ABOUT LE CORBUSIER 1914-15: He developed his 1st major theoretical

work- Dom-ino House. It’s a reinforced concrete

 Most pioneering architect of the 20th century frame. Later, it became a mass production system
for open house planning
 Swiss-French nationality
 Born in 1887, in a small town in Switzerland called La Chaux de Fonds
 Father: Artisan who enameled boxes and watches PURISM
 Mother: Pianist, gave piano lessons Developed the idea of ‘Purism’ with French, Cubist, Painter,
Amédée Ozenfant. With him, they published a journal ‘L’Esprit
 Formally known as Charles Edouard Jeanneret Nouveau
 Later adopted the pseudonym, ‘Le Corbusier’ in1920
 He was also an excellent writer, urban planner and painter CUBISM
 Designed buildings in Europe, Japan, India and North and South America An art movement developed between 1908 and 1912, where
natural forms are reduced to basic geometric parts. One of the
HIS ARCHITECTURAL JOURNEY first painters to bring about Cubism was painter and sculptor,
 Came of an age during the innovation of Pablo Picasso.
transportation, so became one of the 1st few Ronchamp chapel reflects some of the works of Picasso that
architects to spread his trade across several influenced Corbusier
continents
 He studied architecture in his hometown
 Then he left to the Mediterranean where he 5 POINTS OF ARCHITECTURE
visited the Florence 1. Pilotis-the building is lifted on concrete pillars which allow for free circulation on
Charterhouse in Galluzo; the ground level
which made a lifelong impact on his works
2. Free façade- The structure separates from the façade relieving it of its structural
 In 1911 he travelled to the Balkans, as well as Pompeii and function
Rome; where he filled many sketchbooks of what he observed
3. Ribbon window- Façade can be cut along its entire length to allow the room to be
 Most especially sketches of the Parthenon; which he lit equally
praised about so much in his later work, ’Vers une architecture’
4. Open floor plan- floor plan of a building should be free form structural
FATHER-FIGURES THAT LEAD TO HIS SUCCESS conditioning, so partitions can be designed in any way; interior can be designed
freely
 August Perret
5. Roof terrace- Sloping roof is replaced by a flat roof so it can be used as a garden
 Peter Behrens
 Charles L’Eplattenier

SOME OF HIS INFLUENTIAL WORKS PRIOR TO SUCCESS

THE DOM-INO HOUSE
SELECTED WORKS OF LE CORBUSIER  Part of the lower structure is a curved glass façade- formed to match the turning
radius of an automobile in 1929
1. RONCHAMP CHAPEL (1951-1955)  Part of the lower structure is painted green
 Located in Ronchamp, France to blend seamlessly with the forested background

 Consists of 2 entrances, an altar and 3 On the 1st floor a clear L shape separates
chapels bedrooms from the public areas

 Roof shaped like an airplane wing,  Living room is fitted with ribbon windows
supported on 4 stout walls that are curved to provide that allow in much light as possible
stability to the structure
 2/3 of the living room opens onto an outdoor patio where a ramp stretches from
 Use of stark white walls to give a lawn to a rooftop garden
meditative feel
 1964- it was listed a historic monument
 Internal and external walls are sprayed on with mortar before being white washed
3. UNITE D’HABITATION (1952-1976)
 Floor is constructed of a concrete paving poured in place in-between battons.
 Located in Marseilles, France
 Roof is made of raw concrete
 Designed to provide accommodation to
 Benches- made of African wood, Communion bench- made of cast iron countless who have lost their homes to war
 Walls are separated from the roof by a 10cm gap  Can accommodate about 1600 residents in
allowing a sliver of clerestory light through, making 337apartments on 18 floors
the roof appear to float
 Each unit served by ‘mid-air streets’ situated on every 3rd floor.
 Small apertures are implemented onto the façade
and glazed windows are tapered into the cavity,  These streets, houses shops and a hotel
amplifying the light that enters the chapel  Each unit is a double height
 Main door made of enameled steel living space reducing the no. of corridors
to every 3 floors
2. VILLA SAVOYE (1928-1931)  Constructed of Beton-brut
 Located in Poissy, France concrete (Rough cast concrete),
influencing the Brutalist style
 Made for client, Pierre Savoye
 Building is supported on stout pilotis
 The house is said to resemble similar
qualities of a steamship  Roof terrace creates the largest communal space accommodating a running track,
gymnasium, nursery and a swimming pool
 Inspired by his famous saying, “The house
is a machine for living” 4. CHANDIGARH CAPITOL COMPLEX
 Each of the levels are unique in their Locates in Chandigarh, India
planning and are not interrelated- example of Open floor plan
ASSEMBLY (1951-1962)
 Ground floor serves as the maintenance and service program of the house
 Lies on the Northwestern tip of the complex
  Political and administrative heart  Made of reinforced concrete with undulating glass surfaces located on 3 of the 4
of Indian Punjab exterior faces
3 main components; portico,  Use of pilotis- which line the windows on
Punjab assembly and Haryana assembly the façade
Punjab assembly- crowned by a  Side chapel adjacent to the high church
massive hyperbolic tower that extends above consists of 7 altars, where Mass is
the roofline celebrated by the Dominicans.
 Said to provide excellent accoustics  This room is lit by colored light cannons,
allowing in natural light.
 Brise soleil used for protection against the harsh Indian sun
 Monk’s cells are fitted with a washbasin and spartan furniture
 Use of pilotis to lift the structure off the ground
 Large swooping concrete roof provides shading for the inhabitants in the offices BIBLIOGRAPHY
 Main entrance door made of enameled steel Websites
[Link]
HIGH COURT (1951-1955)
[Link]
 Forms the southeast cornerstone of the capitol
[Link]
 2 blocks separated by 3 monumental pillars [Link]

 Room shielded by a brise-soleil [Link]

[Link]
SECRETARIATE (1951-1958) [Link]

 Largest edifice in the capitol [Link]

[Link]
 254m long and 42m high
[Link]
 Headquarters of the Punjab and Haryana Government
[Link]
 Whole sculpture is constructed in Beton-brut concrete [Link]

5. LA TOURETTE (1953-1960) [Link]

 Located in L’Arbresle, France Books

 Corbusier was asked to build a Dominican Le Corbusier by TASCHEN, written by Jean Louis Cohen
Monastery, on the edge of Lyons Le Corbusier in detail by Flora Samuel
 Made of 100 individual cells, a communal
library, a refectory, a rooftop cloister, a
church and classrooms
 Consists of 4 courtyards