The failing of the Unité d'habitation explained in 9 minutes

Summary

The video script narrates the story of Le Corbusier's ambitious Unité d'Habitation project, a modernist housing unit designed to provide urban residents with all the amenities of a small town within a single building. Despite its innovative approach, the project faced numerous challenges, including service installation issues, flawed sun protection, and an expensive, time-consuming construction process. The unique spatial design of the apartments and the inclusion of communal facilities such as shops, a hotel, and a rooftop with a running track and kindergarten aimed to foster a sense of community. However, the project was criticized for its impracticality and high costs, ultimately leading to a mixed legacy in the field of architecture.

Takeaways

• 🏙️ The Unité d'Habitation was designed by Le Corbusier as a response to the post-war housing crisis, aiming to provide a self-contained living environment with all the amenities of a small town within a single building.
• 📈 Le Corbusier's earlier housing projects faced significant challenges, with some being widely regarded as failures, yet these experiences influenced his approach to the Unité d'Habitation.
• 🌞 The building features a 'brise soleil' (sun break) to manage sunlight and heat, but it was not effective on all sides of the building, leading to residents installing additional sun blinds.
• 🌳 Despite the concept of pilotis (columns) to create open space at ground level for nature, the reality was a concrete-dominated landscape without the intended greenery.
• 💸 The construction of the Unité d'Habitation was more expensive and took longer than initially planned, highlighting issues with cost and time management.
• 🏡 The apartments were designed with a unique spatial experience in mind, featuring a narrow width and split-level layout, which was intended to encourage a back-and-forth movement within the home.
• 🚿 The entrance to the apartments was through the kitchen, followed by the dining area and then the living area, with sleeping quarters and bathroom spaces arranged in a specific order.
• 🛒 The building's commercial spaces, intended to serve as 'streets' for local shops, were not as successful as envisioned, with many now being used as offices.
• 👪 Le Corbusier aimed to foster a sense of community within the building, with communal facilities such as a rooftop kindergarten, running track, and open-air theatre.
• 🧱 The building's services, such as water and gas, were problematic due to their integration within the concrete structure, leading to difficulties in installation and maintenance.
• 🏢 The Unité d'Habitation is a towering concrete structure that has had a significant influence on 20th-century architecture, despite its flaws and the criticisms it faced.

Q & A

What was the primary need that Le Corbusier aimed to address with his housing solutions in the 1950s?

Le Corbusier aimed to address the need for affordable and efficient housing solutions for the rapidly growing urban population in the post-war era of the 1950s.

What was the name of the housing unit that Le Corbusier designed that became one of the most influential buildings of the 20th century?

The Unité d'Habitation was the housing unit designed by Le Corbusier that became one of the most influential buildings of the 20th century.

What was the main concept behind Le Corbusier's Unité d'Habitation?

The main concept behind the Unité d'Habitation was to offer residents all the amenities of a small town within a single building, creating a self-contained modernist housing unit.

What were some of the early housing projects proposed by Le Corbusier that were considered failures?

Early housing projects by Le Corbusier that were considered failures include the social housing project at Pessac in 1924, the Swiss Pavilion to house Swiss students at the University of Paris, and the Cite de Refuges.

What was the name of the project in Moscow, Russia, that was inspired by Le Corbusier’s 5 points of modern architecture?

The project in Moscow, Russia, inspired by Le Corbusier’s 5 points of modern architecture was called the Narkomfin, also known as the social condenser.

What was the main issue with the Narkomfin project in terms of its functionality and acceptance by the residents?

The main issue with the Narkomfin project was that it failed to meet the residents' needs, leading to them hating the building and deserting it quickly. The functionalist design that aimed to condense public and private life in a box did not work as intended.

What was the original estimated cost and time frame for the construction of the Unité d'Habitation?

The original estimated cost for the construction of the Unité d'Habitation was 35 million francs, with a predicted time frame of one year.

What were some of the problems associated with the pilotis and services in the Unité d'Habitation?

The pilotis were supposed to free up the ground for pedestrians and greenery, but there was no grass or trees. Additionally, the services such as water, gas, and other systems were not properly installed, making maintenance awkward and expensive. The services were placed inside the concrete structure, which was a basic mistake.

How did Le Corbusier's design for the brise soleil, or sun break, fail to meet the expectations of the residents?

The brise soleil was designed to exclude the sun in summer while allowing it to enter in winter. However, it only worked effectively on the south side of the building. The sun entered from the east and west sides without protection from the brise soleil, leading to residents being unhappy and adding their own sun blinds.

What was the spatial experience like for residents living in the Unité d'Habitation?

The spatial experience was unique, with apartments arranged linearly due to their narrow width, limiting movement but allowing for a back-and-forth traversal and a vertical experience with the use of stairs. The layout included an entrance through the kitchen, a dining area, a double-height living area, and a sleeping area above the dining area on the upper level.

What communal facilities did Le Corbusier include in the Unité d'Habitation to foster a sense of community?

Le Corbusier included communal facilities such as 'streets' on levels seven and eight with local shops, hotel rooms, cafés, and restaurants. Additionally, the roof featured a kindergarten, a running track, a paddling pool, a gymnasium, and an open-air theatre.

What was the critique of Le Corbusier's approach to designing the Unité d'Habitation?

The critique was that Le Corbusier's innovation led to an overpriced and dysfunctional project. His designs, although aiming to meet the needs of standardized lives, were seen as being tailored more to his own vision than to the actual needs of the residents.