4 unités LC - Architecture Insights

The strength of the building co-operative, arising from the pride of
the residents, has aided in the general maintenance of the building
and for this it has been exceptionally beneficial for the ‘Unité’ of
Rezé. But when this pride turns into misguided beliefs of purism,
and refuses to acknowledge blatant problems, it can prove to have
negative effects on certain aspects of the building’s functioning.
1 Ragot, Gilles + Dion, Mathilde, Le Corbusier en France: Réalisations et
Projets, Elecla Moniteur, Paris, 1st Ed., 1987, p. 140.
2 From notes compiled by the Association of La Maison Radieuse for the
purposes of providing information to visitors of the building.
3 Le Parisien libéré, August 25, 1952, (trans. I. Toland), see Jenger, Jean, Le
Corbusier: L’Architecture pour Emouvior, Gallimard, Evreux, September
1993, p. 144.
4 Boesiger, W., Girsberger, H., Le Corbusier 1910-65, Thames and Hudson,
London, 1967, p. 148.
5 Ibid.
6 Ragot, Gilles + Dion, Mathilde, Le Corbusier en France: Réalisations et
Projets, Elecla Moniteur, Paris, 1st Ed., 1987, p. 141.
7 Information regarding this incentive scheme and the current situation of
the residents was obtained in an interview with a long-term resident of the
‘Unité’ in Rezé, Mme Delassu. Mme Delassu is also one of the two volunteers
who offer weekly tours of the building, organised in association with the local
council. Guided tours of the building are conducted every Tuesday and
Thursday afternoon and are organised through the local community centre
situated just down the road from the ‘Unité’.
155 156
8 In an interview with Matthieu Borderie, a 17 year old student living in the
‘Unité’ with his family, it was revealed that several families like his had been
living in the building for many years. Matthieu had grown up with the other
children of these families and developed many strong friendships with in the
building community over the years. His family had lived in two apartments
with in the building during his lifetime, moving to a larger apartment when his
younger sister was born. They had decided to remain in the building when
they moved, simply because they thought “life [there] was wonderful” (own
translation), and their current apartment they now own thanks to the
progressive purchasing scheme.
9 Descriptions and information on the building’s renovations was also
supplied by Mme Delassu (see note 7).
10 Area of land given by Mme Delassu. (Although another source, provided by
La Première Rue of the ‘Unité’ in Briey-en-Forêt, regarding all constructed
‘Unité’ buildings, gives land area for the ‘Unité’ of Rezé as 9ha.)
11 In Von Moos, Stanislaus, Le Corbusier, Elements of a Synthesis, The MIT
Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 2nd Ed., 1980, p. 163, it is stated that the
‘Unité’ in Rezé “illustrates how many cuts (both in form and social
equipment) were needed in order to make the Unité an economically
reasonable proposition for working-class housing.” Von Moos however, fails
to state the actual ‘cuts’ that were made, nor does he recognise that despite
these ‘cuts’, the equipment of the building was still far greater than the
average social housing development in France.
12 Pardo, Vittorio Franchetti, Le Corbusier (The life and work of the artist
illustrated with 80 colour plates), trans. Pearl Sanders, Thames and Hudson,
London, 1971, p. 27. (Unfortunately no reference is given for this quote.)
13 The main ‘amputation’ in this case, was evidently the commercial midlevel
that was equally eliminated from the designs of all other subsequent
‘Unités’. But although Le Corbusier felt this to be a serious compromise on
his total idea, as revealed in the case of Marseille, shopping outside of the
building is actually much more preferable (and sane) for its inhabitants. And
besides, the proximity of local shops and a large shopping centre to the site
of the ‘Unité’ in Rezé have deemed such a level unnecessary.