Villa Savoye: Le Corbusier's Rationalist Masterpiece

Villa Savoye: Le Corbusier's Architectural Vision

The renewal of architecture in the 19th century, particularly in Chicago, marked the beginning of modernism. The early 20th century witnessed an architectural revolution, breaking away from technical, formal, and aesthetic traditions to establish a new language. This revolution mirrored the economic shifts brought about by the Industrial Revolution. This modern architectural renewal is linked to rationalism and organicism.

Villa Savoye stands as one of the most emblematic works of the 20th century, representing the rationalism movement. Le Corbusier is celebrated as one of the greatest artists of the 20th century.

Identification of Villa Savoye

Villa Savoye is a family residence nestled in nature near Paris, constructed between 1929 and 1931. It embodies the aesthetic language of rationalism and the principles of new architecture, as outlined by Le Corbusier in his book "The Five Points of New Architecture."

The function of this work is the humanization of industrial society and the functionality of the architecture. Le Corbusier viewed architecture as an instrument for social progress, serving collective needs and providing spaces for dignified living. Consequently, his architectural forms serve the function, famously calling the house "a machine for living."

Analysis of Villa Savoye

New Materials

The building incorporates iron, concrete, and glass.

Building System

The building uses structural architecture. The essence of the building is the framework of metal beams and covered with concrete. The structure of the house rests on free stilts. The cover is used lintel. Structure by introducing important new features such as loss of the sustaining function of the walls or adopting open plan inside.

Spatial Organization

The building exhibits simplicity of form, utilizing pure and simple volumes, based on the square, cube, and cylinder. Corbusier introduced five key principles:

1. Free Pillars: Raising the building, protecting it from moisture, and allowing car access.
2. Roof Garden: Flat roofs used as gardens and recreational areas, maximizing the building's potential.
3. Free Plan: The absence of load-bearing walls allows for flexible interior distribution.

The space is distributed over three floors, each with different functions, connected by a ramp:

• Ground floor: U-shaped, with garage, lobby, and service area.
• First floor: Housing.
• Rooftop: Garden terrace.

The concept of space is renewed, seeking a continuous, interconnected, dynamic, asymmetric space with multiple viewpoints.

4. Ribbon Windows: The wall recedes, replaced by large windows, creating a transparent and light-filled architecture.
5. Free Facade: A varied and asymmetrical facade lacking decorative elements.

Formal Language and Aesthetic Functional Rationalist

• Formal Simplicity: Incorporating aspects of Cubism, reducing the building to pure geometry, rectilinear profiles, precise volumes, and a horizontal tendency. It features straight and angled forms.
• Functionalism: Prioritizing habitability over ornamentation. Decorative elements are avoided, emphasizing a language of naked forms.