LATER WORKS OF LE

CORBUSIER – Post WWII

MODERN ARCHITECTURE: DEVELOPMENT AND
INSTITUTIONALISATION
  LATER WORKS OF LE CORBUSIER – Post WWII

ACROBAT – INEFFABLE SPACE – 1950s

LATER WORKS OF Corbusier begins to show sudden interest in sculptures –
writes on synthesis of plastic art. While working with
LE CORBUSIER – sculptures he quotes „to the glory of wood‟. An
architecture of illusion evolved which valued phenomenal
POST WWII sensation over the „thing‟ itself. Such sensation became
the essence of Le Corbusier‟s 1946 theory of architecture
MODERN ARCHITECTURE: DEVELOPMENT in which a synthesis of the arts would result in what he
AND INSTITUTIONALISATION termed as “ineffable space”, the four dimensional
equivalent of the sensation of illusion. With illusion, the
basis of a new architecture, a dialectical relationship with
material reality itself was established. Example – Notre
Dame Du Haut, Ron Champ. Planning of city beautiful-
MANJISTHA D Chandigarh United de Habitation
SHRUTI ATHREYA
SWETHA R V

ABSTRACT
This document is about Le Corbusier‟s later works, post
World War II. Here we have discussed three works done
by Le Corbusier.

INTRODUCTION
Beton brut – Brutalism architecture – 1940s Flourished in
1950s – “RAW CONCRETE” – Most of Corbusier‟s post
World War 2 buildings were of this style. Typically linear
CHANDIGARH – THE COSMIC VISION – 1951
and blockish in form with the predominance of concrete
construction. It is even referred to as “cold” by the critics. In Chandigarh planning, a clear thought into the climatic
grid andarborisation grid? is seen. It is said to be the green
Some of the buildings of this style include – Unite de city. Buildings include – The Ville Virte, the parliament etc.
habitation 280 Boulevard Michelet, Marseilles. Planning of city beautiful - Chandigarh

United de Habitation

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 LATER WORKS OF LE CORBUSIER – Post WWII

Brutal skin in Pise – Brick and wood construction became
his style. Some of his works included Villa for Manorama
Sarabhai, Ahmedabad Machines
a habitat for tropical visions climate – Shiambhai
Shodhan, Ahmedabad.
Automatisms and projections of sounds and images –
Atelier of Le Corbusier.
The hills and the two rivers, forming the natural edges, the
sloping plain with mango trees, the existing roads, and rail
lines – all were given due consideration in the distribution
of functions. Establishing the hierarchy of the roads and
giving the city its ultimate civic form. He conceived the
master plan of Chandigarh as a human body.

Towards stereotomy – Truth of materials – Monastery of

La Tourette

Figure 1: Site plan of Chandigarh

 The head:
The capitol buildings in Chandigarh form the most
important monumental complex in the city. The
conceptual development and the detail that is evident in
each building demonstrate the commitment and love he
had for his work.
LE CORBUSIER – 1945 – 1965
Some of the works of Le Corbusier,

 Planning of city beautiful - Chandigarh

 Unite de Habitation

Planning of city beautiful-Chandigarh

Chandigarh, the dream city of Sir Jawaharlal Nehru, about
114 sq. kms in size, was planned by Le Corbusier. Figure 2: Palace of assembly
Corbusier‟s design of Chandigarh is a response to the
setting.

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 The heart:
A central sector of the city is the main public
congregation of the city. It houses all major shopping
complexes, sports facilities and congregation spaces.
 The lungs:
The open spaces constitute about 800 hectares. The
leisure valley is a green sprawling space in the city which
acts as a breathing space in the city. It houses large public
parks, botanical gardens, amphitheaters and spaces for
open air exhibitions.
 The intellect:
The cultural & educational institutions constitute the
intellect of Chandigarh. Corbusier was determined that the
institutions were to be built with bricks; in this way he
sought to prevent attracting too much attention from his
prestige buildings of concrete.
Figure 3: <Super stock>?
 Circulatory systems:
The circulation within Chandigarh is a a well-defined
hierarchy of circulation ranging from arterial roads (v1),
major roads (v2), sector definers (v3), and the roads
within the sectors (v4 – v7).
 The sectors:
Chandigarh was divided into 47 self-contained sectors
which were inspired from the Indian „mohallas‟ covering
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 LATER WORKS OF LE CORBUSIER – Post WWII
about 250 acres of area. Each sector was divided based
on its hierarchical functions of the city
 Residential plans :
Corbusier has done a rational planning of the city with
clear zoning. The residences are separate from the large
roadway in the form of super block with ample green
space and relatively self-efficient economies. This forms
the central sector designed to house 15000 people. Each
is an inward looking, self-contained neighborhood with its
own business center.
 Green spaces:
A hierarchy of green spaces can be observed ranging
from public gardens at city level to semi private to private
areas.
 city level public space with waterbed
 free flowing green space connecting the entire
site,
 semi private green areas for neighborhood
pockets
 private green areas for residences
Figure 4: Chandigarh High-court
“The object of this edict to enlighten the present & future
of Chandigarh about the basic concepts of the city so they
become guardians and save it from its whims of its
individuals”
 LATER WORKS OF LE CORBUSIER – Post WWII
The city of Chandigarh is planned to human scale. It puts
us in touch with the infinite cosmos and nature. It provides
us with the places and buildings for all human activities by
which the citizens can live a full harmonious life. Here, the
radiance of nature and heart are within our reach”
B. United de Habitation
The Unite de Habitation is among the most famous works
of Le Corbusier. As part of a larger and more radical
approach, these huge housing units have influenced the
development of residential projects around the world in
the decades after their construction.
Le Corbusier had to adapt the design of the building to
the German modulated regulatory requirements. Le
Corbusier designed the community in a neighborhood with
the community a mixed used, modernist, residential high-
rise.
The idea was to build these large units as independent
small towns, each with many different housing types, from
apartments for singles to family residences for up to 10
people. Also, public facilities were to be included that
allow these units to operate autonomously, such as shops,
sports areas medical and educational facilities within the
building. It must be said, however, that after some time,
the Unites began to deteriorate and they just never
worked as independent "small cities", as Le Corbusier had
envisioned. His volumes are essentially elongated boxes,
supported on pilots in order to achieve better spatial
integration with its pedestrian environment. The terrace
was used as a garden to compensate the occupied area to
nature.
Figure 5: Inside the residential unit in Marseille.
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  LATER WORKS OF LE CORBUSIER – Post WWII

The idea of using color to give some character to the

repetitive has been used in subsequent residential building
throughout the world. Despite what one might expect, we
find the building in good condition and very well-
maintained by its residents. This is because in addition to
some of their original occupants, most people are
architects, artists and intellectuals who are proud to live in
a prestigious building by Le Corbusier.

Figure 6: Garden Terrace Radieuse Cite, the United de

Habitation in Marseille.

It has an internal staircase enjoying more space than

many of the apartments today. Each house also has
separate bathrooms forming a grid that can be seen from
the exterior. this allows the light to enter but protects the
inside of excessive solar radiation. Le Corbusier intended
to express the individuality of each department through a
series of color tones applied in the large white canvas
which is the building‟s façade .

Figure 7: Some views of the original apartments,

expressing comfort and modernity

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