Le Corbusier’s architecture: 7th anniversary of World Heritage listing
On July 17th, we celebrated the 7 years since the transnational series “The Architectural Works of Le Corbusier” was inscribed on the World Heritage List.
This special World Heritage newsletter, produced thanks to the participation of all the stakeholders in the 17 sites, managers and residents, shares the latest news from each site and the various issues raised by this inscription: projects and restorations in progress, extension of protection, mediation projects and other news showing the influence of Le Corbusier’s work. We are pleased to share it with our partners. For the latest news on the Series, visit our web site.
The Presidency of the International Permanent Conference is entrusted this year to India and all the seven State Parties will meet again in December in Chandigarh. At the next World Heritage Committee meeting, from September 10th to 25th, the last state of conservation report submitted by France to the World Heritage Centre in December 2022 will be examined. The Periodic Report is currently being finalized by the French Ministry of Culture.
We wish you a wonderful summer,
The Secretariat of the International Standing Conference
PETITE VILLA AU BORD DU LAC LÉMAN
CORSEAUX, SUISSE, 1923-1924
The Petite villa au bord du lac Léman is the archetype of the minimum house.
Centenary celebrations 1923-2023
The celebrations for the 2023 Centenary of the Villa “Le Lac” Le Corbusier are part of the Concept 2.0, which consists of “setting the record straight”. The aim is to communicate the facts, dismantle inaccurate thesis, to highlight the work of historians to present the public an image of Le Corbusier, the Modern Movement and the Villa “Le Lac”.
To this end, the Villa “Le Lac” presents:
A retrospective exhibition Il était une fois la Villa 1923-2023 with a catalog featuring testimonials from people who knew the Villa when it was inhabited. Eminent Corbuséans, architects, historians, family friends, residents of Corseaux and the surrounding area, and musical students of Albert Jeanneret (Le Corbusier’s brother) have taken part.
The official opening of the centenary of the Villa “Le Lac”, on May 25th, 2023, took place in the presence of political representatives from the Swiss Confederation, the Cantons of Vaud, Geneva and Neuchâtel, the Municipality of Corseaux, the communes of the Vaud Riviera, as well as representatives of the Fondation Le Corbusier and the Association, manager of the Villa “Le Lac” Le Corbusier.
Over the course of the summer, the garden will host lectures, film screenings and concerts, including a piano recital featuring several pieces from the repertoire of Le Corbusier’s mother.
An artist residency will also be organized. The aim is to create an original work to set the Villa “Le Lac” to music. A 45 rpm record (+ digital download code) will be released in Christmas 2023.
Finally, the Villa “Le Lac” organizes a dog show. The dog’s platform is a real attraction. The competition is informal and convivial. The winner will walk away with 1st prize: a year’s supply of kibbles !
MAISONS LA ROCHE ET JEANNERET
PARIS, FRANCE, 1923-1925
The La Roche and Jeanneret houses are the first expression of Purism in architecture.
The Maison La Roche and the Maison Jeanneret have been restored throughout the project to nominate Le Corbusier’s architectural work. Between 2008 and 2009, the interiors of the Maison La Roche were restored to their original paintings. Colors were identified on the basis of archival documents and in situ stratigraphic surveys carried out by a mural restorer. Laboratory analyses identified the pigments and binders, as well as the first layers of paint:
- light Terre de Sienne glue paints for the entrance hall, purist bedroom and distribution areas,
- ultramarine blue glue paints for some ground-floor areas,
- oil-based paint for wood, metal and cement surfaces,
- oil emulsion for other rooms with plastered walls.
As part of the maintenance work undertaken by the Foundation over the past few years, repainting work is currently underway, in particular the glue work on the purist room. Its color, light Terre de Sienne, matches that of the exterior plaster and stone coating called Cimentaline, used on the façades of the La Roche and Jeanneret houses by Le Corbusier.
For almost a year now, measurements of temperature, humidity and CO2 have been taken inside the Maison Jeanneret. This research work is part of the FRESCO (conFort theRmique édificES COrbusier) project supported by the Institut de Recherche en Constructibilité – IRC of ESTP Paris, the Laboratoire de Recherche des Monuments historiques, the Fondation Le Corbusier and the Drac Ile-de-France. The aim of this project is to find innovative solutions for improving the thermal comfort and energy efficiency of this heritage. The current project will take an inventory of the current situation, with a focus on Le Corbusier’s architecture in Ile-de-France, combining archival studies, diagnostics and instrumentation. It will lead to the development of digital models and the testing of innovative solutions.
CITÉ FRUGÈS
PESSAC, FRANCE, 1924-1926
The Cité Frugès is the prototype for a standardized housing estate in the 1920s, with an ambition unmatched at the time.
The H-BIM tool for better conservation
Following the inscription of the Cité Frugès on the World Heritage List, and on the eve of its 100th anniversary, the City of Pessac, with the support of the DRAC Nouvelle-Aquitaine, and in collaboration with the Fondation Le Corbusier, has equipped itself with an innovative digital tool to meet the new objectives of conservation, restoration and enhancement of the Cité.
A site-wide architectural and landscape diagnostic study was carried out with the aim of drawing up a new master plan and building a restoration doctrine for the Cité as a whole. This in-depth study is now available in the form of a BIM model.
Such a tool has the advantage of making all heritage data accessible, intelligible and usable, regardless of the user’s profile in the context of a works project.
The model also provides access to a graphic repertory of solutions for problematic architectural elements, interiors and exteriors, with a view to their restoration. It can also be used to define and support projects at every scale of the site, from urban planning to the integration of necessary building changes linked to the climate transition.
Restoration of the show house
The house owned by the City of Pessac is in need of museum-style restoration. Now listed as a historic monument, it will benefit from an exemplary restoration.
Today’s state of knowledge allows us to proceed with a demanding restoration of the house, as well as the faithful restitution of the elements delivered in 1926. New investigations will reveal more about the elements planned and designed by the architects, which were not fully realized at the time due to a lack of funding for the entire project.
This project will also provide an opportunity to enhance scientific and technical knowledge of the building and its functioning, and to integrate it into the H-BIM tool. The studies and diagnostics carried out will benefit future restoration work on the houses in the Cité Frugès.
The inauguration of the show house is scheduled to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the district and the 10th anniversary of the inclusion of Le Corbusier’s architectural work on the World Heritage List.
MAISON GUIETTE
ANVERS, BELGIQUE, 1926-1927
Based on the Pavillon de L’Esprit Nouveau, the Maison Guiette was Le Corbusier’s first foreign commission, symbolizing his early recognition on a European scale.
Restoration
The exterior restoration of the Guiette house has just been completed. Le Corbusier built this house in Antwerp (Belgium) in 1926 for Belgian painter René Guiette. In 1987, architect Georges Baines restored the building on behalf of current owners Patrick Robyn and Ann Demeulemeester. In 2017, they commissioned architect Luc Deleu (T.O.P.-office) to restore the building again. Luc Deleu developed a masterplan and researched building physics, material technological aspects and the history of this house.
On this basis and in consultation with the Flanders Heritage Agency and the Fondation Le Corbusier, he drew up a design, specifications and a manual for details.
During the restoration, the joinery was repaired and fitted with new glazing. The contractor applied a new layer of facade insulation and a finishing layer with a suitable colour. A restoration of the solarium with planters and balconies was also on the program. The restoration provided new concrete copings inspired by Le Corbusier’s original designs.
The question of the façade color gave rise to interesting discussions. Le Corbusier’s color study provided a Sienna painted finish, but at the time, the facades were finished in gray granilis in order to meet Antwerp building regulations. During the restoration in 1987, a white insulating plaster was applied in response to constructive and physical problems and in keeping with the then current ideal image of the “modernist white box”. This option had also been suggested in his last correspondence. During this restoration, it was finally decided to use a slightly softer white.
The next step that the owners are already planning is the restoration of the interiors.
The Fondation Le Corbusier team visited the restored house and was welcomed by the owner, the architect and colleagues from Flandres Heritage Agency.
MAISONS DE LA WEISSENHOF-SIEDLUNG
STUTTGART, ALLEMAGNE, 1926-1927
The Houses of the Weissenhoff Siedlung are two exceptional models of mass-produced housing for the masses; they had a worldwide impact thanks to the international response to the Deutscher Werkbund’s 1927 architecture exhibition devoted to the theme of housing.
Le Corbusier is an Abitur subject in Baden-Württemberg
Since the 2022-2023 school year, Le Corbusier’s semi-detached house in Stuttgart has been welcoming large numbers of school classes, as Le Corbusier is on the curriculum for the Baccalaureate in Baden-Württemberg! In fact, until 2027, all students who choose art for their exam will be working on the following topic: “Housing concepts and building structures: residential buildings designed by Le Corbusier from 1920 onwards and residential buildings designed by the Danish Bjarke Ingels group”. Specific guided tours are organized for these audiences.
IBA Festival and Hermann-Lenz-Höhe
In three and a half years, the Weissenhof Estate will be 100 years old and the Stuttgart region will celebrate this anniversary with a new international building exhibition, the IBA’27. Along the way, there will be two major festivals. The first, in wish the Friends of the Weissenhofsiedlung are taking part, began on June 23rd. Over a hundred events will be held throughout the region to mark this occasion and in the direct vicinity of the Weissenhof Estate, a participatory spatial installation has been created that asks the questions “what goes – what comes – what remains”. This installation is an opportunity to discuss the ideas of Le Corbusier and the other architects of the Weissenhof.
VILLA SAVOYE ET LOGE DU JARDINIER
POISSY, FRANCE, 1928-1931
The Villa Savoye and gardener’s lodge is the absolute icon of the Modern Movement, and immediately recognized as such.
From September to December 2022, the Centre des Monuments Nationaux worked to restore the entire interior of the Villa Savoye. In consultation with the regional conservatory of the historic monuments, the chosen approach was to restore the building to its last known historical state, which corresponds to the restoration carried out in 1997.
Conducted under the supervision of Laurent Alberti, AUE and curator of the villa, the work began with an assessment of the state of health, followed by a stratigraphic study by Ariel Bertrand, which revealed the order of the pictorial layers. Work was ordered to repair and repaint walls and partitions. The parquet floors in the bedrooms were treated, and the tiled floors repaired in places, interior and exterior doors were restored. The ramp’s glass roof was also repaired (corrosion spots, defective sealants and glass) before being repainted.
Lastly, to improve the perception of the original lobby space, more discreet furniture has been designed for the ticket office.
IMMEUBLE CLARTÉ
GENÈVE, SUISSE, 1930-1932
The Clarté building, based on the Immeuble-villas prototype, is the prototype for the prefabrication of modern luxury housing.
The Fondation Clarté, created a year ago following the inclusion of Le Corbusier’s work on the World Heritage List, has taken possession of the ground-floor arcades of the Clarté building, formerly the Darshana restaurant. Destined to be converted into a cultural space, this place will promote the Immeuble Clarté and Le Corbusier’s work. Studies have made it possible to trace the evolution of this site and diagnose its state of preservation, in order to initiate the restoration project scheduled for 2024-2025.
The City of Geneva acquired in 2016 and 2019 two apartments in the Immeuble, two duplexes with 4 and 9 rooms on the 4th and 5th floors, with the aim of making them accessible to the public.
In this context, the Conservation du patrimoine architectural of the Département de l’aménagement, des constructions et de la mobilité of the City of Geneva commissioned the Laboratoire des Techniques et de la Sauvegarde de l’Architecture Moderne of the EPFL in Lausanne to carry out a preliminary historical, heritage and social study. The study, carried out by Franz Graf, Giulia Marino and Mélanie Delaune Perrin, is currently being finalized.
The Fondation Clarté is also enhancing its website.
IMMEUBLE LOCATIF À LA PORTE MOLITOR
PARIS, FRANCE, 1931-1934
The rental building at Porte Molitor is the world’s first residential building with an all-glass facade.
Apartment building at Porte Molitor – restoration of the façades
Restoration work on the main façade of the Immeuble à la Porte Molitor, 24 rue Nungesser et Coli, has just begun with the installation of scaffolding. This first phase of the project is scheduled for completion in April 2024, to coincide with the Olympic Games in Paris. Work will then continue on the Boulogne façade, the interior courtyards and the entrance hall.
The project to restore the street façades and courtyards includes the conservation and restoration of the metal window frames, installed during the 1957-1962 works carried out under Le Corbusier’s supervision.
The project also includes restoration work on the concrete, Nevada glass blocks and repainting.
To meet residents’ current need for thermal comfort, the replacement of certain types of glass (more insulating) will be studied during this first phase of work, based on the results of the FRESCO research project.
Apartment-studio of Le Corbusier – furniture classification
Following the inscription of the Immeuble à la Porte Molitor in its entirety (excluding the private apartments) in 2017, the Fondation Le Corbusier has proposed the project to classify the perpetual furniture of Le Corbusier’s apartment-studio. An initial favorable response has been given. The protection project includes 17 items of flying or mobile furniture (the fixed furniture has been classified with the apartment since 1972) and 17 objects designed or chosen by Le Corbusier for his apartment during his lifetime. These include, for example, the watchmaker’s furniture and the oval table from the Maison Blanche in La Chaux-de-Fonds, as well as the white enamelled cast-iron bathroom accessories purchased from the BHV for which we have sketches by Le Corbusier.
UNITÉ D’HABITATION
MARSEILLE, FRANCE, 1945-1952
The Unité d’habitation de Marseille, a founding work of architectural Brutalism, is a major experiment in a new type of housing based on a balance between the individual and the collective.
According to a report by the Fédération Européenne des Associations d’Habitants des Unités d’Habitation de Le Corbusier, the one in Marseille is the most visited.
To welcome groups, an agreement has been signed with the Marseille Tourist Office, which organizes guided tours for a fee, giving access to the building and to a listed apartment rented from the co-ownership. Individual visitors can visit certain parts of the building on their own, free of charge, any day of the year.
On Heritage Days, the Tourist Office organizes the tours, assisted by the Association des Habitants.
The system implemented in Marseille explains the high number of visitors, but it was imposed by the existence of the shops, services, offices, hotel and restaurant located on 3rd and 4th streets and the MAMO on the roof, which must therefore remain freely accessible.
As this is an inhabited monument, the difficulty lies in striking a balance between opening it to the public and protecting the lives of its inhabitants, proud, that visitors from all over the world take an interest in their home.
Renovation and maintenance work is carried out on a regular basis (the south façade was recently completed, and garbage collector is underway), with the support of the DRAC PACA, the City of Marseille and the Conseil Départemental.
To celebrate the 70th anniversary of the UH, the Association des Habitants organized in 2022 an ambitious program of events. On October 8th 2022, a party was dedicated to the residents, with entertainment on the theme of life in the UH.
In addition, the MAMO (Centre d’Art de la Cité Radieuse created by Ora-Ito in the former gymnasium on the roof terrace), organizes an exhibition every summer and celebrated its 10th anniversary on July 13th, 2023.
MAISON DU DOCTEUR CURUTCHET
LA PLATA, ARGENTINE, 1949-1954
La Maison du docteur Curutchet reflects the global influence of Le Corbusier’s architectural work, and testifies to the internationalization of the Mouvement Moderne after the Second World War.
Maison Curutchet is more than eleven thousand kilometers from the workshop at 35 rue de Sèvres in Paris, where Le Corbusier designed the majority of his work. However, its design is no stranger to Argentine architecture. Between 1850 and 1950, Argentina welcomed countless European immigrants. One of the most important public initiatives of this period was the founding, in 1882, of the city of La Plata, the new French-inspired capital of the province of Buenos Aires. La Plata was awarded the gold medal for City of the Future at the 1889 Paris Exposition Universelle.
La Plata was barely 47 years old when Le Corbusier visited. Walking through its tree-lined streets, he observed its double geometry, orthogonal and diagonal. He also discovered that, in both directions of its square plan, after five streets, there is a wide avenue with double traffic and that at each intersection of the avenues, there is a square, also lined with trees.
Two decades after his visit, Le Corbusier agreed to design the consulting house for Dr Pedro Curutchet, son of one of those millions of European immigrants. Curutchet’s small plot of land is located where the city’s civic axis meets the forest. Le Corbusier took this into account, reproducing the city’s double geometry with a forest of pilotis. He also introduced a tree into the courtyard of the house to give continuity to the urban green space.
He wrote in L’espace indécible: “Our mission is to achieve a just and efficient occupation of space, the only way to put the things of life in their place and place life in its only true environment: one where harmony reigns. And harmony is only achieved by that which is infinitely precise and just, that which awakens the depths of sensitivity, that which sharpens the edge of emotion”.
MANUFACTURE À SAINT-DIÉ
SAINT-DIÉ-DES-VOSGES, FRANCE, 1946-1951
The Manufacture Claude & Duval, based on the standards of the Radiant City and the Athens Charter, is the prototype of the Green Factory, revolutionizing working conditions.
Nancy celebrates its 3 places | World Heritage in the Grand Est | June 16 – October 3
The 40th anniversary of the inscription on the World Heritage List of Nancy’s three 18th-century squares (Place Stanislas, Place de la Carrière and Place d’Alliance) is an opportunity to rediscover under the Arc Héré, in the immediate vicinity of Place Stanislas, the UNESCO World Heritage sites of the Grand Est region. This presentation invites visitors to take a journey through the region, from the vineyards of Champagne to Strasbourg’s Grande Ile and the architectural work of Le Corbusier.
This exhibition features 2 banners devoted to Le Corbusier’s work:
- A banner with the visual of the 17 sites in the series, photographed by Richard Pare assembled by Ambre Lormeau.
- A banner presenting the Claude & Duval factory in Saint-Dié-des-Vosges, located in the Grand-Est region.
CHAPELLE NOTRE-DAME-DU-HAUT
RONCHAMP, FRANCE, 1950-1955
Chapelle Notre-Dame-du-Haut is the icon of Christian sacred architecture that revolutionized religious architecture in the 20th century.
The major restoration campaign carried out by the association, owner of the site, under the leadership of Richard DUPLAT, chief architect of historic monuments, is scientifically supported by the French government (DRAC, Fondation Le Corbusier and a dedicated scientific council). It benefits from the financial commitment of the French government, as well as the regional and departmental councils. In parallel, since 2018, the State services (DRAC and DREAL de Bourgogne-Franche-Comté) have proposed a multi-scale protection strategy to the property’s component monitoring committee.
In addition to the buildings protected as historic monuments a furnitures historic ensemble engraved with an easement to remain in place was classified in 2022. The wooded hill (buffer zone) is already covered by natural zoning in the town planning document, but the study on the possibility of classifying the Bourlémont hill (DREAL), concluded that the approach was worthwhile. The management manual for the listed site could include a landscape intention to guide private interventions, in particular for the management of woodland and view windows in the immediate vicinity of the Corbusian site.
The DRAC, in consultation with the Commune, is currently defining the perimeter of Ronchamp’s urban fabric, which acts as a prelude to the ascent to the chapel. In terms of the wider landscape, the French government has taken on the task of studying an area of landscape influence in relation to wind farm projects. This provides a clear basis for the analysis carried out by the departments and the decisions taken by the Prefect, in terms of impact assessment and criteria.
These medium- and long-term management tools, each in its own way, shed light on the essential and sensitive links between Le Corbusier’s work and its landscape context.
CABANON DE LE CORBUSIER
ROQUEBRUNE-CAP-MARTIN, FRANCE, 1951-1952
Le Corbusier’s Cabanon is both a total work of art and an archetype of the minimum cell, based on an absolute ergonomic and functionalist approach.
UNESCO management and monitoring committee in Roquebrune Cap Martin
Owned by the Conservatoire du Littoral, the Cap Moderne site, Eileen Gray and Le Corbusier at Cap Martin, has been managed by the Centre des Monuments Nationaux since April 1st, 2020. Located in Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, these monuments bear witness to the avant-garde architecture of the first half of the twentieth century, and are now fully classified as Historic Monuments. On June 19th, the annual meeting of the management committee for the “Cap Moderne, Eileen Gray and Le Corbusier au Cap Martin” site and the UNESCO monitoring committee for Le Corbusier’s Cabanon was held at Roquebrune Cap Martin town hall. The meeting was attended by representatives of the DRAC, the ABF, the town of Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, the CMN, the Conservatoire du Littoral, the Fondation Le Corbusier, the Conseil départementale des Alpes Maritimes and the “Eileen Gray, Etoile de mer, Le Corbusier” association.
The annual report for 2022 was presented by Mr. Antide Viand, CMN administrator for the monuments in the Alpes Maritimes district. Visitor numbers have risen sharply, but this does not apply to the Cabanon, which can accommodate no more than 4 visits a day. With a view to building visitor loyalty and developing artistic and cultural education, particular attention has been paid to school groups of all levels.
The work with these audiences is based on off-site activites using 3D capture, which are a prerequisite for visiting the site. The conservation of the site represents a major challenge, to which the Centre des monuments nationaux devotes all its attention and expertise. The condition report by Carolina Hall, wood restorer, commissioned by the Centre des monuments nationaux, highlights the fragility of the Cabanon, and raises the question of what can be done to preserve it. In addition to work on the monument, the possibility of a facsimile open to the public is one avenue worth exploring.
COMPLEXE DU CAPITOLE
CHANDIGARH, INDE, 1951-1963
Chandigarh’s Capitol Complex is a masterpiece of monumental, sculptural architecture, celebrating the independence of a nation opening up to freedom and modernity.
The Capitol Complex in Chandigarh comprises of three buildings (Secretariat, High Court and Assembly) and four monuments (Open Hand, Martyrs Monument, Geometric Hill and Tower of Shadow). The work of restoration of the exposed concrete surface has been undertaken. The internal restoration works of the High Court, Assembly and the Secretariat is being taken up in phased manner, these buildings are used and visited by many employees and visitors on daily basis, throughout the year.
The original tapestries of the High Court and Assembly building are also being restored. There are total 12 Tapestries in the Capitol Complex, out of which 5 tapestries have already been restored. The Air-Condition units are being removed from the façade of the buildings to be repalced by central heating, ventilation and air-conditioning units. The buildings are being provided with firefighting measures of fire sensors and water sprinklers, in order to comply with latest fire safety norms. The terrazzo flooring in the Assembly building is also being restored, by removing granite / vitrified tiles provided over the original flooring.
The restoration of the Open Hand Monument is also being planned for execution in coming months. The metallic sheets of the Open Hand monument have rusted at several places and the paint coating has also deteriorated. The Metallurgical Department of the Punjab Engineering College has carried out detailed study of the monument. As per the recommendations of the metallurgy experts, the sheets and the internal frame must be removed to be cleaned and repainted. The bottom part of the monument has extensively corroded and would require replacement of sheet for some area. The repair of the welding joints shall also be undertaken.
Restoration work will probably start in October and take around two months.
COUVENT SAINTE-MARIE DE-LA-TOURETTE
EVEUX, FRANCE, 1953-1960
The Couvent Sainte-Marie de La Tourette is a unique synthesis of the achievements of the Modern Movement, combining purist forms, brutalist textures and revolutionary housing solutions.
The new prior of the Couvent de La Tourette, Fr. Jean-Etienne Long, shares some news about life at the convent over the last few months.
The year 2023 has begun with the creation of a new website. It features new pictures, and a presentation of recent major exhibitions. Some new features: it will now be possible to book tickets for tours directly online and make donations to support the convent’s restoration work. The restoration of the atrium is considered since a high-quality detailed study has just been submitted to the regional conservation of historical monuments, and the Fondation Le Corbusier.
The Giuseppe Penone exhibition attracted over 9,000 visitors. In preparation for this exhibition, the artist came to stay at the convent. Impressed by the architecture of the building, Giuseppe Penone perceived the convent as a large tree, from its roots to the canopy.
“All the concrete used here was made from wooden planks assembled to form the concrete formwork. concrete formwork. Le Corbusier kept its raw appearance, with all the imprints of each of wood. It gives the walls a life, a vibration. It’s like a mineral woodwork. Each piece of wood contains the shape of the tree that created it. The multitude of boards that enclosed and enveloped the cement structure evokes an infinity of individuals that are the trees of a forest. This gave me the idea of looking at the architecture as a whole in a naturalistic, descriptive way. Something you might think very far removed of Le Corbusier’s thinking.” Giuseppe Penone
The artist was also interested in the colors of Le Corbusier’s color charts, from the initial 1931 palette, with 43 full, gradual colors, to the 1959 palette, with 20 new more intense and dynamic colors. Applied to canvas, these 63 colors serve as a background for pastel and wax rubbings that Giuseppe Penone makes on the walls of La Tourette to reveal the imprint of vegetation in the architecture.
The artist’s boo entitled “Le Bois sacré de la Tourette” is the result of a fruitful dialogue between Giuseppe Penone and the architectural work!”
MUSÉE NATIONAL DES BEAUX-ARTS DE L’OCCIDENT
TOKYO, JAPON, 1955-1959
The Musée National des Beaux-Arts d’Occident in Tokyo, a prototype of the Museum of Unlimited Growth that can be transposed worldwide, bears witness to the long-standing reception of Le Corbusier’s architectural work in Japan and the universalization of the Moderrne Movement.
Temporary installation of a 3D digital program: “A World Heritage Site at your Fingertips: Exploring the National Museum of Western Art”.
The National Museum of Western Art has opened a temporary installation of a new digital program made with 3D modeling, titled “A World Heritage Site at Your Fingertips: Exploring the National Museum of Western Art”. This digital program featuring the NMWA Main Building is available in the museum and in a version for smartphones. Both versions allow you to explore and experience NMWA Main Building, including areas not normally open to the public.
This initiative will help to understand the special composition of the architecture and the concept of the museum of unlimited growth developed by Le Corbusier.
MAISON DE LA CULTURE DE FIRMINY
FIRMINY, FRANCE, 1956-1969
The Maison de la Culture in Firminy, an innovative program based on the concepts of the Radiant City and the Athens Charter, anticipates modern sculptural forms in architecture.
Exhibition Sports, portraits d’une ville
Mid-October 2023 to September 2024
The exhibition presents a panorama of sport in Firminy since the beginning of the 20th century. It shows the importance and diversity of the facilities developed, the dynamism of the associations, the many events organized, and also presents the great Appelous sportsmen and women.
Future development of the surrounding area
On Saturday June 24th, 2023, a consultation on the future development of the area around the Site Le Corbusier, to consolidate its attractiveness to tourists, was held in Firminy.
Appelous, local residents, the curious and other Le Corbusier’s enthusiasts gathered at the Maison de la Culture for an event conceived and hosted by Véronique Germain-Roussel, sustainable urban planning consultant from the Gommette agency, with the support of Maéva Bigot, psycho-sociologist at Nunaat, both members of the project management team led by landscape architect MOZ Paysage.
This consultation, a genuine participatory workshop, introduces the pre-project studies. Participants were invited to walk around the Unité d’Habitation and the recreation center including Saint-Pierre church, the André Wogenscky swimming pool, the stadium and the Maison de la Culture, to observe and to share their experiences as users, to imagine their own designs for these spaces.
This initiative, which precedes any design work, is a way for the project management team to respond as effectively as possible to the expectations of future tourists, as well as local residents. The next consultation meeting will take place once the preliminary design has been stabilized, to illustrate how the ideas of the resident-experts have enriched the project.
Association des Sites Le Corbusier’s news
The Council of Europe cultural route “Destinations Le Corbusier: architectural promenades”, managed by the Association des Sites Le Corbusier in partnership with the Foundation Le Corbusier and its members, was certified in May 2019.
The routes are subject to a regular evaluation every three years, the Governing Board of the EPA (37 Member States) agreed to the renewal of the certification of the “Cultural Route of the Council of Europe” for the intinerary “Destinations Le Corbusier: architectural promenades”.
Moreover, Leslie Mosdsan who has worked passionately for almost 8 years to promote and raise awareness within the Association des Sites Le Corbusier, is moving on to new horizons. She would like to extend her heartfelt thanks to all of us for these exciting and stimulating wonderful years. We, in turn, extend to her our warmest thanks for her unfailing work and dedication and wish her a bright new future. Coralie Vitores will take up the reins of the ASLC starting July 3rd.
Miscellaneous information
- Centenary article in Vers une Architecture
This article celebrates the centenary of Le Corbusier’s Vers Une Architecture, considered to be one of the most influential manifesto on building design. Le Corbusier is described as an iconic figure who transformed architecture. His ideas have inspired both admiration and criticism. The book sets out design principles and proposes new ways of building cities, with 60-storey towers surrounded by vast gardens. Contemporary architects such as Frank Gehry and Jacques Herzog share their thoughts on Le Corbusier’s legacy, acknowledging his impact while pointing out some of the limitations of his ideas.
- Guide to impact assessment in a World Heritage context
The Guide to Impact Assessment in a World Heritage Context is now available in French. The guide provides practical advice and essential tools for assessing the impacts of development projects on World Heritage sites. It encourages multidisciplinary collaboration to protect these sites while supporting sustainable development.