4 unités LC - Architecture Insights

35. A ‘brise-soleil’ on the
facade of the ‘Unité
d’habitation’ in Marseille.
The level of sunlight entering the apartment is controlled by the
brise-soleil (sun-breaker) 30 – in fact the dual function of the
loggia. The brise-soleil shades the internal space of the apartment
from extended hours of solar penetration, allowing for longer hours
in winter and shorter hours in summer, simply due to the varied
angles of the sun to the earth during different times of the year. 31
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36. The open plan kitchen,
living and dining area of an
apartment inthe ‘Unité
d’habitation’ of Marseille.
Family Life
The kitchen, dining and living spaces of each apartment are
clustered together at the front providing an open space for familial
congregation. The most important room in the apartment is
considered the kitchen – the place of food preparation and thus
“THE FIRE, THE HEARTH” 32 , the very core of family life. In
opening up the kitchen to the living areas around it, Le Corbusier
aimed to draw all family members together to create a sense of
intimacy. 33