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domingo, 08 octubre 2006
Le Corbusier
My homepage use to be set on Google, but a couple of months back I discovered Answers.com, which is by far the best find I did on the web since last year: it gives me definition of words & terms, translations of words in the many other languages (from English to – the others), and bonus everyday: I read news and smart little facts about the “what happened on this day”.
This way I’ve learned that October 6 was the birthday of the Swiss-born French architect Le Corbusier. Of course, I had heard about him before, generally negatively from anti-concrete fans (or should I say “concrete anti-fans”?). Anyway, I didn’t know a lot about his works except some ugly pictures:
(I can admit that the UN headquarters in NYC look quite common – though I’ve never been inside).
Well, I also learned that Le Corbusier sought efficient ways to house large numbers of people, in response to the urban housing crisis of his time, and one of the nice results is the Unité d’Habitation (also called cité merveilleuse) constructed in Marseille, France, in 1947-52.
It’s a building that comprises 337 apartments (with balcony and large windows), arranged as lofts over twelve stories, all suspended on large piloti. The building also incorporates shops, sporting, medical and educational facilities, and a hotel. The flat roof is designed as a communal terrace with sculptural ventilation stacks, a swimming pool and the maternelle (daycare). I don’t know what the price of an apartment is nowadays, but it was originally supposed to be accessible to the working class… I wouldn’t say no to a nice home smartly planned. Apparently the original kitchen appliances from the 50’s still work today!
The plants look so happy in there.
Le Corbusier was also part of the group of architects who influenced the city plan of Brasilía, the capital of Brazil, which I would like very much to visit one day (D has been there already)... The city was actually designed by the Brazilian architects Lúcio Costa and Oscar Niemeyer, but they will be part of a next post.
22:05 Anotado en English, Photo, Travel | Permalink | Comentarios (3) | Enviar a Email
Comentarios
A Marseille on appelle aussi l'unité d'habitation "la maison du fada"...
Anotado por: Fred | sábado, 14 octubre 2006
haha, oui j'avais lu ça aussi et pensé que c'était bien rigolo... mais tu sais pourquoi?
Anotado por: lady iphigenia | sábado, 14 octubre 2006
A Marseille , la maison du FADA de LE CORBUSIER est une merveille de conception et d'architecture; les habitants qui existent encore du début et leur descendance ne veulent pour rien au monde quitter leur cocon, tellement ils sont bien , et ho miracle l'immeuble est toujours aussi moderne et agréable que ceux construits en ce moment.
Quel grand homme ce LE CORBUSIER.
La maison du FADA est visite par les touristes du monde entier et c'est l'une des merveilles de MARSEILLE.
Anotado por: mamiekeke | jueves, 26 octubre 2006