Villa Savoye

Villa Savoye

The Villa Savoye is considered by many to be the seminal work of the Swiss architect Le Corbusier. Situated at Poissy, outside of Paris, it is one of the most recognisable architectural presentations of the International Style. Construction was substantially completed ca. 1929.

The house was emblematic of Le Corbusier work in that it addressed "The Five Points", his basic tenets of a new aesthetic of architecture constructed in reinforced concrete:

1. The pilotis, or ground-level supporting columns, elevate the building from the damp earth allowing the garden to flow beneath.
2. A flat roof terrace reclaims the area of the building site for domestic purposes, including a garden area.
3. The free plan, made possible by the elimination of load-bearing walls, consists of partitions placed where they are needed without regard for those on adjoining levels.
4. Horizontal windows provide even illumination and ventilation.
5. The freely-designed facade, unconstrained by load-bearing considerations, consists of a thin skin of wall and windows.

The Villa Savoye was designed as a weekend country house and is situated just outside of the city of Poissy in a meadow which was originally surrounded by trees. The polychromatic interior contrasts with the primarily white exterior. Vertical circulation is facilitated by ramps as well as stairs. The house fell into ruin during World War II but has since been restored and is open for viewing.

Design Details

Given that Villa Savoye is an excellent example of Le Corbusier's Machine for Living ideal, it is no surprise that house employs a number of mechanical devices for easing manual tasks. In the sun room, for instance, the large windows crank open with a lever. In the kitchen, the cabinets efficiently slide open on either side. The kitchen is all utilitarian white, in contrast to the almost decadent master bathroom with its aqua tiled bath tub.

The fireplace in the sun room is pierced by a piloti. Here, Le Corbusier goes much further than merely refusing to hide the structural supports of the house. The radical juxtaposition of fireplace and piloti both celebrates the supports and exagerates the seemingly arbitrary relationship of architectural features to them.

He also exposes radiators throughout the house.

Le Corbusier chose a flat roof for the Villa Savoye, a move he said was for functionality, though it may just as well have been for the apearance of functionality. Eventually, the roof proved to be less than fully funtional and leaked. The owners took Le Corbusier to court. But World War II broke out before the matter was settled, and the building was left in a state of disrepair.

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  View of the terrace looking towards the master bedroom from the sun room.

External links

• Official tourist board site
• Photos of Villa Savoye
• website with pictures of architecture.
• galinsky architecture site page for Villa Savoye including visitor information
• Villa Savoye in Lego