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Le Corbusier is a famous Swiss-French architect, writer, designer, urban planner, painter, and the successful pioneer of modern architecture who was born on 6 October 1887 and died on 47 August 1965 (aged 77). Le Corbusier formulated Les 5 Points d’ une architecture nouvelle in 1926 delivering the concept of the five points of architecture and why it is consequential and necessary to be applied to buildings. These five points included the pilots elevating the mass of the building off the ground, free plan, free facade, the use of long horizontal sliding windows, and the roof garden which was demonstrated successfully by one of Le Corbusier’s representative architectures, Villa Savoye. As a modernist villa built in Poissy in the year between 1982 and 1931 using reinforced concrete, it is one of the most easily recognizable examples of the international style. “A house is a machine for living in.” However, there are many different characteristics and appearances between each and every house or building.
What I mean by this is the Villa Savoye is supported by pilotis which elevate the mass off the ground and allow the garden to be extended to the space beneath whereas my house is not lifted by pilotis and elevated from the ground. The pilotis of Villa Savoye give a floating effect that emphasizes the horizontal dimension of the house and implies heaviness and support at the same time. Therefore, adding a ground-level supporting system such as the pilotis, columns, or stilts to support my house will be a great way to raise the house’s volume, allow circulation under the house, and lighten the house. Moreover, the almost entirely open ground floor may contain a paved and planted open terrace and a small-enclosed entry and stair hall. It will also refine the house’s connectivity with the land by allowing for a garden or driveway below, parking, and a sense of floating and lightness in the architecture itself. This will also help to promote the idea of machine-like efficiency where land, people, and buildings would work together optimally.
The other way to say this is the Villa Savoye applies the concept of the free plan which refers to the ability to have a floor plan with non-load-bearing walls and floors and to create a structural system that holds the weight of the building but my house was built using the load-bearing walls and floor and does not archive through the separation of the load-bearing columns from the wall subdiving space. To change my house to encompass the characteristics of Le Corbusier’s free plan concept, I should apply the Domino system which is the structural system that allows a free wall and floor plan, due to the load-bearing columns within the skeleton of the structure. This can be done with a completely open free floor plan in the interior by having sections divided by walls lower than ceiling height to distinguish rooms and areas. As a result, the house has large, openings and rooms in the inside facade of the building and the interior will not be limited by load-bearing walls.
Furthermore, the facade of the Villa Savoye was freely designed as a free composition of the external curtain walls which functioned as a skin for the walls and windows that are unconstrained by load-bearing considerations. However, the facade of my house was not freely-designed and could be improved into a better design. For example, different materials can be used and the quality of the material should be improved. For instance, materials such as glass can be used for better light penetration, terracotta tiles can be used to increase durability, and clay can be used for fireproof purposes. These well and freely- designed facade is able to enhance the appearance of my house and will be able to provide an aesthetic appeal too. This is very important because the facade of a building sets the tone for the rest of the building.
In addition, the Villa Savoye uses ribbon windows as the main type of window for the building. It is a series of windows set side by side in a continuous horizontal band across a facade that keeps out the elements and frames exquisite views of the outside scenery. Otherwise, unlike the Villa Savoye, my house uses a sliding window which needs regular cleaning as the slot always attracts dirt and dust. Changing the sliding window to a ribbon window will create an interesting view that is both private and public. A continuous ribbon window added around the facade will also illuminate every corner of the interior as the efficiency of sunlight penetrating into the interior space will allow us to carry out our daily chores more efficiently and will help to save the cost of expensive electricity bills.
Finally, the concept of having a roof garden on a flat rooftop is one of the points of five points of architecture produced by Le Corbusier. The Villa Savoye has a garden terrace on the flat rooftop which is made of concrete portraying an interesting and fun design that shows the tie between nature, humans, and the building itself. The rooftop of my house is less functional compared to the Villa Savoye. It is covered with concrete or clay tiles and there is a water tank for the rain harvesting purpose on the rooftop. In this case, I will consider adding a small area for plantation and a solar panel as well to render the rooftop of my house from a normal, less functional rooftop to a green roof.
This connects to my opinion that there are many different characteristics and appearances between each and every house or building by proving the differences in the architectural design and purpose between the Villa Savoye and my house. From my standpoint, I will definitely agree and believe that different kinds of designs bring different types of pros and cons. Although Le Corbusier had become the pioneer of applying the five points of architecture in his own architecture, some other eminent architects continued to follow in his footsteps, applying the principles and concept of the five points of architecture in their architecture as well. Therefore, we should be inspired by others and inspire others at the same time to improve our quality of living.
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