You know, staying in India, I’ve always been a fan of colorful Asian design. The one with colors, patterns, textures and literally everything clubbed together. So yes, modern, minimalist designs didn’t appeal to me much before. This was until I visited the Villa Savoye in France during my blogging trip last year!
So, Villa Savoye is a small, G+1 Family residence designed by the master architect Le Corbusier. It’s based on his five points of architecture with features like the pilotis, functional roof terraces, open floor plan, ribbon windows & free facades. Plus, it also has precisely-calculated driveways, screened doors, roof ponds, and its fancy ‘French Heritage’ status!
But why do architects celebrate this structure so much? It is because of its futuristic design elements? Materials? Or any of the design strategies? Well, stick around, and I’ll break it all down for you!
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Top Insights
- The Villa Savoye uses all the five points of architecture like raised habitable spaces (pilotis), open floor plans, free facade designs, ribbon windows & flat, functional roofs.
- Despite its award-winning & legacy design, the Villa Savoye suffers from a lot of leaks, heating, cold & moisture issues, especially during the wet season.
- In 1965, officials added the Villa Savoye to the French registrar of historical monuments. And then in 2016, it was even designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- Top Insights
- Architectural Details of the Villa Savoye Project That You Must Know
- What Were the Client's Specific Requirements for the Villa Savoye?
- How Did Le Corbusier Use His "Five Points of Architecture" in the Villa Savoye Design?
- The Villa Savoye Site Plan, Analysis & Mapping
- What Was the Main Design Concept of the Villa?
- The Villa Savoy Dimensions, Distribution & Circulation
- What Are the Main Details of the Villa Savoye Site Plan?
- What Were Ar. Le Corbusier's Main Considerations for the Villa Savoye Floor Plan?
- How is the Villa Savoye Elevation Like?
- What Are Some of the Most Important Details of the Villa Savoye Section?
- What's the Villa Savoye Garage Like?
- What's So Special About the Villa Savoye Staircase?
- What Was the Furniture Used in the Villa Savoye Like?
- Which Materials Did the Villa Savoye Architect Use in His Design?
- FAQs
- Conclusion
Architectural Details of the Villa Savoye Project That You Must Know
You know, back in college, my architecture professors always taught me that Villa Savoye is one of the first examples of modernist architecture in the world. And why won’t it be? After all, it was designed by Le Corbusier, aka Charles-Édouard Jeanneret, the father of modern architecture and his brother, Pierre Jeanneret.
So, Le Corbusier is a French-Swiss architect, designer & urban planner known for developing the International style of architecture. It’s basically, a futuristic style using rectilinear forms, glass, steel & open, adaptable spaces. Pierre Jeanneret, on the other hand, is famous for his tubular steel chairs and modular storage units, especially from the 1929 Paris Salon d’Automne.
Now, about Villa Savoye. So, the structure is a G+1 weekend retreat villa in Poissy, technically an hour’s drive from Paris. And even though it was built as a chill, staycation home, it had its own set of historical events as follows:
1939–1945: During World War II, the Germans raided the villa, destroyed it & converted it to a hay store. And since the repair cost went up to $80,000 after that, the family left the villa forever.
1958: A neighboring school (The Le Corbusier City School) purchased the property & handed it over to the French state. It was rarely inhabited after that.
1965: The government refused its demolition and instead denoted it as the official French historical monument.
1985–1997: The Centre Des Monuments Nationaux renovated the walls, floors, joints & shelves, repaired the leaks and made it open to visitors & architecture students. They even installed CCTV’s & lights for more security.
July 2016: UNESCO named the Villa Savoye and over 16 other buildings designed by Le Corbusier, as a World Heritage Site! How cool is that?
What Were the Client’s Specific Requirements for the Villa Savoye?
Personally, from whatever I researched on site & off site, I really feel that the Villa Savoye had quite an easy & flexible brief. The clients, Pierre and Eugénie Savoye just wanted a summer house with a space for cars, an extra bedroom & a care takers lounge. Plus, since the site was a green field itself, the landscape views, especially at the north-west, were a must.
So, Le Corbusier began working on the project in September 1928. And even though his initial ideas were already partly executed on site, he developed some alternate designs to reduce the overall construction cost in Autumn 1928. Here, some reports suggest that he simply moved the master bedroom to the first floor & reduced the grid spacing from 5 to 4.75 meters to balance the volume.
Apart from that, Corbusier had the freedom to do anything, like, even implement his “five points of architecture” in the villa. But what are these five points of architecture? And how did the architect implement them on site? Well, let’s see!
How Did Le Corbusier Use His “Five Points of Architecture” in the Villa Savoye Design?
The “five points of architecture” are basically a set of modernist architecture rules developed by Le Corbusier in the 1920s – 1930s. They are:
- Pilotis (Supports): Architects must try to lift the structure on a grid of slim, reinforced concrete columns off the ground. This will eventually boost the on-ground circulation, prevent surface dampness and allow more area for landscaping, just as in the Villa Savoye.
- Keeping a Free / Open First Floor Plan: Le Corbusier’s second point stresses on flexible & open-space layouts to accommodate more functional needs. Thus, he removed all the load-bearing walls in the Villa Savoye plan & replaced them with a flexible, modular design to expand the space visually & bring more comfort.
- Free Facade Designs: Le Corbusier, in his third point, asks modernist architects to shift the structural supports internally. And while this does not affect the load bearing capacity of the building, it helps architects create artistic & unrestricted facade designs. Take the above villa for example. It has such large windows, openings & a continuous play of open & closed spaces that wouldn’t be possible with columns.
- Horizontal or Ribbon Windows: So, the Villa Savoye architect states that modernist architecture might use continuous, long bands of windows for natural light & panoramic views as in the Villa Savoye elevation.
- Flat Roof & Roof Garden: Finally, Le Corbusier’s last point of architecture states that modernist architects can use flat roofs for a functional terrace. Like even in the Villa Savoye plan, there’s a terrace & a roof garden up there!
Note: Despite following all the five points of architecture, the client often felt cold, moist & restless in the villa. Even the villa’s contractor foresaw some future problems – mostly leaks & heat loss due to the large, continuous glazing.
The Villa Savoye Site Plan, Analysis & Mapping
So as you see above, the Villa Savoye is located on a really gentle sloping terrain on the Rue De Villiers street. But since the neighborhood wasn’t fully developed that time, the site had a lot of open space & trees around it. So the main focus was on views & natural ventilation. In fact, even Le Corbusier calls his structure “a box in the air,” since he raised it a little to boost the air flow below.
Then, as the user enters the site, he has two options – the ramp or the staircase. Both of them connect to the first floor corridor – bedrooms & kitchen directly. But that’s not all! Here are a few more Villa Savoye site details that you must know:
- Terrain: So, the villa is located on a relatively flat land with no cut & fill required. That’s why the architect could elevate & detach it from its natural terrain to create more space beneath.
- Climate: So, just as other areas of mainland France, Poissy has a temperate climate. Wet season lasts for over 3.5 months, with the maximum rainfall in December. Then, dry season is from January to May. But fortunately, the villa has all the internal downpipes, roof gardens & sun shades to tackle it
- Accessibility: Thankfully, this french heritage site is well-connected by roads. Like, first you have the Rue de Villiers road & the Lycée Le Corbusier bustop at the south. Then, even the main Poissy train-station and the Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport lie under 50km. So yes, the site is really accessible today!
What Was the Main Design Concept of the Villa?
Do you know how literally everyone was after cars in the late 19th & early 20th century? Well cars were everywhere – posters, collectibles and what not! Even the Villa Savoy architect took this trend forward & designed the house as a ‘machine.’ That means, he kept the functions as the central focus and revolved the design accordingly. The movement of cars, for example.
In fact, you might be surprised that the ground floor of the villa was actually made to be a carport. And those roads? Well, the architect designed them to fit the turning radius of a 1927 Citroën, which was one of the biggest and most popular cars of that era.
And what’s really cool is that this simple car road is basically the heart of the whole project. One, it leads people to the ramp and stairway. And two, it showcases modernism and functionality, especially when you look at it next to the more ornate French architecture. No wonder it still inspires architects and designers today!
Last but not the least, the Villa Savoye concept stems in from autonomous housing. Basically, it means that you could plop the same design down anywhere in the world. Yes, it’s quite contrasting to the ecological & climate-sensitive homes we have today, but the aim that time was to mass produce homes. See, most people didn’t have proper homes, especially after the WW2. So, the international style leaned towards modular, repetitive designs, sort of like what builders are doing today. And Villa Savoye totally fits that mold!
The Villa Savoy Dimensions, Distribution & Circulation
So very roughly, the Villa Savoye dimensions are 70.5 feet long (or 21.5 meters) X 62 feet wide (or 19 meters) X 22.6 feet high (or 6.9 meters). This takes its gross internal floor area to about 480 square meters (5,100 square feet), excluding the porch, terrace, and solarium.
Of this, the maid’s rooms roughly measure 3.5 X 2m (7 sq.m), while the garage roughly occupies an area of 75 sq.m (15 X 5m) on the ground floor.
Apart from that, we also have a huge, rectangular living room of 15 X 6m (90 sq.m), laundry room of 15 sq.m (5 X 3m), a 1.5 X 9m ramp & a large entry foyer on the ground floor.
Then, on the first floor, we have a kitchen of over 5 X 6m (30 sq.m) and two bedrooms of roughly 6 X 5m (30sq.m). Plus, we also have the master bedroom of 35 sq.m (5 X 7m) & a master bath of 4 X 4m (16sq.m) next to it. Just please note that I’ve measured the areas using a graphical scale. So, they might have a tolerance of 0.5 – 2m.
Note: Even though the owners had this open, flexible area program, they ran into some real issues during winter. The privacy & heating those open spaces, for example. Some reports suggest they also had issues with the skylights & noise at times.
What Are the Main Details of the Villa Savoye Site Plan?
Observe the site plan sketch above. Now, tell me which feature catches your attention the most? Is it the slender footprint? The buffer? The tree cover? Well yes! Even I had my eyes fixed on the tree cover when I first saw the villa plan. In fact, the house simply appears floating over this same forest background. And you know what? Even the architect painted the lower levels with a light, leaf green color to mimic a floating volume.
Then, as you enter the site, you see a massive curved glass facade that matches the turning radius of a 1927 Citroën. Yes, that’s how important cars were in the design! Even the site pathways were such that the owner could drive underneath the villa with a slight turn.
But that’s not all! Here are some more Villa Savoye site plan details you can’t miss out on:
- The foyer directs each and every user to a central sink for hand, face & feet washing
- Ramps, pilotis, and a central spiral staircase for proper vertical circulation between floors
- 3 distinct site zones: residential, vehicular & landscape areas for proper zoning
- Strategic placement for more natural light, views, cross-ventilation and less solar gain.
- Open, unobstructed orientation for more natural sunlight & wind.
- An orthogonal grid of concrete pillars placed at 4.75m center to center. This eventually forms a square grid of 23.5m for the villa.
Note: Well, Ar. Le Corbusier did finalize this villa orientation to catch more sun & wind. But it turns out the owners weren’t too thrilled with all that bright glare and wind that came with it. There are actually a bunch of letters that back this up!
What Were Ar. Le Corbusier’s Main Considerations for the Villa Savoye Floor Plan?
As I mentioned earlier, the Villa Savoye plan has three main parts. First, the ground floor has the hall, offices & a 3-car garage with curved curtain walls & a 10-guest dining. Then, the first floor has all the bedrooms with built-in-closets & bathrooms. And finally, the second floor is a roof garden with built-in seating areas & a pond. Let’s check more details below
1. Ground Floor Plan – Sketch, Details & Spatial Configuration
As you see above, the Villa Savoye ground floor plan simply builds around a central staircase and ramp. So, the areas are necessarily placed in an open-plan layout, with equal weightage to the garage, foyer & maid’s area.
See, once you enter the site, you have two options. Either, you can park your vehicle and step in through the internal door. Or, you can simply walk in through the central entry foyer. Both ways lead to a living room & a 10-seater dining area with white, curved walls & ribbon windows. And trust me, each of them offers directed views to the adjoining park & open area.
Then, next to the living room, we have a small library or office & a kitchen. And eventually, this kitchen also connects to a small covered terrace for outdoor dining & relaxation. Apart from that, there are no load-bearing walls for open, adaptable spaces and more natural light.
Note: While I do love the flexibility & freedom of the Villa Savoye plan, I felt really concerned about the privacy & security during my visit there. I always felt like being watched, or really wished for the space to have curtains & blinds during my last visit there. But yes! That’s only if you are introverts like me.
What About the Villa Savoye Entrance?
So, while the car entrance to the villa is off Rue de Villiers, the main door is actually on the west side. It’s kind of tucked away in a recessed spot on the facade, which makes it feel pretty secure. Plus, the door itself is super sturdy, made of thick metal and glass panels that let in some nice filtered light.
Personal Take: I think this main door acts like a bridge between the landscaping and Le Corbusier’s ‘machine house concept.’ It kind of breaks up the space and draws attention away from those amazing panoramic views to the metal parts. It definitely gives off a modern, industrial vibe!
2. The Villa’s First Floor – Planning Details & Considerations
The Villa Savoye first floor plan is really simple. It simply consists of private bedrooms (a guest & a child’s room), master bedroom and bathrooms along a central staircase. There’s a gallery style corridor, too. But, this one’s literally filled with laboratory cabinets & worktops on the sides.
And you know what? None of the internal walls are structurally necessary. Nor, do they take any load. So, the plan’s really flexible & adaptable to any future needs.
3. Villa Savoye Roof Plan – Design Details & Space Distribution
Sketch plan just for indication (not to scale): Archwhispers.com – Please contact us at thearchwhispersblog@gmail.com to use this image for editorial purposes
So once you’ve checked the first floor, the same ramp drops you to the roof. The Villa Savoye’s roof plan is basically a functional outdoor space – a roof garden & casual seating with panoramic views. It’s paved with white stones and even has a low wall parapet for safety.
Over on the east side, facing the Elementary School Abbaye, there’s a little pond that collects rainwater and helps keep things cool. Then, on the south side, you’ve got a big concrete canopy where you can enjoy meals or just chill out. And on the west side, there’s this cool curved solarium that juts out from the main terrace. It’s got lots of glass to soak up the sun and keep things nice and warm.
How is the Villa Savoye Elevation Like?
So basically, the Villa Savoye elevation is a simple white, rectangular box with a flat roof and ribbon windows as you see above. And though its facade is non-structural, the reinforced concrete columns below it holds it together. Plus, the elevation has a grid of about 4.75 mtrs for balanced and harmonious proportions. A prime example of modernist architecture, indeed.
Fun Fact: You know Ar. Le Corbusier once received a letter from Mrs. Savoye saying “It is raining in the hall, it’s raining on the ramp and the wall of the garage is absolutely soaked…… It is still raining in my bathroom, which floods in bad weather, as the water comes in through the skylight. The gardener’s walls are also wet through.” In fact, in one of the later letters, she even begged him to make the place unlivable right away because of all the leaks and the chilly weather.
What Are Some of the Most Important Details of the Villa Savoye Section?
The Villa Savoye section, as you see, stems around a central linear ramp and spiral staircase. The habitable areas are up on those slender pilotis (reinforced concrete supports), allowing for an open, adaptable space underneath. Then, there’s the main habitable area with white wall finishes, ribbon windows and a flat roof on top. And finally, this flat roof also has a small, functional garden to bring back the greenery that the villa’s footprint took away.
Also, if you observe the section carefully, you’ll observe that there ain’t any spouts or downpipes on the external phase. And while they do help maintain the aesthetic, they make the white surfaces more susceptible to erosion & staining from overflowing rainwater.
What’s the Villa Savoye Garage Like?
So, the Villa Savoye has a really grand 3-car garage on the ground floor. It’s connected to the Rue de Villiers street via a ramp & has a large sliding door for access. This sliding door has a grid of squarish steel & glass frames, just like the main door. This eventually lets in more light & reduces the need for artificial lighting.
Note: Personally, I just love how functional this door is! Like, it provides such a clean & seamless facade when closed. And if open, it simply creates an open airspace for air to circulate inside.
What’s So Special About the Villa Savoye Staircase?
As I’ve already mentioned over 599 times before, the most important part of this Villa Savoye case study is the spiral staircase. It’s located right in the center of the building & serves as the main circulation element between floors. Here are some more important staircase details you must know:
- Reinforced concrete, helix-like treads with a gentle curve for smooth circulation.
- A central cylindrical column as the structural core to support the staircase
- A thin metal balustrade to filter light & build in lightness & transparency.
What Was the Furniture Used in the Villa Savoye Like?
As we all know, this villa was literally an epitome of modern & functional architecture. So, most of the pieces have slender steel sections, tubular bodies, ergonomic designs & movable seats. Some of them are:
 ©By Tim Evanson from Cleveland Heights, Ohio, USA – LC4 lounge – Le Corbusier Charlotte Perriand, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=75641738 |  ©By I, Sailko, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=22218734 |  © By Christopher Söhngen – www.seipp.com (Martin Seipp/Christopher Söhngen), CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=47263493 |
| The Charlotte Perriand Chaise, 1929 | The Charlotte Perriand Chair | The LC2 armchair by Le Corbusier |
Which Materials Did the Villa Savoye Architect Use in His Design?
Observe the above Villa Savoye elevation and tell me what material do you see the most? Concrete, right? Well, it’s reinforced concrete to be precise, the prime material of modernist architecture. You’ll notice it everywhere—in the columns, floors, roofs, you name it. But if you take a closer look, you’ll spot some other materials as well. Some of them are:
- Expansive glass for the ribbon windows & main door panels
- Smooth, white plaster on the exterior walls for a minimalist look
- Small blue ceramic tiles for the sunken bathtub on the first floor
- Sleek steel handrails to preserve the minimalist aesthetic
Note: Even though the villa was built with some really cool modern materials, it ended up having a bunch of issues with the joints and leaks because the workers weren’t super experienced with concrete. So, sadly, the residents decided to move out after a while.
FAQs
Conclusion
So, which of the above Villa Savoye casestudy features did you like the most? Was it the adherence to the five point of architecture? The functional spaces? The ribbon windows? Or did you simply love it for the dynamic, panoramic views it offered? Well, whatever your reason, might be, we hope you got a good idea of the concepts, plans & sections for your architectural studies.
And if you want more such help on other structures like the Hathi gaon, the Habitat 67 or the Aqua tower, we’ll be happy to help!
External Sources:
- Banner Image Link: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Villa_Savoye#/media/Datei:Villa_Savoye_2015.jpg
- https://www.andrew.cmu.edu/course/48-340/handouts/Lec21%20Handout%20F11.pdf
About Me
I'm an architectural writer with a passion for demystifying design. For over 5 years, I've been using SEO & architectural expertise to create content that not only informs but sells & inspires. Basically, I like to break complex concepts to bite-sized pieces & conversational dialogues for the masses. So be it architectural expertise, graphics, digital content curation or even SEO optimization, I bring it all to the table!
