Villa La Roche by Le Corbusier and Pierre Jeanneret
Built for a Swiss banker in 1925 to house his art collection, Villa La Roche, Paris provided Le Corbusier and Pierre Jeanneret to extend the concept of 'total art'. Like the Arts and Crafts movement and the Secessionists of Vienna, Le Corbusier believed in the sythensis of the arts - the fusion of architecture with painting, interior design, sculpture and even film.
The Villa is an inconic example of Le Corbusier's revolutionary vision which made him the C2oth most important and influential architect. His style is without precedent in terms of historical references and looks remarkably fresh and contemporary to this day.
The villa was built as part of a scheme (only one other was built - Villa Jeanneret) on an overlooked site with tight boundaries.
The exterior imparts clean simple lines in geometric forms which adds to a plain simplicity which gives the building a grandeur rooted in classical architecture. Cleverly positioned expanses of glass show views into the building which elucidate the elasticity of the interior plan.
The interior is dynamic - it moves when you move. Light is just as important a part of the artistic synthesis as structure - the intangible combined with the tangible. Whilst walking along the ramp and observing the works of art on the wall, you are aware that the wall's that form a backdrop to the art are a work of art in themselves.
The villa is open to to the public and is administered by the Fondation Le Corbuiser
All photograph's copyright Andy Marshall.
