Principles + Elements

The bright white color of The Villa Savoye’s form contrasts with the dark window panes creating an emphasis on the center window strip at the front of the building. The columns act as a grove, showing a difference in proportion being smaller than the large circle at the center of the grove. The stacks of levels throughout the building also bring balance with the widest/ largest “solid” level being in the middle whilst the other smaller two floors sandwich around the second level, and the circular shapes being on both 1st and 3rd floor add harmony to the composition of the building as a whole. The windows allow natural lighting and the lines within the windows create a pattern and rhythm throughout the building, ultimately giving it a sense of unity. The ground of the patio is pebble rock which lends its texture to be coarse, rough, bumpy, and hard.

Connections

The Villa Savoye displays several different types of connections within the space, both physical and conceptual. The reinforced concrete of the ramp and circular staircase connect directly to the tan tile of the flooring. Both the ramp and the staircase also have connections to steel rails. The sink is also grounded to the tile floor. It had connections to the ideology of cleansing the body and mind as you entered the home, allowing for a fresh start. The open floor plan of the Villa Savoye not only allows for many connections within the space, but also connects the building to a historical time period. The modernist movement was known for its open floor plans. The villa having few true walls helps to reinforce the idea of it being a modernist space, easily identifiable by that as well as other points throughout the building.

Materials

The Villa Savoye Uses few materials among its build. In the making of this spiral staircase and surrounding areas we see reinforced concrete, steel and tile. This use of three simple materials creates a beautiful space. The tile acts as the flooring across a large part of the villa, providing a nice base point for the building and layering of materials from that point on. The concrete makes up most of the house, being that it is many of the walls and the staircase itself. The concrete provides not only a beautiful and clean looking slate, but also is extremely durable and functional for the space at large. The steel railings complement the reinforced concrete as they contrast the color, and provide a functional, human needs factor to the overall design. Hardwood is implemented as a flooring in other places throughout the villa, giving contrast, interest, and dimension into the space.

Light + Color

Within The Villa Savoye, light and color choices are displayed which enhance the space. The walls within the small room above are painted in a neutral white except for a bright blue wall. This draws the cool blue tones out of the white, tying the room together. Adding the blue accent wall next to the all white room allows the space to feel bigger than it actually is, reflecting off of the white to enlarge the space. The blue also complements the orange toned hardwood flooring. This creates another level of interest in the space, further making it feel larger and more dynamic. The use of natural light through a small window allows the user to feel connected to nature while also dimly lighting the space, allowing the cool tones to speak for themselves. Many of the spaces in the Villa are all white or of neutral color schemes. This leans towards a clean, modern edge, with pops of color being introduced throughout and with furniture. The natural lighting and windows drive the space as biomorphic design is one of the leading points of the space.

Experience

The Villa Savoye has a large pull towards human experience within its space. Having such an open floor plan allows for easy movement between spaces and makes one feel free within it. The use of so many window allows for a connection to the exterior, grounding your status and experience within the space.The kitchen focuses on creating a space that allows creativity and cultivation to thrive. The sleek white kitchen serves as a perfect blank slate for the dishes being prepared to be the main focus of the space. The large windows wrapping around the kitchen serve as a panoramic view into nature, feeding the mind and refreshing it as the body is working to do the same for itself. The kitchen also serves for function, being that it has ample shelving space and countertops for working and preparing dishes. For a user of the space, working between gathering ingredients, washing them, meal prep, etc is easy due to the layout of the space and the intentional function behind it.

Theories

The Villa Savoye has a heavy presence of biophilic design incoorperated within its spaces. Not only are panoramic windows present in many spaces throughout the house, but the villa has a terrace and a roof top garden that further connect users to the nature around them. These plants boost the wellbeing of the users in the space while also providing a visually appealing edge to it. On the terrace, the large window frames are set at the perfect height for railings, serving as safeguards for the users of the space while still allowing for sight to the nature around them. This is just one example of human centered design within the villa, with many more functional and beautiful pieces being implemented throughout the space. Universal design is implemented as both stairs and ramps are present on all floors of the villa, making it easy for people with disabilities to move throughout the space regardless of agility. Large walkways and open door frames accompany this idea as it helps for ease of transit among various parts of the house.

Technology

The tile lounge bed within the bathroom of the Villa Savoye implements Ergonomic technology as it fits the body of its user. This allows for better posture, and is a forward thinking human centered design that is implemented within the space. The The Villa also is one of the first buildings to implement the automobile as a design influence, with a indoor garage space integrated into the bottom floor. The garage doors, along with various other doors within the villa, use sliding technology. This allows the panels to fold over each other and move out of the way, opening up for the users or objects within the space. The technology of materials like reinforced concrete were very new as well, the villa being one of the first to use it in construction. This not only brought function and beauty into the space, but reinforced the notion of pushing boundaries within designs.

Finishes

The room above seen in The Villa Savoye uses orange toned matte paints, hardwood stains, and white concrete finishes. These bring a cohesive look together as the warm oranges in the wood and accent wall brighten up the white throughout the rest of the space. Throughout the rest of the villa, concrete finishes come in emerald green and white as a way to both emphasis and conceal parts of the exterior and interior structure. The windows and tiles both had glazing on them, leaning back to both the hands that made the items. The glass windows due to this glazing then had better energy use, insulation,  and safety control while also aiding against water and noise contamination. The tiles not only get their color from the glazing process but also receive a heightened durability, fire resistance, and makes cleaning a bit easier.

Furnishings

The furnishings within The Villa Savoye are mostly neutral in color, but with various pattern and shape. There are many built in pieces like the table in the living area above, which follows a modern, neutral color scheme. The primary color of that built in furnishing matches to the paint finish of the accent wall, tying it to the room. The pieces not incoorperated into the build are modern, following the modernist era style that the Villa Savoye was a major Pioneer of. The furniture in this particular room showcase pieces like the MLF armchair and the chaise longue, both of which are Corbusier’s own designs.

Telling stories

The Villa Savoye tells the story of the push for innovation in design.  Using the 5 points of architecture- pilotis, free plan, free facade, horizontal windows, and roof garden- Corbusier makes a stunning point about pushing for the betterment of innovation and the way designers think in a evolving environment and world.Within the picture above, we see the modernism movement guiding the design of the villa, with large floor to ceiling windows for a view onto the terrace, a large open floor plan, and a rooftop garden. Technologies within the furniture, building materials, and mechanisms like the sliding doors go to show the history of the design future being told. He shows a new way of living, making interior human life so closely connected to the exterior world around the building. The modernist movement that the Villa Savoye became a pioneer of goes to show the stunning reality of what can be design, not what our limits are.

The building. Villa Savoye – Le Corbusier. (n.d.).

William Feuerman Course Director (B Des Arch). (2024, October 15). Sublime Design: Le Corbusier’s Villa Savoye. The Conversation.

Kroll, A. (2010, October 27). Architecture classics: Villa Savoye / Le Corbusier. ArchDaily.

Elisa. (2020, March 24). Villa Savoye (Le Corbusier): The Icon of Modern Architecture. World In Paris.

Images of villa savoye by Le Corbusier. (n.d.).

A lesson at Villa Savoye