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The Parkland An Espace Le Corbusier (Le Corbusier Space) is presently under consideration by the association of La Première Rue to provide an education space in one of the galleries regarding all five existing ‘Unités d’habitation’. An international committee of various architects specialising in the architecture of Le Corbusier, and in particular the ‘Unité’ buildings, has been formed as an advisory body for the space. 37 Approval for the space is yet to be given by the local government and the Lorraine Regional Contemporary Art Foundation that supports La Première Rue. 38 Part of the park area at the base of the building is also used by the association for landscape art, whilst the ‘artificial ground’ space underneath the building was previously been used for a large art installation work created by the architect, Philip Johnson, and philospher and theorist, Jeffery Kipnis. 39 108-109. Installation between the ‘pilotis’ of the building by Johnson and Kipnis, May 1993. 175 176 110. Looking through the Johnson and Kipnis installation, May 1993. It is apparent from this great lack of facilities, in comparison to its counterparts, that the ‘Unité’ of Briey-en-Forêt is but a small fragment of what was Le Corbusier’s dream. But it is this fragment, albeit small, that has provided inspiration for others to expand on, and from which to create their own dreams. The ‘Unité’ of Briey has become not only a habitat, but equally a vessel for artistic expression, and it is this integration of art and home that now draws people to visit it. In the case of Briey-en-Forêt, it is truly the dream that the building represents, that draws the residents and visitors to it. For it can not be denied that this ‘Unité’ on the whole is one of the least impressive examples of Le Corbusier’s architectural style. But the dreams and passions of many that it has come to represent over the years since its construction, and its dramatic tale of a ‘near death experience’, have made it the exciting and original place it is today.
1 Ragot, Gilles + Dion, Mathilde, Le Corbusier en France: Réalisations et Projets, Elecla Moniteur, Paris, 1st Ed., 1987, p. 181. 2 At the opening of the building in 1961, the building contained 339 apartments. According the building’s present management, however, it now in fact contains around 345 apartments: 109 rented by their managing body (KLM Résidence), 145 privately owned (of which 59 are owner occupied), 57 nurse accommodation studios, and 34 apartments belonging to the artists’ association of La Première Rue. 3 Ragot, Gilles + Dion, Mathilde, Le Corbusier en France: Réalisations et Projets, Elecla Moniteur, Paris, 1st Ed., 1987, p. 181. 4 Grandidier, Daniel, Alsace, Franche-Comté, Lorraine – Terres Corbuséennes (2ème partie), 1991, p. 70. 5 Georges-Henri Pingusson (b. 1894 – d. 1978) became the first Chef de la Reconstruction for Moselle region in 1946 (hence his envolvment in the ‘Unité’ of Briey in this region). Pingusson had obtained a degree in mechanical and electrical engineering at the Ecole Supérieure in Paris, 1913, and later went on to do architecture at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts, graduating in 1925. His architectural style and interests progressed from a type of ‘neoregionalism’ (displayed in his early domestic work) to a pure Modernist style. Pingusson’s most famous works are the hotel Latitude 43 in Saint-Tropez (1931-32), Le Mémorial des Martyrs de la Déportation, Paris (1961), and the Eglise Saint Pierre, Borny, near Metz (1959), constructed on the foundations of the former ancient church of 1860 that was destroyed during the war. 6 Grandidier, Daniel, Alsace, Franche-Comté, Lorraine – Terres Corbuséennes (2ème partie), 1991, pp.70-71. This aim was equally shared by the later developed “Firminy-Vert” (Green Firminy), a reference also to Le Corbusier’s concept of the ‘ville verte’, in which his last ‘Unité’ building was constructed. 7 Ragot, Gilles + Dion, Mathilde, Le Corbusier en France: Projets et Réalisations, Collection Architextes, Le Moniteur, Paris, 2nd Ed., 1997, p. 181. 8 This information regarding the history of the town was obtained in an interview with an architect and graphic designer, Steven Vitale, originally 177 178 from the USA, who has practiced from a studio on the first level of the ‘Unité’ in Briey for over 3 years. He had himself studied the urban designs and proposals of the town’s planner, Pingusson, for a research document he had prepared some years earlier. 9 Because of the location of Pingusson’s school at the base of the building, the service with in the building became unnecessary. This was probably quite fortunate considering the problems experienced by the roof top schools as previously described for the other ‘Unités’. Because of these restrictions to the design, however, no terrace at all was constructed on the roof in Briey. And as a result, one of the most characteristic features of the ‘Unité’ (albeit superficial rather than practical), is totally lacking, thus diminishing the design concept quite drastically. The roof of the ‘Unité’ in Briey is now used as an experimental site for engineers to test the structural integrity of the concrete. Problems with the concrete structure of the building have more recently become apparent with cracking (mainly on the facades) due to the climatic variations experienced with in the area. 10 Grandidier, Daniel, Alsace, Franche-Comté, Lorraine – Terres Corbuséennes (2ème partie), 1991, p. 71. 11 Information taken from notes written and provided by La Première Rue regarding the building and its history (author not credited). 12 Ibid. 13 Accounts of the building state during this time were obtained through an interview with a current resident, photographer and member of La Première Rue, Jacques Magali. 14 Von Moos, Stanislaus, Le Corbusier, Elements of a Synthesis, The MIT Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 2nd Ed., 1980, p. 163. 15 M. Magali (see note 13) recounted these tales he had been told by other older residents who had been amongst its original inhabitants. 16 Information from notes written and provided by La Première Rue. 17 Ibid.
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Isabelle Toland B Sc. (Arch) Hons.
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Acknowledgements In writing this th
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Preface Observations and Visitation
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Introduction Singular / Plural The
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1. Dynamiting a grand barre on the
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and the CIAM (Congrès Internationa
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“in my career …I have devoted m
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The City Although during his format
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4. A sketch of the centre of Paris,
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Le Corbusier attributed certain fea
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From the design of ‘Immeubles-Vil
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12. Immeuble Locatif à la Molitor,
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1 Le Corbusier, The Marseilles Bloc
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23 The translation given in Boesige
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42 The findings of the CIAM at this
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Soleil, espace, verdure... The ‘U
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Building Blocks 20. The ‘Modulor
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Industrial Production The use of
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An Individual Home Independence 27.
Page 40 and 41: 31. The ‘Unité d’habitation’
Page 42 and 43: 35. A ‘brise-soleil’ on the fac
Page 44 and 45: 39. A classroom of the rooftop pre-
Page 46 and 47: 22 As the majority of apartments st
Page 48 and 49: 4 Unités in France / 4 Dreams + Re
Page 50 and 51: Atlantic Ocean 43. Location of the
Page 52 and 53: I. M.MI - Unité Marseille The ‘U
Page 54 and 55: Even before the completion of its c
Page 56 and 57: 50. Looking down a section of the c
Page 58 and 59: 55. View from the balcony of an apa
Page 60 and 61: I.4 Facilities The ‘Unité’ in
Page 62 and 63: The Offices Also situated on the mi
Page 64 and 65: The pool, which had been left crack
Page 66 and 67: 75. The roof terrace overrun by chi
Page 68 and 69: of the building maintenance. It was
Page 70 and 71: II. N RE - Unité Rezé-les-Nantes
Page 72 and 73: 78. The polychromatic painted ‘lo
Page 74 and 75: II.3 Context 83-84. The ‘Unité d
Page 76 and 77: The Parkland The Entry Foyer The pa
Page 78 and 79: The Rooftop School 91-92. Windows l
Page 80 and 81: The strength of the building co-ope
Page 82 and 83: were located independently, on a ne
Page 84 and 85: III.1 History The ‘Unité’ in B
Page 86 and 87: But the region was in serious econo
Page 88 and 89: 101-102. Restored interiors of apar
Page 92 and 93: 18 Ibid. 19 Ibid., See also article
Page 94 and 95: IV. FIR. UN - Unité Firminy-Vert
Page 96 and 97: And this was not the only problem h
Page 98 and 99: The residents of the ‘Unité’ h
Page 100 and 101: 120. Looking up to the ‘Unité’
Page 102 and 103: A more vegetated area of the parkla
Page 104 and 105: The Roof Terrace 131-132. The resur
Page 106 and 107: 1 Ragot, Gilles + Dion, Mathilde Le
Page 108 and 109: them over the past years. 32 One of
Page 110 and 111: But the ‘Unité’ of Firminy-Ver
Page 112 and 113: Appendix CHA - Unité Berlin-Charlo
Page 114 and 115: Illustration Acknowledgements 1. T
Page 116 and 117: Bibliography Affron, Matthew + Antl
Page 118: Sbriglio, Jacques, (trans. Sarah Pa
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4 unités LC - Architecture Insights

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