4 unités LC - Architecture Insights

But the region was in serious economic recession, and the steel
mines that had brought so many people to Briey-en-Forêt closed in
1969. 18 The ‘Unité’, that had by then become emergency
accommodation for American families of OTAN (Organisation de
traité de l’atlantique nord / NATO), 19 was abandoned by its
second management in 1977, all renovation work was stopped, and
soon, almost half of the building’s apartments were unoccupied. 20
The ‘Unité d’habitation’ of Briey-en-Forêt was closed indefinitely
in July 1984. 21 The remaining occupants were forced to leave and
find homes elsewhere. The building itself had been abused by its
occupants and due to its resulting state of deterioration, plans for
its demolition were soon passed.
But the building, although deteriorated, had been sturdily
constructed, and demolition costs were too high for the local
government at the time. The structural integrity of the ‘Unité’
design, a result of Le Corbusier’s rigorous experiments in
constructional concepts, had saved the building from a fate of
complete non-existence – a fate that would have sealed the end of
the story for the ‘Unité’ of Briey-en-Forêt, and branded it as an
irredeemable failure.
Such a fate was not was not to be, however, and the saving of the
building and its rehabilitation (which took in itself another ten
years from the time of the building’s closure), has provided a
certain strength to the otherwise most feeble adaptation of Le
Corbusier’s Radiant dream.
In 1986, the Maillot Hospital, that had been constructed on the site
adjacent to the ‘Unité’, acquired a third of the ‘Unité’ building, with
the hope that they might aid in its restructuring. The hospital,
however, could not do everything alone, and the co-operation of
the Social Housing Office required for the building’s complete
rehabilitation, was not forthcoming. 22
167 168
But fortunately, in 1987, during the celebration of the centenary of
Le Corbusier’s birth, a revision of the complete works of the
architect finally brought to light the dismal situation of the ‘Unité
d’habitation’ of Briey-en-Forêt.
It was announced in a press conference, that there was a
conspiracy to ruin the rehabilitation plans for the building, and the
fate of the ‘Unité’ in Briey-en-Forêt became a matter of national
controversy. 23 As a result of all this attention, the ‘Unité’ of Briey
was subsequently visited later that year by the then Minister for
Housing, Monsieur Mehaignerie, who, upon his visit, announced
the sale of the entire building to the Maillot Hospital for a symbolic
one franc. 24
But despite the many avid supporters Le Corbusier’s ‘Unités’ had
gained and maintained over the years, there were always a certain
number of passionate opponents. Prior to the handing over of the
building to the Hospital, opponents of the building’s reopening
broke in and took over 150 of the apartments, in a last attempt of
sabotage. They withstood the authorities for a few months, but
eventually relented. 25
Upon its take over of the building, the Maillot Hospital sold two
thirds of it to a private company called KLM Résidence, keeping
one third for the establishment of a Nursing school and intern
accommodation. 26 At the end of 1987, the ‘Unité d’habitation’ of
Briey-en-Forêt was reopened, 27 a decade after its abandonment.
The “new” Le Corbusier apartments were opened for viewing, and
the press, that had been instrumental in the building’s rescue, was
invited.
The new inhabitants of the ‘Unité’ moved in the following year, and
amongst these were many of the building’s previous residents –
drawn back by memories of the lively place in which they had lived
in. 28