View Full Version : [Marseille] Unite d'Habitation - Le Corbusier
Also known locally as La Cité Radieuse (The Radiant City), Le Corbusier's Unite d'Habitation at Marseille is the best of the number of Unite's around the world. (I have been to 3 so far :D)
Having grown up in Hong Kong and seeing many of the mass housing in the post war period, I hated the work of Le Corbusier as it reminded me of the poorly build, poorly designed housing. Seeing the Unite d'Habitation and stayed in it really changed my mind and remains one of my favorite buildings around the world.
In the recent trip I took, I decided to take a huge detour just to stay there again, as the last time I went I only finished 3rd year architecture.
It is possible to stay at the Unite d'Habitation on the 3rd 'street' level, at Hotel Le Corbusier. Recently bought and run by a couple, it has brought a bit of vitality back into the running of the hotel. (Speak to Alben the hotel owner, very nice guy and a good cook too!)
Address:
3éme rue, La Cité Radieuse
280 Boulevard Michelet
13008 Marseille
France
Website:
www.hotellecorbusier.com
Email:
hotelcorbusier@wanadoo.fr
Tel:
+33 (0)491167800
Fax:
+33 (0)491167828
To get there:
Catch bus number 21 (see map below) from La Canebiére (city centre) in the direction of rue de Rome. Get off at... um... 'Le Corbusier' and you can't miss it.
Accomodation:
There are 3 types of rooms available, 2 of which are not the original layout. So obviously we went for the most authentic one. The one we went for (and highly recommended for the full experience) is the original studio apartment with the original kitchen by Charlotte Perriand, the unsung female architect who did a lot of Le Corbusier's interiors and the co-designer of the famous LC4 Chaise Lounge. The room is 90euros per day and you pretty much don't need to leave the building. It is a relaxing atmosphere with a commune-like feel. You have access to the roof top terrace too. Don't expect 5 star hotel service and facilities, it is a 2 star hotel but it has a LOT of soul... it's really relaxing to stay there. :rock on:
Tour:
There is no official tour for the building but if you ask Alben at the reception, he should know someone who might be able to show you their apartment. We were lucky to have the owners of one of the best preserved/restored apartment show us their Corbusian pride and joy (and they are not even architects! :not worth :clap: ) It is possible to contact Nathalie Tissier via email ( nathalietissier[at]aol.com )if you want to get in contact with her for a tour of her apartment.
On the 3rd 'street' (level), there is the hotel as mentioned before with 24 rooms, reception lounge, a bar and a restaurant. There used to be several shops and services on this floor, but some have been transformed into offices (architects mainly!)
Here is a shot of the hotel reception/restaurant/bar entry at night with hotel owner Alben in the picture.
let's start from the outside.
entrance foyer from outside
view out with modulor motif set in glass (note joint lines)
here is the 3rd street which was intended as a public street with the double height volume. photos were taken on a sunday so all the shops (there is an architecture+art bookshop in the corner) and offices were shut.
concrete bench with colourful insets
behind those screens upstairs
public stair detail (with handrail design by Jean Prouve)
lift foyer and mail boxes (the yellow communal mail boxes are new as the mail and milk used to be delivered to each apartment as if each corridor is a street as intended by Le Corbusier)
and of course, a shot of the fire stairs :D
ok, this is one of the residential streets
and it looks like a supermarket
the bakery (apparently it's the original one and their croissants certainly are tasty)
balcony at the restaurant/cafe/bar/hotel
ok, this is the apartment i stayed in
note the blue thing near the door, that's the old mail slot
does the door handle detail look familiar?
poor photo i know...
to the left is the shower+toilet
to the left, the balcony, to the right you can see the blue recess in the wall for ornaments to be placed.
heating under window step/seat
original kitchen by Charlotte Perriand (as a result, no cooking is allowed)
metal benchtop with tile insets
let's go to the best part... THE ROOF
this is what you see when you get out of the lift.
On the flat roof top terrace wth its magnificent panoramic view, there is a children's playground, a paddling pool (with an access ramp that leads down from the playground to the kindergarten school on the floor below), a 300m running track, a private gymnasium and an open air theatre. The whiteness of the concrete structures nicely matches that of the surrounding limestone hills.
shallow pool and play spaces
it's beautiful how the walls are just high enough to cut out the mid-ground visuall and therefore connecting to the limestone hills and the sea
the artificial hills for children to play on and the real hills
and the ramped wall that protects the play space from the running track
the running track wraps around the play area
and the running track itself, the play spaces and the community centre above
(under renovation)
the small open air theatre at the other end of the building
the service core, looking back towards the lift foyer
channing
19-11-2005, 15:46
great tour. thanks. i have yet to get to unite, so this little photo journal is just fascinating. :cheers:
there is a meditation balcony that cantilevers over the edge of the building (out of bounds these days of course :bang head )
chimney and the community centre.
i am exhausted, and i am only half way through posting, i will post the interior of Nathalie's apartment next.
thankyou
great tour. thanks. i have yet to get to unite, so this little photo journal is just fascinating. :cheers:
Awesome photojournaling. I no longer have no need to go there :D (kidding...kidding).
tr
ilnomedellarosa
19-11-2005, 16:46
My fairest friend lives in Marseille
I do not like this building, but I was by moment near my Friend
- thanks SWANK -E :)
Thanks Kevin. You have given us an ample and detailed vision of this buiding, of which one can`t find in books on LeCorbusier.
Juan Carlos
primocordara
19-11-2005, 18:36
My parents visited this building in 1960, and the inhabitants had placed banners like "people actually live here" or "Stay away Architects" :D
The idea of "rue corridor" corridor-street never worked.
As an anecdote I understand the kitchens have a small door to the corridor for the ice-man to slide an ice-bar, LC didn't consider refrigerators in this design.
I´ll be there next march, so this thread is extremely useful....
Many Thanks on sharing your experience!
Frenchy Pilou
19-11-2005, 23:27
Do you know how french people of Marseille name this building ?
"La maison du fada"
can be translate by "The dizzy's house" - from my dictionnary :rolleyes:
Not entierely pejorative, a little envious and astonished :)
As an anecdote I understand the kitchens have a small door to the corridor for the ice-man to slide an ice-bar, LC didn't consider refrigerators in this design.
yes, you will see that when i have time to post more
Fabulous post Kevin , would love to there in person .
Great post as always. Thanks a lot Kevin. :not worth :not worth :not worth
jparchitectus
21-11-2005, 15:49
Very descriptive assemblage of images :D
takesh h
21-11-2005, 16:40
I can't believe the building is sixty years old.
The materials are very basic, sometimes even crude - but with such a good maintenance, they aged beautifully.
Thesedays I don't really look at Corbu's works much, but assuming from Kevin's photographs, I might be missing a lot. He is still juicy.
Thanks Kevin! :cheers:
franjayo
21-11-2005, 19:12
Thank you Kevin, great tour. Many elements are so contemporary it is difficult to place this building in it's timeframe. As with other Corbu buildings, the architecture was way more advanced than the people that lived in them.
Marcelo, lifestyles were very different in 1947-52, people did not have refrigerators. You had daily deliveries of ice, milk, vegetables and others. Many services were provided to your home, even doctors went to your house.
For more details on how to stay and arrange a visit to the apartments and roof:
http://www.galinsky.com/buildings/marseille/
primocordara
21-11-2005, 19:27
I know that Franjayo, but by the time it was occupied the French could afford a "Refrigerateur" !
I like the design, but it is cool for one person or a young couple, not a family of four as it ws intended.
The 1,74 m wide bedrooms (7m long!!:bang head ) deceive me, and so the French I presume form building these "unites" massively.
Also, one unit has bedrooms upstairs, the other downstairs. You generally see the first one because the layout is much better!
There is a documentary of the time were you see 50 children running arround that roof, a teacher's nightmare!!
Takesh: It must have been restored a few years ago, because in the 70's it was in very bad shape I understand.
franjayo
21-11-2005, 20:59
About the invention of the refrigerator:
http://www.ideafinder.com/history/inventions/story057.htm
"Mass production of modern refrigerators didn't get started until after World War II. "
Frenchy Pilou
21-11-2005, 21:58
very curious! (http://www.erational.org/software/corbu4all/) :D
Frenchy Pilou
21-11-2005, 22:06
On the roof (http://www.teleferique.org/demos/demo13/Marseille/) :)
Frenchy Pilou
21-11-2005, 22:31
Ballet of Maurice Béjart
http://www.olats.org/schoffer/img/cyspma.JPG
Nicolas SCHOFFER the first cybernetic sculpture of art's history CYSP (http://www.olats.org/schoffer/cyspe.htm)
http://www.olats.org/schoffer/img/cyspma2.jpg
Frenchy Pilou
21-11-2005, 22:39
http://www.centraliens.net/groupes-regionaux/province/lorraine/img/corbusier_appart.jpg
primocordara
22-11-2005, 00:11
See what I mean? this is the only unit shown, yet 50% are inverted!
i am sure the inverted ones work well too, as you walk in and it's the kitchen and dining room with a more private living area below.
also, that drawing is not what's built, the upstairs bedroom is a mezzanine
don't forget he came up with the unite model back in the 20s, Corb has mentioned many times that an idea takes at least 10 years to get accepted, and another 20 years before it gets built, by the time it's built, the idea is already out of context and irrelevant.
takesh h
22-11-2005, 02:20
don't forget he came up with the unite model back in the 20s, Corb has mentioned many times that an idea takes at least 10 years to get accepted, and another 20 years before it gets built, by the time it's built, the idea is already out of context and irrelevant.
Kevin, I agree with you about the time for an idea to take shape in real world and be understood... but "by the time it's built, the idea is already out of context and irrelevant"?
I think that an architectural idea, no matter how revolutionary it is or if it is meaningfully revolutionary, shouldn't die in such a short time span of thirty-forty years.
If it does, we are like in a rat race. it is hopeless isn't it? :wondering
Frenchy Pilou
22-11-2005, 03:00
One (http://www.marseille-citeradieuse.org/chap1/expo2.htm) :peace: 2006 : 50 years birthday of "La Cité radieuse" - "Radiant City" :rolleyes:
http://www.marseille-citeradieuse.org/chap1/images/13equipDSCN2257.gif
http://www.marseille-citeradieuse.org/chap1/images/08casierDSCN2254.gif
primocordara
22-11-2005, 04:30
Kevin: I am being a bit too critical on aspects I might have doubts of, but of an excellent building I admire!
Since I've never been there your impressions are very important to me, thanks!
WilsonMetry
03-10-2006, 20:42
Just poking around our new home and somehow ended up on this post.
Where else on the web can we get such a great collection of such diversion and such personal insight?!? These kinds of posts are fantastic.
WOW! Thanks Kevin, its the first time I'd seen this level of detail. Beautiful shots. The wood highlights on the interior really cast the building in a different light. Very warm and a great foil to the concrete.
Thanks everyone.:not worth
A_Minima
03-10-2006, 21:30
There are only some "Unités d'Habitation" in Europe (France and Germany) :
- Marseille (1947) www.archinform.net/projekte/1944.htm?ID=5e3f4818e2bf26bb60c17f409186491a
- Rezé (1955)
www.archinform.net/projekte/1922.htm?ID=5e3f4818e2bf26bb60c17f409186491a
- Berlin (1958) www.archinform.net/projekte/1929.htm?ID=5e3f4818e2bf26bb60c17f409186491a
- Briey en Forêt (1963)
www.archinform.net/projekte/1977.htm?ID=5e3f4818e2bf26bb60c17f409186491a
- Firminy (1965)
www.archinform.net/projekte/1983.htm?ID=5e3f4818e2bf26bb60c17f409186491a
At this time (1955 for Rezé) a lot (yes, a lot...) of French citizens were living in slums and "Réfrigérateur" or not, they didn't care... They had water (warm and cold) and heaters at home and they feel like a real community. He never understood those who criticized this unit. Cause they very often agglomerate all the experiences (and we know what we are talkin' about in France when we speak about bad experience) from anywhere. The Le Corbusier's Units have nothing to do with other "look-like" experience.
I know that cause simply my great-father lived in the Rezé's Unit after a long period (it was the re-construction period of the post WWII) in a slum on the Loire' s river borders.
WilsonMetry
03-10-2006, 22:03
OK, I learned something new today. ;) I did not realize there were multiple Unités d'Habitation. I thought there was only one.:o
A_Minima,
I'm not sure what you are saying. Were these buildings not recieved well at the time? For what reasons? Socialy unacceptable or was it the architecture?
primocordara
03-10-2006, 22:06
I understand some had a bad period during the 70's when the criticism to all these husing schemes apeared, but its unfair to critizise this one example in particular.
A_Minima
04-10-2006, 00:13
OK, I learned something new today. ;) I did not realize there were multiple Unités d'Habitation. I thought there was only one.:o
A_Minima,
I'm not sure what you are saying. Were these buildings not recieved well at the time? For what reasons? Socialy unacceptable or was it the architecture?
No, I think these buildings were well received at the time. The problem is the systematicism of some politicians and urban-planner (and architects to...). A lot of buildings where cloned and buid with a short life-time prevision, not 40-50-60 years... just for the time to find a solution to the need of mass-building. It was made in the emergency and the social organisation (social mixity) didn't resist with the time. A huge proportion of the people who could go live elsewhere, gone away. Only the poorest stayed.
You have to major this situation with the "exposed concrete" building type and the bad reputation is made. And now everything is here to develop the equation : Concrete = rabbit boxes = misery = violence ; then logicaly (with the half brain of the common Vulgus Pecus) : Le Corbusier = concrete then Le Corbusier = rabbit box.
Le Corbusier buildings are great but misunderstood by the population just cause of the "exposed concrete" aspect. We could say a lot (a huge) of people who criticise Le Corbusier's buildings never visited one... Sad.
A_Minima
04-10-2006, 00:27
Le Corbusier or not Le Corbusier ?
I know... it's a stupid question... but for those who could make the difference. It's stupid too 'cause those are not on this forum (and maybe they should, it would be better for everybody...)
Frenchy Pilou
04-10-2006, 00:59
From what architect is this?
OK, I learned something new today. ;) I did not realize there were multiple Unités d'Habitation. I thought there was only one.:o
yes, I have so far been to 3 Unite d'Habitations. Marseille, Firminy and Berlin, with the Berlin one most disappointing due to all the changes that had to be made to accomodate the German building codes (no roof garden, no child care on the roof, no modulor proportions, 240cm floor to ceiling minimum etc). The Firminy one is quite beautiful as well, but it's pretty much social housing now as the town never really took off as it was originally intended. You can even buy a unit very cheaply. It's worth a visit to Firminy as it has the highest concentration of LeCorbusier buildings in the world apart from Chandigah. Another important point is that they are about to complete (http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/07/31/news/corb.php) the church at Firminy by LeCorbusier, a project abanoned 30 years ago. One of the 3 churches designed by LeCorbusier (Ronchamp, LaTourette, Firminy)
Just poking around our new home and somehow ended up on this post.
Where else on the web can we get such a great collection of such diversion and such personal insight?!? These kinds of posts are fantastic.
WOW! Thanks Kevin, its the first time I'd seen this level of detail. Beautiful shots. The wood highlights on the interior really cast the building in a different light. Very warm and a great foil to the concrete.
Thanks everyone.:not worth
Funny that, I was thinking about this thread as I was relaunching the website. I was thinking I should really do the second half of this thread with the interiors of one of the 'restored' and lived in apartments.
Frenchy Pilou
04-10-2006, 01:23
...it's also La Tourette (but it's not Le Corbusier :D
Some colors Photos (http://homepage.mac.com/jean.luc.michel/PhotoAlbum15.html):cool:
imasayer
04-10-2006, 17:12
Funny that, I was thinking about this thread as I was relaunching the website. I was thinking I should really do the second half of this thread with the interiors of one of the 'restored' and lived in apartments.
Well, its not like you have anything else to do right? ;) I think when we talk posting format with new members this is the thread they should be pointed to. One of the best on the forum. Thanks Kevin, can't wait for part 2.
My neighbour (french architect, imigrated to South Africa in the 70's) had an office in the the Marseille Unite. Its amazing to talk to him about work in france. He worked with Corb in the latter years, and was in the paris office when Corb drowned.
I visited a the M/U a few years, its an amazing experience to stand on the foof garden on a hot summers day and look at sail boats sailing in the ocean.
Does anybody have pics of Corbs's church in Firminy, they are now completing it after worked was stoped in the 60's?
primocordara
04-10-2006, 21:55
Here some pics..
http://agram.saariste.nl/scripts/fcard.asp?lookforthis=91&dir=corbu&pics=cb
and some videos..
http://www.st-etienne.archi.fr/corbu/corbu.html
As mentioned in the first post, Nathalie was generous enough to show us her faithfully restored/renovated apartment. Nathalie and her husband are lawyers and have a fascination with LeCorbusier's Unite d'Habitation.
As seen in this photo, the milkman and postman would deliver to that box at the door which can be accessed from the inside.
Their kitchen is not an original because when they got the apartment, it was long gone. (see the studio apartment i stayed in for indication of what the original kitchen looked like). Their renovated 'open' kitchen is the same footprint as the original kitchen, with cabinet door handle details made to match, as well as a custom wall lamp that is a miniture version of the ones in the public hallways/streets in the Unite d'Habitation.
here is the view from the kitchen.
although on paper the size of the unit is small, it certainly doesn't feel that way when you are there.
the double height living space and the balcony
the sunshade/light shelf at the balcony
view of the double height space from balcony
Jean Prouve's stair detail
note the double handrail, one side is full height for adults, the other is lower for children
built in decorative niches were part of the original
view from top of stairs, note the extra storage space overhead
the master's bedroom on the mezzanine.
the bookshelf in the bedroom is intended to act as a 'buffet' for the units that are reversed where that space is the dining room
another view of the bedroom
looking over the bookshelf to the living space below
the bedhead joinery is intended as a space to change the baby's nappy or a small study... i guess they didn't have printers back then
detail of that joinery... beautiful yet simple shelf
now, back to top of the stair landing and the hallway.
more storage spaces
further along from the last image and around the corner to the left, more storage, in fact that's a door to the hot water system which is between the ensuite and the common shower
by the way, they have lots of taxi-meters in the house because they like collecting them, hence why you see them all the time in these display shelves
wow, kevin, that really puts the project into perspective, i'd have to say, originally conceived in the 20's and still relevant, that is amazing..
The space for living is very generous, so light..
that tapware is awesome, anyone got a 3d model of one or ever specced one?? lol
The shame about corb's unite's is other designers saw them as concrete boxes that could be cheaply built and decided to replicate the concrete box element of it not the social aspect, quality of space, entry etc..
I've made my mind up i'll head there next year when i'm going to france..
cheers
ps.. i don't think i ever realised the element of colur inside the apartments, it sets off the joinery and i'd be proud if i was doing joinery like that now..
panning right from the last shot, you can see (just out of the frame) the doorway to the shower enclosure (which unfortunately the only waterproofing is paint).
note that small translucent window up the top, that lights up both the hallway and the shower enclosure.
finally, we have the 2 rooms at the back that are more in the proportions of the cells at LaTourette.
Similar layout, you have the wet-area (LeCorbusier believed on the utilitarian aspect of the sink and that 90% of the need to use the 'bathroom' is for the sink anyway, so he installs them in the rooms instead), divided by a joinery that's both wardrobe and bedhead
the 'wet area', again with built in niche
the idea of this space (and the one next door) is that it is meant to be flexible.
divided by a sliding door, the spaces can be opened up so children can play in a common area yet have seperate rooms. when the children have moved out, it can be left open or simply remove the partition wall and make that into a much larger room
oh, forgot to mention, the sliding door is a chalk board so the kids can draw all they like
the second balcony at the back with all this greenery really made the space look and feel cosy.
that's all folks.
primocordara
05-10-2006, 11:22
Wow Kevin, great apartment and pics, thanks!
two questions:
The metal beams of the stairs have triangular section, or is it some perspective distortion (pic 96)?
How is the heating system? maybe a radiator below the big window (under the wooden step)?
The metal beams of the stairs have triangular section, or is it some perspective distortion (pic 96)?
yes, it's triangular, hence the treads are trapeziums
How is the heating system? maybe a radiator below the big window (under the wooden step)?
yes, you got it!
A_Minima
05-10-2006, 16:49
I'm happy this thread deals with Jean Prouvé to. And if Swank allowed me to insert some words about him in his thread, I invite you to go to click this link to watch a short quicktime sequence dealing with the Tropical House.
"BuildingAfter the end of World War II, French constructeur Jean Prouvé developed a lightweight metallic building system intended to encompass schools, vacation camps, public buildings, and housing. The Tropical House was the ultimate iteration of this system."
I built this house to when I was a student during a kind of workshop.
http://www.architecture.yale.edu/tropical_house/movie1.htm
el-capitano
08-02-2007, 04:54
Excellent work! I'm seeing more on this "visit" with your photos then when we stayed there on that architectural tour 10 years ago- with regards to the detailing and interiors of the units.
I think we were more excited about the concept of staying in the Unite than actually absorbing it!!
Plus 16 people in one unit made it somewhat crowded! :)
The roof area is fantastic- I do remember that from last time though- got some great pics there- I have to scan them in one day!
Thanks for tour again though!
Excellent work! I'm seeing more on this "visit" with your photos then when we stayed there on that architectural tour 10 years ago- with regards to the detailing and interiors of the units.
I think we were more excited about the concept of staying in the Unite than actually absorbing it!!
Plus 16 people in one unit made it somewhat crowded! :)
The roof area is fantastic- I do remember that from last time though- got some great pics there- I have to scan them in one day!
Thanks for tour again though!
I thought it was 3 to a room.
But yes, definitely you see more, that's why I made the effort to get to the Castelvecchio by Carlo Scarpa again in that same trip. I definitely saw more and appreciated the genius design solutions in working with the materials and craftsmen that project shows.
I think also we didn't take as many pictures because that was pre-digital days too.
Don't forget that I took these pictures knowing that I was going to post a 'report' thread on this forum. So I was looking for shots to tell a story.
Pity they have stuck those 'no climing' bars on all the roof elements as you can see in my pics.
el-capitano
08-02-2007, 07:24
I thought it was 3 to a room.
I think also we didn't take as many pictures because that was pre-digital days too.
Don't forget that I took these pictures knowing that I was going to post a 'report' thread on this forum. So I was looking for shots to tell a story.
Pity they have stuck those 'no climing' bars on all the roof elements as you can see in my pics.
3 to a room to sleep- but the day/hour we got to trample through a unit- I'm pretty sure it was all in at one go!!
Had a look at my old photos- and they are all from the outside and mostly on the roof! No internal shots at all....... :(
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