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Precedent Studies - Villa Savoye

 

The evolution of Architecture was very rapid and revolutionary during the Modern Masters period as compared to other periods. Throughout the lectures, l can learn the principles, ideas and contributing factors that shaped Modern architecture. The project gives me the opportunity to work with a group of peers to investigate the Architecture of Modern Masters. The project is designed to increase our ability to analyse visual evidence with specific reference to Modern Masters as precedent studies.

 

 

Le Corbusier-Villa Savoye

Located in suburban Poissy from Paris, France, Villa Savoye, a masterpiece from Le Corbusier is considered as an intriguing weekend home. The use of “Five Points of Architecture” helps to present the house in a Puristic design and to sustain the sheer mass of the building creating a floating house.

Components

Roof garden is designed flatly and solarium gives extra shades to the highest floor while horizontal windows is used in the façade with the providing view to the surrounding landscape.

 

Structure & Construction

Domino System, Pilotis located on the lower floor gives a floating effect to the house, this forms the structural grid that serves as a guideline to the construction stages and the resulted form and shapes.

 

Spatial Organisation

Free floor plan allows the spatial wall to be in curve shape similar to the radius of a car.

The ramp is the main elements which is used for dividing the space into private and public spaces.

 

Massing

The overall massing of the house is a cube and breaks down into semicircle and squares.

The mass of the highest floor(solarium)gives balance to the ground floor with the first floor supported by pilotis.

 

External Façade

Ribbon windows is used on the entire ground floor regardless of the presence of load-bearing walls with no extra ornamentation is presented on the upper floor free façade.

 

Materials

The general materials used are reinforced concrete for almost the entire building, tempered glass for the horizontal windows and aluminium for the framing of the glasses.

 

 

 

Individual Essay

 

Refined Essay

              Villa Savoye is a modernist villa designed by Le Corbusier in Poissy. The theme I am explaining in this essay is “component” present in the villa. Le Corbusier’s dictum is “Architecture or Revolution”

              The first component of the villa is the long horizontal windows, which echoes the industrial architecture. It forms rectangular openings in the façade and it can be cut along into its entire length to allow rooms to be equally lit. The windows besides providing illumination and ventilation, it also allow direct contact with the surrounding landscape and re-embraced the outer nature which is removed from the villa by the spatial level changes. Moreover, Horizontal windows provides 8 times stronger illumination than vertical windows.  

              The second component of the villa is the roof garden, which replacing the nature on the land occupied by the building, thus forming a connection with the outer nature. The flat roof also gives crucial protection to the concrete roof. With the presence of roof garden, the roof becomes more accessible and liveable. It demonstrates the importance to control how nature interacted within and with the structure. Moreover, the endeavour on the contrary to maintain a constant humidity of the terrace and hence an even temperature on the reinforced concrete. This shows that the nature and the technology can co-exist.        

              These two components show that Le Corbusier’s philosophy is the systems of harmony and proportion as well as modern architecture which means all people should have the opportunity to live as beautifully and peacefully as the monks. The rectangular-shaped long horizontal windows do show his philosophy which is cubism. The sharp, clean lines ensuring the windows is viewed in perspective with ease. It shows his basic principle for a modern “machine” architecture, these geometry are pure volumes. Besides, Le Corbusier is an architectural purist, thus most of the colour of the roof garden is painted white. Le Corbusier also created harmony between aesthetic and function by experimenting with light and space by surrounding the villa with windows. 

 

 

 

Project 2

 

Web Book - Federal Hotel

 

We are given a list of modernist architecture in Klang Valley, Malaysia to study and identify the historical architectural styles, building construction and architectural components of the chosen building. We have chosen the Federal Hotel. The link below is the web book page:

http://www.flipsnack.com/KelvinChiew/fzp01e64

 

Web Book seperated pages: