The Radiant City by Le Corbusier
The Radiant City, also known as the "house of the madman," is a building dating back to the post-World War II era. Le Corbusier continues to stir passions years later. It's up to you to form an opinion by visiting this building and admiring life from its rooftop esplanade.
Construction of the Radiant City
The "Radiant City" of Marseille, or more prosaically "the House of the madman", is a residence built after the war by Le Corbusier in the 8th arrondissement. It is an integral part of Marseille's history. At the end of the Second World War, faced with a shortage of housing, especially social housing, the Minister of Reconstruction commissioned a housing unit in Marseille. Le Corbusier proposed an experimental and innovative project. His aim was an attempt at a radical renewal of traditional housing, notably by increasing the volume of the buildings.
A true architectural innovation
Like the four other housing units designed by Le Corbusier, the Radiant City of Marseille is based on the Modulor principle, an architectural concept of his invention. According to his principles, it should allow for maximum comfort in the relationship between humans and their living space. It is a system he considers more suitable than the metric system because it is directly in line with human morphology. Modulor is a contraction of "module" and "golden ratio" because its proportions are linked to the golden ratio.
The apartments are oriented east-west and interlock to form an inner street. Le Corbusier wanted to prioritize meeting places for the residents and therefore optimized the spaces accordingly.
Completed in 1952, after 5 years of work, its 137 meters in length, 24 meters in width, and 56 meters in height allow the Radiant City to accommodate 360 apartments.
Le Corbusier: A housing unit in the heart of Marseille
This avant-garde model, Le Corbusier calls it "the vertical garden city". It is a set of individual housing units built on the logic of a collective structure mounted on stilts. The complex is equipped with facilities necessary for the development of social life (bakery, gourmet restaurant, hotel, daycare center, bookstore, etc.) as well as offices and public buildings. The roof terrace is accessible to the public and also houses: the playground of the kindergarten, a contemporary art center, an athletics track, a small children's pool, and even an outdoor auditorium. The housing unit imagined by "the madman" came to life in 1952 after five years of work and immediately became the center of criticism, some of which still endure today. However, the building set the standard as other radiant cities were built based on the Marseille model, including one in Germany.
The first inhabitants of the Radiant City were modest and middle-class families. Today, given the success of the residence, it is upper-level executives and intellectual professions who wish to live there.
The site, designated as a historical monument in 1995, is increasingly visited by tourists coming to visit Marseille.
LE CORBUSIER: A multi-faceted architect
His real name Charles-Édouard Jeanneret-Gris, Le Corbusier left his mark on the world of architecture. The originality of his works is partly explained by the diversity of his talents: as both an architect, decorator, painter, urban planner, sculptor, and writer, Le Corbusier leaves nothing to chance in the realization of his projects. Long criticized, his talent eventually gained recognition, and his project of the "Radiant City" was selected. Throughout his career, his plans were criticized and judged as too modern. Even today, his works are controversial.
Le Corbusier's other works
In total, Le Corbusier leaves us 17 buildings, including 10 in France.
His entire body of work has been classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since July 17, 2016.
If you are passing through Marseille, whether you are passionate about architecture or not, don't hesitate to make a detour. From the rooftop terrace, the view of the Phocaean city is magnificent and alone worth the trip.
Instead of taking public transportation, why not opt for bike rental or Segway rental to stroll around and visit the monuments of Marseille?
The Little Train will delight families by offering city tours on 2 different routes. Remember to go to the ticket office to avoid the queues, particularly unpleasant under the summer sun and heat.