Le Corbusier: Ville Savoye, Poissy (1928-31) - (Federico Bucci)

Summary

The Villa Savoye, located near Paris, is a seminal work of modern architecture designed by Le Corbusier in the early 20th century for Pierre and Eugénie Savoye. Despite initial disputes over construction defects and costs, the house is now recognized as a masterpiece, embodying Le Corbusier's avant-garde ideas. The three-level residence features a unique layout with a garage at ground level, living and bedroom spaces on the first floor, and a roof garden. It is characterized by its white parallelepiped form, strip windows, and pilotis, creating an architectural promenade. Le Corbusier's design philosophy is evident in the house's integration with nature, the innovative use of space, and the emphasis on light and air circulation. The Villa Savoye has been restored and is now listed as a French historic monument, showcasing the architect's enduring influence on modern design.

Takeaways

• 🏡 **Location and Significance**: Villa Savoye is located 30 km east of Paris, in Poissy, and became a symbol of modern architecture due to its innovative design.
• 👨‍💼 **Client and Commission**: The house was designed for Pierre Savoye, director of an insurance company, and his wife Eugénie, despite later disputes over construction issues and costs.
• 📐 **Dimensions and Design**: The building is a white parallelepiped, 21.5m long, 19m wide, and 9.4m high, with strip windows and supported by pilotis, or thin, cylindrical, reinforced concrete pillars.
• 🌳 **Integration with Nature**: The house is designed to be in harmony with the surrounding nature, with a roof garden and a focus on natural light and air circulation.
• 🚗 **Functional Layout**: The ground floor houses the garage, the first floor contains living spaces, and the roof garden is accessible via an external ramp.
• 🏙️ **Architectural Philosophy**: Le Corbusier's design philosophy is evident, emphasizing the 'promenade architecturale' and the importance of light and space.
• 🌞 **Light and Space**: The house is designed to maximize natural light, with large windows and a hanging garden that serves as a central light distributor.
• 🏠 **Living Spaces**: The living room and other rooms open onto the hanging garden, allowing for a seamless indoor-outdoor living experience.
• 🌿 **Roof Garden and Solarium**: The roof garden is a key feature, leading to a solarium, and is connected by a spiral staircase to the cellar below.
• 📈 **Architectural Innovation**: The design breaks traditional architectural norms, eliminating the concepts of 'front', 'back', or 'side', and the plan is pure and specific to the needs.
• 🎗️ **Historical Recognition**: After years of neglect and restoration, Villa Savoye is now recognized as a French 'historic monument', showcasing Le Corbusier's theories on modern living.

Q & A

Where is Poissy located in relation to Paris?

Poissy is located 30 km east from Paris, following the course of the Seine towards the Atlantic.

What was the significance of Poissy in the early 20th century?

Poissy became an important centre of the French automotive industry from the early 20th century.

Who was the architect that designed the country house in Poissy?

The architect who designed the country house in Poissy was Le Corbusier.

For whom was the country house designed by Le Corbusier?

The country house was designed for Pierre Savoye, the director of an insurance company, and his wife Eugénie.

What were the Savoye's complaints about the country house?

The Savoyes were highly disapproving of the architect due to construction defects and higher-than-anticipated costs.

What is the approximate size of the Villa Savoye?

The Villa Savoye measures 21.5 metres in length, 19 in width, and 9.4 in height.

How many levels does the Villa Savoye have?

The Villa Savoye is arranged on three levels.

What is the main feature of the Villa Savoye's external look?

The external look of the Villa Savoye is that of a white parallelepiped, cut lengthways by strip windows and suspended by cylindrical, reinforced concrete pillars known as pilotis.

What is the concept of 'promenade architecturale'?

The 'promenade architecturale' refers to the design of the interior spaces where a staircase and a ramp serve the three levels of the house, allowing for a continuous and fluid experience through the different spaces.

How does the Villa Savoye integrate with its natural surroundings?

The Villa Savoye is set amid meadows, with simple pillars placed in a way that cuts into the landscape, eliminating the traditional notions of 'front', 'back', or 'side', and allowing for air circulation and light to reach every point of the house.

What is the significance of the Villa Savoye in the context of modern architecture?

The Villa Savoye is a masterpiece of modern architecture and a manifesto of Le Corbusier's theories on dwelling. It is now listed among the French 'historic monuments'.

What was the main view orientation of the Villa Savoye?

The main view of the Villa Savoye is to the north, away from the path of the sun, which led to the inversion of what would normally be considered the front of the house.

How does the Villa Savoye's design reflect Le Corbusier's architectural philosophy?

The Villa Savoye's design reflects Le Corbusier's architectural philosophy by emphasizing the integration with nature, the use of modern materials like reinforced concrete, and the creation of a fluid, interconnected space that allows for natural light and air to circulate freely.

Outlines

00:00

🏡 Le Corbusier's Masterpiece: Villa Savoye

Le Corbusier, a renowned architect, designed a country house in Poissy, France, from 1928 to 1931 for Pierre Savoye and his wife Eugénie. Despite initial dissatisfaction due to construction defects and costs, the house is now recognized as a masterpiece of modern architecture. The house, known as Villa Savoye, measures 21.5m x 19m x 9.4m and features a white parallelepiped design with strip windows and pilotis (reinforced concrete pillars). It is arranged over three levels, with a garage at the ground floor, living and sleeping areas on the first floor, and a roof garden accessible via an external ramp. Le Corbusier's design philosophy, the 'promenade architecturale', is evident in the house's layout, which emphasizes a seamless flow of space and light. The architect himself described the house as a 'box in the air', set in a rural landscape, with a focus on integrating the structure with its natural surroundings.

05:03

🏞️ The Timeless Design of Villa Savoye

The Villa Savoye's design is not only rooted in the rural landscape of Poissy but also envisioned to be fitting in other settings, such as Biarritz, as suggested by Le Corbusier. The plan of the house is pure and caters to specific needs, making it a manifesto of Le Corbusier’s theories on modern dwelling. After a period of abandonment and a comprehensive restoration, Villa Savoye is now listed as a French 'historic monument'. The house's design continues to be celebrated for its innovative approach to space, light, and the integration with nature, reflecting Le Corbusier's forward-thinking architectural principles.

Keywords

💡Poissy

Poissy is a municipality located 30 km east from Paris, known for its significance in the French automotive industry from the early 20th century. In the context of the video, it is the location where Le Corbusier designed and realized the Villa Savoye, a country house that has become an icon of modern architecture.

💡Le Corbusier

Le Corbusier was a Swiss-French architect, designer, painter, and urban planner, renowned for being one of the pioneers of what is now called modern architecture. In the video, he is the designer of the Villa Savoye, which is considered a masterpiece of modern architecture and a manifestation of his theories on dwelling.

💡Villa Savoye

Villa Savoye is a modernist villa outside Paris, designed by Le Corbusier between 1928 and 1931 for Pierre Savoye and his wife Eugénie. It is a three-level house with a unique design that includes a roof garden and is suspended by pilotis, or reinforced concrete pillars. It is now listed as a French historic monument and is a key example of Le Corbusier's architectural principles.

💡Pilotis

Pilotis are thin, cylindrical, reinforced concrete pillars that support the Villa Savoye, elevating it above the ground and creating an open space beneath. This design element is central to Le Corbusier's concept of 'promenade architecturale', allowing the house to be integrated with the surrounding landscape and providing a visual and physical connection to nature.

💡Promenade Architecturale

The term 'promenade architecturale' refers to the idea of a continuous path through a building that allows for a dynamic experience of the space. In the Villa Savoye, this concept is realized through the use of a staircase and a ramp that guide the occupants through the different levels of the house, creating a sense of movement and connection between the various rooms and outdoor spaces.

💡Modernism

Modernism is an artistic and cultural movement that emerged in the early 20th century, characterized by a rejection of traditional forms and structures in favor of innovation and experimentation. In the context of the video, the Villa Savoye is an icon of architectural Modernism, showcasing Le Corbusier's avant-garde ideas and his approach to creating functional and aesthetically pleasing living spaces.

💡Historical Monument

A historical monument is a building or site of historical importance that has been officially designated for preservation due to its cultural, architectural, or historical significance. The Villa Savoye is listed as a French 'historic monument', reflecting its status as a significant work of modern architecture and its enduring influence on the field.

💡Ramp

In the context of the Villa Savoye, the ramp is an architectural element that serves as a gentle, continuous path leading from the entrance hall to the first floor, where the living spaces are located. The ramp is an integral part of the 'promenade architecturale', allowing for a seamless transition between different levels and spaces within the house.

💡Roof Garden

The roof garden is a landscaped area on the top of the Villa Savoye, accessible from the living room through the external ramp. It is a key feature of the house, providing an outdoor space for the inhabitants and contributing to the integration of the building with nature. The roof garden also serves as a source of light and air circulation within the house.

💡Architectural Freedoms

Architectural freedoms refer to the innovative and unconventional approaches to designing buildings that emerged during the modernist movement. In the video, Le Corbusier's design of the Villa Savoye exemplifies these freedoms, as it breaks away from traditional architectural norms and embraces new materials, forms, and spatial concepts to create a unique and functional living environment.

💡Hanging Garden

A hanging garden, in the context of the Villa Savoye, refers to the central, open-air space surrounded by the living room and other rooms of the house. It serves as a focal point for distributing light and air throughout the home. The hanging garden is an example of Le Corbusier's innovative use of space and his emphasis on integrating nature into the design of the house.

Highlights

Poissy became an important centre of the French automotive industry in the early 20th century.

Le Corbusier designed and realized a country house in Poissy for Pierre Savoye and his wife Eugénie from 1928 to 1931.

The Savoyes later blamed Le Corbusier for construction defects and higher-than-anticipated costs.

The Villa Savoye is considered a masterpiece of modern architecture and a manifesto of Le Corbusier's theories on dwelling.

The building measures 21.5 metres in length, 19 in width and 9.4 in height.

The external look is a white parallelepiped, cut lengthways by strip windows and suspended by cylindrical pillars known as pilotis.

The house is arranged on three levels - garage on the ground floor, living room and bedrooms on the first floor, and roof garden on the top.

The design is based on the concept of a 'promenade architecturale' with a staircase and ramp serving the different levels.

Le Corbusier described the site as a great lawn with the main view to the north, away from the sun.

The house is set amid meadows, with the driveway passing between the pilotis and ending beneath the house.

A gentle ramp leads from the entrance hall to the first floor where the living spaces are located.

The rooms are centered around a hanging garden that distributes adequate light and sunshine.

The sliding glass walls of the living room open onto the hanging garden, allowing the sun to shine throughout the house.

The ramp continues from the hanging garden to the roof, leading to the solarium.

The solarium is connected to the cellar by a spiral staircase, creating a pure vertical element in the horizontal composition.

The simple pillars of the ground floor are placed to eliminate the notions of 'front', 'back' or 'side' of the house.

The plan is pure and created to meet highly specific needs, fitting well into the rural landscape of Poissy.

Le Corbusier believed the Villa Savoye would also look magnificent in a different setting like Biarritz.

After years of abandonment and restoration, Villa Savoye is now listed among the French 'historic monuments'.

Transcripts

30 km east from Paris, following the course of the Seine towards the Atlantic, on the edge of the forest

of Saint-Germain, is the municipality of Poissy that, from the early 20th century,

became an important centre of the French automotive industry.

Here, from 1928 to 1931, amid a large green land, the young Le Corbusier

(who was at that time just over 30 years old) designed and realized a country house

for Pierre Savoye, director of an insurance company, and his wife Eugénie,

who would later be highly disapproving to the architect, blaming him for the construction defects

and, above all, for the higher-than-anticipated costs.

However, masterpieces are priceless and Mr and Mrs Savoye went down in history

as those who commissioned this small and extraordinary architectural work,

eloquent expression of an avant-garde idea.

The building measures 21.5 metres in length, 19 in width and 9.4 in height.

Its external look, to be considered in close relationship with nature, is that of a white parallelepiped

cut lengthways by strip windows and suspended

between a roof garden and a series of thin, cylindrical, reinforced concrete pillars known as pilotis.

The house is arranged on three levels, served by a staircase and a ramp, the elements, in other words,

of that “promenade architecturale” onto which Le Corbusier based

the design of the interior spaces.

In summary, at the ground floor is the garage for the cars;

at the first floor there are a living room (facing onto a large terrace),

bedrooms and bathrooms; while from the terrace, through the external part of the ramp,

one has access to the roof garden, dominated by a large window framing the landscape.

However, in order to fully grasp the striking beauty of this icon of Modernism,

let the architect speak about the “house under construction in Poissy”,

as he did during the conference The Plan of the Modern House held in Buenos Aires

on Friday 11th October 1929.

“The site: a great lawn, slightly convex. The main view is to the north,

therefore away from the path of the sun; what would normally be the front of the house

will therefore be inverted.

The house is a box in the air, cut all around, without interruption, by a horizontal window.

No more hesitations about making architectural play with the solid and hollow parts of a building.

The box is set amid meadows, dominating the surrounding greenery.

The driveway passes between the pilotis and ends beneath the box, sweeping around

a curved volume under the pilotis which encapsulates the entrance to the house, entrance hall,

garage and service areas (laundry and ironing rooms and servants’ quarters).

Automobiles turn beneath the house, stopping where they please.

From within the entrance hall, a very gentle ramp leads, almost without one noticing, to the first floor,

where the inhabitants go about their lives: reception room, bedrooms, etc.

Receiving views and light from the box’s regular perimeter, the various rooms are collected and centered

around a hanging garden which serves to distribute adequate light and sunshine.

And it is onto this hanging garden that the sliding glass walls of the living room

and many rooms of the house open in absolute freedom: thus, the sun shines everywhere,

from the very heart of the house.

From the hanging garden, the ramp, now in the open air, continues up to the roof, towards the solarium.

The latter, moreover, is connected by three flights of a spiral staircase to the cellar,

excavated from the ground beneath the pilotis.

This spiral, a pure vertical organ, fits freely into the horizontal composition.

To conclude, look at the section: air circulates everywhere and light reaches every point,

penetrating throughout.

A walk through the house gives architectural impressions of a diversity that disconcerts

any visitor unacquainted with the architectural freedoms offered by modern techniques.

The simple pillars of the ground floor are placed in such a way as to cut into the landscape

with a regularity whose effect is to do away with the very notions of a ‘front’, ‘back’ or ‘side’ of the house.

The plan is pure, created to meet highly specific needs.

It is at home in the rural landscape of Poissy”.

But, as Le Corbusier concluded, “it would also look magnificent in Biarritz”.

Villa Savoye, masterpiece of modern architecture and manifesto of Le Corbusier’s theories

on dwelling, after years of abandonment and a long restauration process,

is now listed among the French “historic monuments”.