The

Le Corbusier – Image source: http://images.stanzapub.com/readers/2009/08/29/lecorbusier_1.jpg

LE CORBUSIER’S SECRET

Charles-Edouard Jeanneret-Gris, aka Le Corbusier, was born in La Chaux de Fonds (Switzerland) in 1887 and died in Roquebrune Cap-Martin (France)  in 1965. He is the main representative of the “Mouvement Moderne”. In the 1920s, the great architect invented the unit of housing. Having devoted his life to researches on collective dwelling, architecture would influence human behavior according to le Corbusier. From this principle, he creates the “Modulor” in 1943, inspired by his master Auguste Perret. This harmonic measuring system for the insides of the buildings is based on the measurements and proportions of a 1m83 man with his arms crossed and 2m26 with his arms upwards. This range of harmonic dimensions, at a human scale, is universally applicable to architecture. It is also a proportions scale connected to the Fibonacci number, a sequence of numbers in which each term is equal to the sum of the previous 2: for instance: 1-1-2-3-5-8-13-21-34-55-89…”86, 113, 183, 226″ are measures characterizing the occupation of space by a standing typical man of 1m83. 226 cm = extremity of fingers when the arm is upwards. 183 cm = top of the head. 113 cm = navel. 86 = hand rest. The ratio of the consecutive 2 terms in the Fibonacci sequence tends to the Golden Ratio. These values are used to build a place where it will be good to live in. Le Corbusier first takes man into account: “man, this animal that must be able to snort in the space of his house”. His creed was: ” nature is mathematical, the masterpieces of Art are in accordance with Nature. They express the laws of nature and use them”.

The “Modulor” will be protected by a patent and falls into the public domain in 1947 upon Le Corbusier’s own initiative. Two books were published in 1948 “Le Modulor” and “Le Modulor 2″. Printed all over the world, they were enthusiastically adopted by the new generations of architects. It made peace between the “foot-inch” and metrical system, by introducing the decimal system for all calculations. Le Corbusier applied his measures in 5 of his “Cîtés Radieuses”: Marseilles (1947-51), Rezé (1953-55), Briey (1957-59), Firminy -(1965-67) and Berlin (1956-58).

The Fibonacci number was well known in ancient India and was used in metrical sciences. The Fibonacci Sequence appears in nature like in the sunflower. The “Maison Pigeon” in Rochefort (France) was inspired by Le Corbusier. It unfortunately was destructed one year ago. Please check out my related articles: “A House Typical of the ’50s”  and “Typical House of the ’50s destroyed”.

Le Modulor by Le Corbusier- Image source: http://images.stanzapub.com/readers/2009/08/29/modulormodulor2_1.jpg

Zürich – Le Corbusier Center – Image source: http://images.stanzapub.com/readers/2009/08/29/zc3bcrichseefeldcorbusierheidiwebermuseumimg1552_1.jpg

The courtyard on the roof of the “Unité d’habitation” in Firminy, France, by le Corbusier.

Image source: http://images.stanzapub.com/readers/2009/08/29/courdel27unitc3a9d27habiation_1.jpg

Building by le Corbusier in Stuttgart, Germany.

Image source: http://images.stanzapub.com/readers/2009/08/29/corbuweissenhoflores_1.jpg

Villa Savoye by Le Corbusier.

Image source: http://images.stanzapub.com/readers/2009/08/29/villasavoye_1.jpg

Monument to Fibonacci (Leonardo da Pisa) by Giovanni Paganucci in the Camposanto di Pisa, Italy.

Image source: http://images.stanzapub.com/readers/2009/08/29/leonardodapisa_1.jpg