Thesis_2

Revision: Draft2
Pratt institute
CEP/Sang Kim

Le Corbusier:
Unite d’habitation
(The Grand Modern Architect and the One of the His Masterpiece)


Kerin Lee (Younglee, Lee)



Introduction; Le Corbusier and his work

During the late nineteenths and early twentieths centuries, our city and structure of housing were the biggest changed through industrialization. In this period Le Corbusier proposed new ideas that is communal living or called group housing at the architecture and city planning. Le Corbusier (1887-1965) is the one of the most famous architects in the modern age and moreover still has the power of influence. He also proposed many important theories including Five Principles in Modern Architecture and also Theory of Modern City. The most important theory of Communal living is belonging at theory of modern city. In this viewpoint, Le Corbusier and his work have the most important impact on modern architecture. Most of his all architectures, especially Unite d’habitation has the most implicated that housing concept of communal living. There had many historical important meanings at modern architecture because the most remarkable area is communal living. In addition this building was greatly influenced to nowadays’ apartment style. Unite d’habitation can classify three architectural aspects which are historical, functional and structural.

1. Historical aspect of Unite d’habitation; Modern architecture

Le Corbusier is one of the most famous architect celebrities in the world and in addition to his portrait on Swiss ten Frances banknote. His idea which is Five Point of Modern Architecture, the Modular Theory, Four Point of Housing and etc. still reflected in nowadays modern architecture. Especially Unite d’habitation (see Figure 1.) has very important meanings at historical architecture. The Unite d’habitation brings together Le Corbusier’s vision for communal living with the needs and realities of post war France (Simon, 2001). Following his modular theory, modular generates the unites fifteen controlling dimensions in the vertical and horizontal planes giving the block great formal clarity (David, 1993, p14). He used this modular as a design tool. It was related for ‘civilize’ that was new reality of mass production. In these reasons at that time structure of apartment advanced at our housing style. This building looks like staked lots of boxes similar to today’s apartment.

Fig. 1 Unite d’habitation, 1946-52, Le Corbusier.

2. Functional aspect of Unite d’habitation; Communal living housing

After the World War II, in the late 1960s and early 1970s the circumstances were ripe to the development of alternative life style (Rachel, 1998). Le Corbusier stood the forefront of this changing. According to changing of people’ lifestyle and rapidly increased the number of people, he designed new style of housing that was different from in the past one’s. That idea is communal living theory and especially the building is Unite d’habitation. It contains almost 340 apartments for some 1600 people for urban living (Peter, 1960, p120). Most of all, the roof garden is a distinguished feature unlike existing buildings. This roof garden is huge plaza for children to play; a pool, a restaurant, concrete benched for their mothers and etc. (Peter, 1960, p123). This structure was existed for community of habitation. More over his another important idea in Unite d’habitation is protecting and making independent habitation’s privacy from the every crowdedness. That is added approaching and isolating that groups or mass needs for some necessities and they do not want to induce the troubles between individual and community (Andre, 2006).

3. Structural aspect of Unite d’habitation; Dom-ino theory

Beginning in the late 1920s and extending to the present day, there are many architectural theories differ from in past’s buildings (Edward, 1996). Especially Dom-ino theory is the most important theory in modern architecture. It was belonging in the Five Point of Modern Architecture that Le Corbusier made. Dom-ino (See Figure 2.) is a simple statement about the possibilities of reinforced-concrete construction: a frame of six columns, supporting all floors and roof slabs, with cantilevered stair that connected with from ground to roof (Peter, 1964, p44). This theory was the general theory that changed the way of thinking of western architecture over thousands years (Lim, 2000). Therefore this Le Corbusier’s invention that is Dom-ino theory was the turning point of Modern architecture and the biggest influenced at it. Not only the historical meaning but also it influenced at Unite d’habitation and even apartment structure. This structure can make easily flexible vertical walls and separated living units. As a result, his spatial idea provided each of the ‘superimposed houses’ so-called tower apartment unit (Peter, 1964, p45).

Fig.2 Column-and-slab structure for Dom-ino houses,1914 (Peter, 1964, P43)

Conclusion; The important architectural meaning about Unite d’habitaion

Le Corbusier proposed many theories of modern architecture and still influenced today’s architecture. Especially Unite d’habitation has many meanings of historical, functional and structural aspect of modern architecture. Unite d’habitation brings the new housing idea that his vision is for communal living. It reflected at that time’s circumstance like industrialization and civilization to as a housing style form. This functional housing style was called as communal living. Communal living is the most important idea of Unite d’habitation that exited for community of habitation. Not only community but also habitation’s privacy is the distinguished point of Unite d’habitation. Lastly structural of aspect also is important. Le Corbusier invented the Dom-ino theory that is different from in the past’s architectures. Using many columns, the vertical and horizontal walls and slabs can make flexible spaces easily. This spatial idea provided ‘Superimposed houses’ so called as apartment unit. Unite d’habitation also is followed this Dom-ino theory. Like in these reasons, Unite d’habitation is the most important modern architecture. Moreover Le Corbusier has still great influence in our modern architecture.









References

* Unite d’habitation, Marseilles_ Le Corbusier (1993), David Jenkins, Phaidon Press Ltd.
* Le Corbusier_ Architecture and Form (1964), Peter Blake, a Pelican Book.
* Le Corbusier’s hand (2006), Andre Wogenscky, The MIT Press
* The Details of Modern Architecture (1996), Edward R. Ford, The MIT press.
* Le Corbusier and the Radiant City Contra ; True Urbanity and the Earth (1998), Rachel Kennedy, http://www.uky.edu/.
* Unite d’habitation (Cite Radiease), Marseilles (2001), Simmon Glynn, http://www.galinsky.com/.
* Le Corbusier, his success and failure (2000), Lim Woojin, The architecture theory (http://www.preso.orange.fr/).


Picture

* fig. 1) http://www.thepoolve.com/ (2000)
* fig. 2) Le Corbusier_ Architecture and Form (1964), Peter Blake, a Pelican Book