign of propogoling the con-
cepts of modern orchitecture, publishing orticles ond illus-
lrotions o[ orchitecturol studies in "Contimporonu/" The
Februory I 925 issue (no. 53 -54) is enlirely dedicoted
to "modern orchilecture", illusiroted with unbuilt proiecls
of Morcel lonco. lt wos followed by onolher issue (no.
57-5Bl dedicoted to the "interior" ond illustroted with
photogrophs of the editoriol offlce of "Contimporonul" ,
which wos one o[ the [irst exomples of colour schemes
opplied to wolls During ihe following yeors,
"Conlimporonul" would olso publish the mosi interes!
ing houses construcled by the Jonco office
Morcel Jonco wos olso one of the editors of the mogo-
zine " Arto $i Orosu/" (Ari ond the City), published for the
[irsl time in 1925 ond oiming oi fomiliorizinq the public
with modern orchileclure Besides thoi, Jonco regulorly
wroie o column on orchitecture in the mogozine
"Miscoreo lilerorl" ond published orticles in other cul-
turol mogozines
Jonco's orticles for lhe most porl odopted ihe ideos cur-
rent in the internollonol ovont-gorde ond formuloled
them in simple longuoge with the obvious purpose o[
brood populorizotion From Le Corbusier's wriiinqs,
ionco presenfed the principles of modern orchitectuie,
insisting insisting on the importonce of the plon os gen-
erolor o[ the volume. Severol ideos, odopted lrom L
Hilberseimer, oulline Jonco's theory: the origin of ihe
renewols in orchitecture con be troced bock to fhe rev-
olution in the fine orts, nomely to cubism ond construc-
trvism; fine orls ond orchitecture shore similor principles
o[ composilion, ond so on.
oll ovonlgorde monifestotions, they reoched the orchr-
tects of his generotion who hod similor concerns where
they found o worm response G M. Contocuzino wos,
ofter MorcelJonco, one of the few Romonion orchilecis
who took on interest in theory. ln 193 I he wrote o let
ler lo.lonco in which he soluted whoihe colled the lonoti
cism of this forerunner, ]he first orchiiect "who hos
turned his bock, in this country, on o lired ond sterile
meniolity"s.
Eng/ish version by Anco Bocdnet
door penku perioodo 1934-39. Din oceostd couzd,
bozo de plecore pentru reconstituireo operei hoiilor
loncu o reprezint6 fotogrofiile de epocd, publicote in
periodicele culturole ole-vremii sou p6skote in orhivo
[omiliei loncu lo Tel Aviv. li multumesc d-nei Dodi.]onco
pentru spriiinul neintrerupt in oceosld cercetore De
osemeneo ii sunt extrem de recunosc6toore d-nei
Monico Vieru pentru generozitoteo cu core mi-o pus
lo dispozifie toote in[ormoiiile pe core le delineo de lo
Morcel loncu si din olle surse
4 lmobileie din str. Poleoloqu (1932),
b-dul Hristo Botev
{1934), str Ddniceni (1935), str Olteni (1937), str
Troion ( 1935).
5. lmobilele din str. Steleo Spotoru (1935), str. Pictor
Luchion (1935?), str. Armeneosco {1936), str. Nic
Golescu (1939) etc
6. lmobilele din str. St Luchion, str, Nic Golescu,
B-dul Hristo Botev
Z Sondu Eliod, ,,Arhrtecturo vremii", Foc/o nr 442/on
Xl,l5 febr 1932, p.3
8 G M. Contocuzino, ,,Scrisoore cdfre Morcel loncu"
Contimporonul nr 96-97 -98, ion 193 1 , p.9- iO
NOTES
I This orticle fries to pointout only o lew feotures which
ore chorocteristic o[ Morcel Jonco's orchileclure.
2. Seiwert, Horry, Morcel Jonco, Verlog Peter Long,
Fronkfurt om Moin, 1993, p 393-394.
3 The orchives confoin Morcel .,|onco's'orchilecturol
drowingsjoncoonlyfrom the period 1 934- I 939 Thus,
the bosis for reconstructing the work of the Jonco broth-
ers wos old photogrophs published in the cuhurol mog-
ozines of he time or preserved in the orchive o[ the Jonco
fomily I wont to thonk Mrs. DodiJonco for her unremil-
ting support during ihis reseorch. I om olso exkemly grote
ful to Mrs. Monico Vieru for the generosity with which
she shored with me the knowledge she hos obtoined
from M Jonco ond olher sources
4 The buildings in Skodo Poleologu llS32l, Bulevordul
Hrisio Botev (1934), Strodo Doniceni {1935), Strodo
Troion (l 935), Strodo Olteni ( I 937)
5. The buildings in Strodo Steleo Spotoru (1935), Srrodo
Pictor Luchion (1935 ?), Strodo Armeneosco (1936),
Sirodo Nicoloe Golescu (1939) etc
6 The buildings in Strodo Pictor Luchion, Strodo Nicoloe
Golescu ond Bulevordul Hristo Botev
7.Eliod, Sondu, "Arhfiecfurovremii", Foc/o nr. 442^l,l 5
Februory 1932, p 3
B Contocuzino, G M., "Scrisoore cdtre Morcel loncu"
( Letter to Morcel
Jonco), Conlimporonu I nr. 96 -97 -98,
lonuory 193 1, p 9- 10.