Yasuko's Room
Contributed by Yasuko Seki
Staying in Le Corbusier's architecture By Yasuko Seki
2004/01/26
Sorry for this long prologue but do you possibly know that you can stay in the architecture designed by Le Corbusier who is often referred to as ‘Father of Modern Architecture’ ? In the last trip, I was blessed with the great chance to stay at Unite d’Habtation (Marseille/France) and La Tourette (Eveux-sur-Arbresle vicinity of Lyon/France) both of which were designed by Le Corbusier. The following is my impression and experience then.
The appearance of Unite d'Habitation
The hallway running
in the middle of the hotel floor
Inside the room
(Perrian's system kitchen)
The view of the Mediterranean Sea
from a room
Unite d'Habitation (Marseille/ France)
The most characteristic thing of Marseille’s Unite is its bold and powerful design in which the huge construction with its length of 165m and height of 56m upheld by the thick pilotis. The building contains in it more than 300 dwelling units and several stores and offices. Its roof has a garden space , a swimming pool for children and a community space, etc.
In this giant building, there is a hotel ‘ Le Corbisuer’ which was transformed from a part of dwelling space. Some rooms of this hotel , keeping their original forms of the completion , have Charloote Perrian’s system kitchens. ( This system kitchen of Perrian is exhibited in the Museum of Modern Art located in the Pompidou Center.) Both of the Mediterranean side and the Provence side of Unite have rooms with the hall-way between them. You can enjoy the great ocean view of the Mediterranean Sea from the terrace of the rooms on the Mediterranean side. It’s a two-star hotel so you cannot expect any gorgeousness of the higher-ranking hotels here. The feeling of liberation you experience is, however, exquisite when you completely open the widows that separate between the terrace and the bedroom. The Cafe-bar with the mood of French fifties also has an excellent view of the Mediterranean Sea. Here you can enjoy the supreme happiness of being in the architecture of Corbusier and of watching the blue sea and the sun of Mediterranean (Especially the sunset is so wonderful!) The money you have to pay for this happiness is only 85 Euro for a twin room. You cannot just say that it’s so so reasonable. It’s extremely reasonable! The hotel floor has an in-door shopping area where there are a small supermarket, a bakery, a book store specialized in the books of architecture, a grocery shop. You can cook in the kitchen installed room.
What makes those who visit Unite d’Habitation feel happy (especially those who love good architectures) , seems to be not only the excellence of its architecture but also the feeling of great love that the dwellers of Unite and the city of Marseille keep for this building. Living in Japan where many buildings that were shining when they were just built are crumbling without being taken care of or demolished without any attachment, I feel happy to find a building still work as a wonderful apartment building representing our times thanks to proper loving maintenance after 50 years of its completion.
It ,for example, goes like this. As we arrived in Marseille by car, the first thing we had to do was to check the location of Unite d’Habitation. At an information office for travelers, we asked them where it is, showing its photo as this should be the easiest way to find it. A stuff member there opened a city map and said ‘ You mean Le Corbusier? It’s easy to find. Go up this street and turn right. You just follow a road and you’ll find it. ‘ (I don’t speak French. But I’m sure he was saying the things like these.) The interesting point is that he didn’t use ‘Unite d’Habitation’ but the name of the architect for the building. The name on the map was ‘Le Corbusier’ , not ‘Unite’. So I tried using ‘Le Corbusier’ in taxis, at restaurants, to everyone we came to meet and found everyone nod and kindly smile to us. Was this impression from our excessive self-consciousness?
The location of Unite d'Habitation is 4 stations by subway from the center of Marseille. Take the leisurely joy of a day tasting this good architecture.
SG HOTEL LE CORBUSIER
280 BLD MICHELET
13008 MARSEILLE
tel : 04 91 16 78 00
fax : 04 91 16 78 28
hotelcorbusier@wanadoo.fr
www.hotellecorbusier.com
The appearance of Unite d'Habitation
The hallway running
in the middle of the hotel floor
Inside the room
(Perrian's system kitchen)
The view of the Mediterranean Sea
from a room
The most characteristic thing of Marseille’s Unite is its bold and powerful design in which the huge construction with its length of 165m and height of 56m upheld by the thick pilotis. The building contains in it more than 300 dwelling units and several stores and offices. Its roof has a garden space , a swimming pool for children and a community space, etc.
In this giant building, there is a hotel ‘ Le Corbisuer’ which was transformed from a part of dwelling space. Some rooms of this hotel , keeping their original forms of the completion , have Charloote Perrian’s system kitchens. ( This system kitchen of Perrian is exhibited in the Museum of Modern Art located in the Pompidou Center.) Both of the Mediterranean side and the Provence side of Unite have rooms with the hall-way between them. You can enjoy the great ocean view of the Mediterranean Sea from the terrace of the rooms on the Mediterranean side. It’s a two-star hotel so you cannot expect any gorgeousness of the higher-ranking hotels here. The feeling of liberation you experience is, however, exquisite when you completely open the widows that separate between the terrace and the bedroom. The Cafe-bar with the mood of French fifties also has an excellent view of the Mediterranean Sea. Here you can enjoy the supreme happiness of being in the architecture of Corbusier and of watching the blue sea and the sun of Mediterranean (Especially the sunset is so wonderful!) The money you have to pay for this happiness is only 85 Euro for a twin room. You cannot just say that it’s so so reasonable. It’s extremely reasonable! The hotel floor has an in-door shopping area where there are a small supermarket, a bakery, a book store specialized in the books of architecture, a grocery shop. You can cook in the kitchen installed room.
What makes those who visit Unite d’Habitation feel happy (especially those who love good architectures) , seems to be not only the excellence of its architecture but also the feeling of great love that the dwellers of Unite and the city of Marseille keep for this building. Living in Japan where many buildings that were shining when they were just built are crumbling without being taken care of or demolished without any attachment, I feel happy to find a building still work as a wonderful apartment building representing our times thanks to proper loving maintenance after 50 years of its completion.
It ,for example, goes like this. As we arrived in Marseille by car, the first thing we had to do was to check the location of Unite d’Habitation. At an information office for travelers, we asked them where it is, showing its photo as this should be the easiest way to find it. A stuff member there opened a city map and said ‘ You mean Le Corbusier? It’s easy to find. Go up this street and turn right. You just follow a road and you’ll find it. ‘ (I don’t speak French. But I’m sure he was saying the things like these.) The interesting point is that he didn’t use ‘Unite d’Habitation’ but the name of the architect for the building. The name on the map was ‘Le Corbusier’ , not ‘Unite’. So I tried using ‘Le Corbusier’ in taxis, at restaurants, to everyone we came to meet and found everyone nod and kindly smile to us. Was this impression from our excessive self-consciousness?
The location of Unite d'Habitation is 4 stations by subway from the center of Marseille. Take the leisurely joy of a day tasting this good architecture.
SG HOTEL LE CORBUSIER
280 BLD MICHELET
13008 MARSEILLE
tel : 04 91 16 78 00
fax : 04 91 16 78 28
hotelcorbusier@wanadoo.fr
www.hotellecorbusier.com
