Project 1: Artifice

Our assigned villa is Villa Savoye by Le Cobusier built in 1928-1929. It is a weekend home well equipped with servant's quarters where the client could enjoy the rustic landscape. The concept of the villa represents the same characteristics of classical temple such as the Dom-ino (the use of beam and pilotis instead of arches).

Lower level is designed according to the arrival of the car, the enclosure glass for its turning radius, vertical mullions to emphasize its speed (or so called dynamic curvature). The room are placed for view and sun, i.e. the salon at Northwest, Terrace at South, Accomodation at West, kitchen at East to catch the morning light. The continuity of the strip window breaks up the distinction between indoor and outdoor, in contrast with the placement of the bedrooms which is very protected. To reframe the value of the outdoor, the skylight is used.

The ground floor sees the foundation of two elements that link the different planes: the staircase and the ramp. The spiral staircase drills through the building vertically, contrasting with the house's predominant openness and horizontality. Beside it, the ramp can be seen as the extended of the floor, slashing the space apart and created an uninterrupted circulation that makes physical to imagine the continuity of plan and section. The ramp also a device to experience the spatial quality of the house that is by walking through the ramp, one can experience the opacity to total transparency of the villa, which later constitutes an open air 'roon' that is partially closed and makes for a splendid observatory.

The villa also has the hanging garden. Le corbusier believes that by having a garden at ground level, it is dry and one can not see very far. Thus by having the hanging garden, landscape can be properly seen. The solarium at the roof, is an ultimate expression of healthy open air protected by a wall like a membrane.

References
Baltanas, J 2006, Walking through Le Corbusier, Thames and Hudson Ltd, London.

Gans, D 2006, The Le Corbusier Guide 3rd edition, Princeton Architectural Press, New York.

Gast , P 200o Le Corbusier Paris - Chandigarh, Birkhauser, Berlin.