Le Corbusiers Spatial Design Oeuvre - Essay Example

?Le Corbusier’s Spatial Design Oeuvre Introduction The contribution of Le Corbusier to architectural theory and practice, as well as urban planning, in the twentieth century cannot be misjudged. Through the widespread circulation of his building proposals and projects and his comprehensive theoretical effort, practically no other designer has had the same challenging and powerful effect on the treatise of modern architecture. He viewed his theoretical perspectives as an ‘appeal to architects’ (Samuel, 2007, p. 41) which must function as a guide to acknowledging the path to a form of architecture for the modern period. Le Corbusier, the designer, is the re-embodiment of the visual artist Charles-Edouard Jeanneret. Then cubism is a specific component of his technique, modern style as well. In modern style, Le Corbusier recognises the factors governing the period and establishing its form. And modern style enabled him to achieve his cubistic goals in architecture’s three-dimensional styles (Saeter, 2011). This essay explores the work of Le Corbusier, examining the specific ways in which he had developed a relationship with theory in his work. Exploring Le Corbusier’s Spatial Design Ideas In essence, Le Corbusier’s buildings look like totally devoid of all material weights. Cubes of air enter their fully open forms; huge spaces of glass enhance their clearness. Several of his buildings are elevated, and beneath the structure the garden is constructed like a veranda. In several of these structures, the interior is made, similar to a studio, having only one room the parts of which is partitioned into many units, different in size and form, not detached from one another, and delineated merely by arched screens or low room dividers (Farmer & Louw, 1993). And a huge mechanism of zigzagging or traditional staircases, of hallways and ramps, constructed like terraces, is applied through the different levels so as to achieve the needed link between these free room divisions (Samuel, 2007). Le Corbusier is indeed a very bold designer. With his artistic talents, commitment, and determination he always prospers in creating a form which through its visual appeal convinces even though it does not logically persuade. The most adventurous models of his spirited talent, revealing all aspects of his artistic skills, are embodied in such structures like Villa Savoye and Villa de Monzie (Crow, 1989). These structures show all the selections of his successful art of architectural arrangement. In fact, all facets in these structures are organised in harmony with cubistic art. Figure 1. Example of Cubistic Architecture (image taken from http://www.google.com.ph/imgres?imgurl=&imgrefurl=http%3A%2F%2Finthralld.com%2F2013%2F02%2Fcubist-inspired-rieteiland-house-by-hans-van-heeswijk-architects%2F&h=0&w=0&sz=1&tbnid=FA2blesTdOQRbM&tbnh=190&tbnw=266&zoom=1&docid=kpyqE9GpE_T70M&ei=d7jIUtOaMo2OiAfit4CADQ&ved=0CAQQsCUoAQ) Even though he created an architectural style which employed modern methods and materials and which constantly aspired to convey the meanings and embody the way of life of the 20th century, Le Corbusier viewed architecture as an on-going discipline and argued that important principles learned from the earlier times could be re-created in ways which would be suitable to the contemporary period. The creative years of Le Corbusier were witnessed during the early 20th century, when it was widespread practice to adopt from previous techniques, employing forms of Byzantine, Gothic, or Classical architecture, based on the function a structure had to fulfil (Roth, 1993). Yet, Le Corbusier abandoned this barren style of reproduction and rather thoroughly examined those features of previous styles which he believed went beyond their period and which he thought stayed applicable to the 20th century. Le Corbusier firmly believed that forms strongly influence people’s senses and that designers can affect emotions through their structures of form. These arrangements address organisational and structural demands and how the people move through structures. Le Corbusier believed that specific architectural styles develop similarly with commonplace objects natural beings. Such beliefs expanded within the movement called Purism (Farmer & Louw, 1993). Without a doubt, Purism was the theoretical perspective from which Le Corbusier based his advanced architectural work. He attempted to justify the connection between science, art, and the machine in relation to 20th-century advances in engineering technology. The basis of such was an assumption that manufactured objects like machines follow the same principles of selection and economy through suitability of function that are evident in nature (Samuel, 2007). He believed that this was a universal law, one outcome of which was an inclination towards order and harmony. Le Corbusier introduced the notion that art could help people create connection with what they thought to be the universal aspect that ruled existence. This idea leads to the notion that art should comply with the same rules that govern science and nature. As stated by Le Corbusier: “A work of art should provide a sensation of mathematical order… and the means by which the order is achieved should be sought in universal means” (Farmer & Louw, 1993, p. 404). Such principles were shown in several paintings wherein balance was attained by a thorough harmonising of chosen objects. Objects, such as glasses, bottles, and books, were regarded as ‘pure’ for they had developed through an evolutionary mechanism, and were thus perfect parts of humanity (Farmer & Louw, 1993, p. 404). In using Purist ideals in his design techniques, Le Corbusier acknowledges specific connections between the design of objects and natural laws. For instance, the choice of colour and definite visual awareness are both component of the natural order of things, hence main forms must be applied, with colour used as an improvement of form; the application of light to brighten space and forces is essential in how people react to visual stimuli; function determines form, just like in nature, hence design functions must be communicated in the same way; in nature geometry is an essential organising field for structural bases, this also has a design connection (Serenyi, 1974). This idea results in the belief that spiral stairs, elevators, and ramps would turn into normal ‘organs’ of movement, and a window would develop in such a manner that it enhanced viewing situations while providing the finest interior lighting; features like elevation of buildings and roof verandas would allow everybody to delight in the best experience with sunlight (Farmer & Louw, 1993, pp. 404-405). The theory was envisioned to be wide-ranging and Le Corbusier used these principles to the urban structure. By elevating buildings, whole metropolises could be situated in a parkland environment. Thoroughfares or road systems would be created that divided slow and fast traffic, with total division of pedestrians and automobiles (Roth, 1993). Such perfect, idealistic vision was carefully and resolutely pursued by Le Corbusier. His principles were shown in Paris, written in a number of publications and were adequately credible to influence groups of designers across the globe. If such thoughts tackle the functional and rational features of design, Le Corbusier addressed visual themes by highlighting one of the major aspects in the Purist perspective—the function of art as a way through which people have connection with the universal force that rules the universe (Goldschmidt & Porter, 2004). A different art was required, which is rooted in rational principles, but open to compositional lyricism (Leach, 1997). Freed from the limitations of the act of building and design issues, Le Corbusier integrated solids and planes, examined differences between transparent and opaque, and recommended vague interpretations wherein shadows at times appeared to be objects. Such trials, projected to embody the diversity of nature, drove his imagination, and the creativity of his design styles and structures is clearly shown in his painting, which he carried out every day before engaging in design projects (Samuel, 2007). When the all-inclusive Purist theory is attached to key architectural requirements, Le Corbusier was dauntingly prepared to pursue his self-made mission of developing a new design approach for the 20th century. In his 1920s’ buildings, Le Corbusier conformed to the leading design approach of the time, which was to dematerialise the weight of structures and transform them into a succession of slim planes. This opposition to the weightiness and solidness of customary building had been inspired by modern arts, with abstraction supplanting conventional design (Farmer & Louw, 1993). Symbolically, this dismantling of the mass referred to the structural autonomy provided by modern materials, like glass, concrete, and steel. The design approach of Le Corbusier was greatly inspired by visual artists like Fernand Leger, whose paintings focused on modern technologies and machines (Farmer & Louw, 1993, p. 405). In the 1920s, Le Corbusier created several villas that express his ideas. His Villa Savoye and Villa Stein were considered archetypal for they could be interpreted as sculptural artefacts wherein spaces and volumes coincide as functional and visual units. The Villa Savoye conforms to the Purist theory and consolidates the different facets of Le Corbusier’s ideology (Saeter, 2011). Figure 2. Le Corbusier’s Villa Savoye (image taken from http://www.bluffton.edu/%5C~sullivanm/france/poissy/savoye/corbuindex.html) Located in Poissy on the Paris’s suburbs, the villa shows the arrangement of forms that illustrate the personal style of Le Corbusier, showing the transparency and precision which define his functional aesthetic. The villa was envisioned as an ordinary solution to the issue of housing. The connection to nature is reinforced by elevating the dwelling area above the scenery, facilitating the most favourable viewing conditions and making the most of exposure to sunlight (Crow, 1989). Forms are applied that are essentially plain and transparent. Embracing the value of the machine, the villa adopts the motor automobile by allowing its ‘turning-circle’ style characterise the lower form (Farmer & Louw, 1993, p. 405). The house’s three floors follow a logical order—‘ground for access, garage and servants’ rooms; middle for living, sleeping and relaxation; and upper as a secluded sun terrace’ (Farmer & Louw, 1993, p. 405). Serviceable objects like sliding glass windows, roof screen, spiral stairways, and ramps function as objet types which demonstrate the notion of evolutionary precision. In addition, they are positioned together in an order of solids and planes influenced by the Purist style (Farmer & Louw, 1993, p. 405): The hovering box is eroded at mid-level by the terrace, and the ramp meanders through the centre so that it is inside at ground level, part in/part out at mid-level and entirely outside as it reaches the roof terrace. The gentle, oblique flow of the ramp contrasts with the swirling corkscrew of the spiral stair and these complementary expressions of movement occur alongside a series of solid and transparent planes in a box which appears complete on the outside whilst its inside is partly cut away. The roof veranda finishes the arrangement with a screen that seems compact from one part but is perceived as a plane from the other side. The screen delivers the villa’s seafaring images in its enclosed support elements, and the ramp balustrades or fences also look like a ship, another proof of Le Corbusier’s obsession with ships, whose useful and accurate functional style he greatly appreciated (Serenyi, 1974). But the villa has one more element in its obvious rendition of classical design. The presence of columns could be considered a modern version of the classical pillar, representing the freedom granted by 20th-century technology. This notion of freedom is also obvious in the roof screen, flowing freely, unhindered by the restrictions of conventional building (Farmer & Louw, 1993). Figure 3. Roof terrace of Villa Savoye (image taken from http://preebruleeblog.com/inspirations/le-corbusier-an-urbanist-dream/) In these techniques Le Corbusier expresses design’s function as part of both past and present, thereby showing his interest in bringing together these inescapable elements of the design field. If the Villa Savoye was the peak of Purist design of the 1920s, it defined as well the culmination of the first established stage of Le Corbusier’s work. With its planar, abstract style, the machine form was eventually supplanted by a restoration of an older form wherein natural materials like wood and stone were utilised (Roth, 1993). Rather than a design of flat, smooth, and at times delicate-like planes, the immense solidity of concrete was conveyed. Rather than sophisticated glass posts and boxes hanging over the scenery on slim pillars, the apartment units of the post-war period became huge concrete buildings elevated on massive columns (Crow, 1989). In numerous instances the design approach of Purism was left out, but Le Corbusier expanded his functional ideology in quest for grander reliability. The slim planes in his structures during the 1920s were mostly made up of concrete slabs. The obvious slenderness was rarely what it supposed to be. After World War II, Le Corbusier aimed for a better integrity of functional appearance in how materials were currently shown in their natural condition (Samuel, 2007). Furthermore, his view of function became wider, adopting a broader array of imagery and addressing environmental issues in a way that was theoretically reformative. In his Purist structures, severe solar overheating setbacks had been triggered by massive spaces of glass. As a solution to the problem the brise soleil—sun-shading mechanisms—was employed as an outer covering to protect buildings from the sun. The ribbon window was replaced by distributed windows (Roth, 1993; Farmer & Louw, 1993). These newly developed techniques enhanced the sculptural expertise of Le Corbusier’s design, and in the Jaoul Houses he abandoned the 1920s’ solid machine appearance of the villas in favour of the soft, harmonious vaults and an interest in the delicate elements surrounding family ties. The Jaoul Houses have interiors resembling caverns which give a sense of security. They were designed for aged parents and their children and their families; the parents’ dwelling is positioned so that it has a shielding function and is knitted with its neighbour in a standard Corbusian composition (Farmer & Louw, 1993, pp. 405-406). The utilisation of traditional materials like natural stone and wood appears to be an act of return to nature that originally became apparent in his paintings in the 1920s, when human shapes, animals, and bones supplanted the objet types which had formerly shaped his theme (Lupfer, Paul, & Sigel, 2011). Figure 4. Le Corbusier’s Jaoul Houses (image taken from http://ourhouseisourworld.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/maison_jaoul_2.jpg) In this stage of his work, Le Corbusier’s larger interest in environmental forces encouraged him to employ site elements in a more substantial manner. This new idea of the relationship between building and site is apparently shown in his two grand religious structures, the Monastery of La Tourette and Chapel at Ronchamp (Roth, 1993). In these structures, Le Corbusier works out new experiments of meaning, geometry, and form, the former being guided by a more communicative carving of the mass and by a more profound knowledge of how light can be used to affect people’s emotions. Figure 5. Le Corbusier’s Monastery of La Tourette (image taken from http://archidialog.com/tag/dionysiou-monastery/ In this concluding triumph of his talent Le Corbusier uses all his earlier experience and attains a synthesis between the different facets of his philosophy, preserving the motivating energy of his painting and ever more bringing into play his roster of historical insights (Samuel, 2007). Figure 6. Le Corbusier’s Chapel at Ronchamp (image taken from https://www.google.com.ph/search?q=chapel+at+ronchamp+le+corbusier&rlz=1C1NWPB_enPH512PH512&espv=210&es_sm=93&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=mibJUtPEOunriAeUj4G4DA&ved=0CAkQ_AUoAQ&biw=1366&bih=666#facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=lgRdEdUjHWACVM%3A%3Bw-8-FaHkbB0xAM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fecovidainternational.com%252Fwp-content%252Fuploads%252F2011%252F02%252FCapilla-de-Notre-Dame-de-Haut-en-Ronchamps-FR_Le_Corbusier_.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fecovidainternational.com%252Ffavorite-architecture%252Fchapel-of-notre-dame-ronchamps-france%252F%3B500%3B281) Consistently conscious of the reliance of 20th-century citizens on machine technologies, he still bathes his design with that knowledge of nature’s laws that informed him as a learner in his homeland. The quite restricted, and in certain ways simple, Purist ideology is broadened to encompass the intricate diversity and enigmas of life, in order for the ‘sureties’ of the 1920s to be supplanted by a much wider allusion to incongruities and obscurities (Samuel, 2007). In consequence, with his radical ideas Le Corbusier has systematically defeated the long-established ideology of academicism, but merely with the outcome of supplanting it with another abstract model—the principle of cubism. Nevertheless, in design, cubism implies a renewal of the basic geometry than the natural system (Serenyi, 1974). In fact, nothing could be more threatening for the new essence of design, provided that its insights are not yet completely matured, than an untimely regress. History offers caution; even before, French radicalism—“a mixture of emotion and logic, one-sidedly tending towards program, system and doctrine” (Serenyi, 1974, p. 45)—has choked by its demand for structuring the positive emergence of a natural form. It was the radicalism of the French Gothic that frustrated the growth of the Romanesque design. The French Gothic incorporated the structural principles of the Romanesque design, before they fully ripened, and pushing them in a logical process of building, reduced their components into a rational system (Crow, 1989). Persuading, through the overwhelming impact of its rationalistic principles, French Gothic dominated the period by its radicalism and integrated the structure into a classical norm. Conclusions It is in the last stage that the world becomes completely familiar with the splendour of Le Corbusier’s philosophy, the newer structures being defined by a flexible, fluid style that incorporates innumerable perspectives, governed impressively by a solid compositional style. These designs are especially proficient, their meaning is indefinable, but they reverberate with an unrestrained vitality produced by an obviously never-ending creative pursuit. Indeed, with Le Corbusier and the emergence of cubism as a new design, the essence of modern architecture has surfaced at a crucial moment. Without a doubt, cubism has been recognised as a visual ideology, and per se it has functioned to control the sense for form, and to solidify and refine the form itself. However, being confined to geometry’s key components, this cubism design should eventually consume its recognised potentials; and hence moving towards unfruitfulness, it should become a new theoretical perspective which is not greater than its traditional forerunner. If the modern form of cubism becomes different from what it initially was believed to be, that is a temporary phase in the growth of the movement, then rather than launching the emergence of a new system, it will merely strengthen the dominance of the geometric, rationalistic ideology. References Crow, D. (1989) “Le Corbusier’s Postmodern Plan,” Theory, Culture & Society, 6(2), 241-261. Farmer, B. (1993) Companion to Contemporary Architectural Thought. London: Routledge. Goldschmidt, G. & Porter, W. (2004) Design Representation. New York: Springer. Leach, N. (1997) Rethinking Architecture: A Reader in Architectural Theory. London: Routledge. Lupfer, G., Paul, J., & Sigel, P. (2011) “Architectural Theory”, in E. Bernd, Architectural Theory: From the Renaissance to the Present, Los Angeles: Taschen, pp. 790-823. Roth, L. (1993) Understanding Architecture: Its Elements, History, and Meaning. Boulder, CO: Westview Press. Saeter, O. (2011) “The Body and the Eye: Perspectives, Technologies, and Practices of Urbanism,” Space and Culture, 14(2), 183-196. Samuel, F. (2007) Le Corbusier in Detail. London: Routledge. Serenyi, P. (1974) Le Corbusier in Perspective. New York: Prentice Hall. Read More