World Heritage AcrossSeven Countries

1920“The Architectural Work of Le Corbusier, an
Outstanding Contribution to the ModernMovement”, including the National Museum ofWestern Art, Tokyo, was added to the World
Heritage List at the 40th session of the World
Heritage Committee on July 17, 2016. This is
the first time the group of 17 sites across sevencountries and three continents was listed together.
These sites encompass the history of themodern architectural movement, which criticized
the style of architecture prior to the 19thCentury and attempted to change architecturein accordance with the needs of a new society.
The sites are also proof of the movement’s
influence around the world. The movement wasrecognized as an innovative solution to 20thCentury social and human needs.

Maison Domino

The Petite villa au bord du lac Léman© FLC/ADAGP/De Prins/Emden/Kieslowsky/OMG, 2016

The Maisons La Roche and Jeanneret© FLC/ADAGP/De Prins/Emden/Kieslowsky/OMG, 2016

The Maison Guiette

The Maisons de la Weissenhof-Siedlung

1926

This is one of the earlyworks of Le Corbusier
and was an expressionof a new architectural
language (elements andtechnique): free form andcolor. This house madehis work known insideand outside Belgium.
France1928

The Immeuble Clarté© FLC/ADAGP/De Prins/Emden/Kieslowsky/OMG, 2016

France1931

1940

The Immeuble locatifà la Porte Molitor apartments“The five points for a newarchitecture” were applied to thisapartment building. The use ofglass created a sense of unity
between the building and spaceoutside. After its completion Le
Corbusier lived in this building forthe rest of his life.

The Manufacture à Saint-Dié© FLC/ADAGP/De Prins/Emden/Kieslowsky/OMG, 2016

The Maison du Docteur Curutchet

1950
Le Corbusier
established a new
sculptural architecturewith this chapel andinfluenced churcharchitecture across theworld.

The Cabanon of Le Corbusier

The Centre de recréation du corps
et de l’esprit at Firminy-Vert

France1955

This building wasdesigned andestablished as a partof an urban planningscheme designed toimprove urban life.

Argentina

1949© FLC/ADAGP/De Prins/Emden/Kieslowsky/OMG, 2016

This innovative approach involves constructing a building
with a simple structure supported by reinforced precastcolumns and floors connected by staircases. Unliketraditional architecture with buildings supported by walls
made of layered stones or bricks, the Maison Domino
structure with columns supporting the floors allows
replaceable and movable exterior walls and partitions(interior walls) and the creation of the now familiar open
space designs.
The domino concept efficiently demonstrated how tomake an elegant prefabricated structure by using preand mass-produced construction components withcompletely standardized measurements.

The Five Points for a New Architecture

Le Corbusier presented “the five points for a new architecture” considering such technical aspects asconstruction materials and methods, while incorporating concepts to create a structure to benefit thelifestyle and wellbeing of its inhabitants.

1 Pilotis

A space supported by columns. It is a comfortable
light and open space allowing free movement ofpeople and air.

2 Rooftop Garden

Generous rooftop spaces filled with plants enhance
the reinforced concrete flat roof—such gardens in thesky are impossible to create on older buildings with
their functional sloped roofs designed to repel snowand rain.

3 Free Floor Plan (Flat Surface)

Replaceable and movable partitions (interior walls)
laid out on floors supported by columns allow thefree design of interior space.

4 Horizontal Oblong Windows

Rooms are filled with light from windows extending
the full width of the wall.

5 Free Façade

Supporting the building on columns gives virtuallyunrestricted freedom to use panels and glass forexterior walls.

The Museum of Unlimited Growth (Museum Projects)
Le Corbusier repeatedly worked on his plans for the“museum of unlimited growth” concept over a 36 year
period from 1929 until his death.
“Mundaneum, the World Museum” (1929) was his firstmuseum project. A pyramid shaped building allowed
visitors to descend spirally from the center of the top floor
exhibition room.
The Contemporary Art Museum, Paris (1931) was the firstmuseum of a square spiral form with an exhibition room
above pilotis. In order to solve the problem of an everexpanding collection, a central room was first created,around which exhibition rooms extending helically andoutwardly were to be added as the number of exhibits
increased.
Le Corbusier continued his research in to building amuseum which could be constructed relatively easily,
could accommodate a variety of exhibitions and whichlooked harmonious. He presented the prototype ofa “museum of unlimited growth” in the museum in
Philippeville planning (1939).

This is the mostsignificant standardized“Minimal House” basedon the Modulor system.

The design of the National Museumof Western Art was based on theprinciple of a “Museum of UnlimitedGrowth”. The characteristics are still
relevant today.
❶Enter the central hall through pilotis
and go around the square spiralexhibition room.
❷There is a swastika shaped mezzaninespace.
❸The dimensions and locations of thepartitions (walls) in the exhibition
room are flexible and allow a variety ofdifferent spatial arrangements.

FranceModulor
226
183
140

The National Museum ofWestern Art, Tokyo

1929-

1951

1953

© FLC/ADAGP/De Prins/Emden/Kieslowsky/OMG, 2016

1926-France

The Convent at Sainte-Mariede-la-Tourette

1952

The work was based on
Le Corbusier’s view ofurban life (“Radiant City”,“The Athens Charter”).
This compound had an
outstanding influence on
the architecture of theIndian subcontinent.

1945“The five points for a newarchitecture” were applied
again several decades after theprincipals were first proposed.
This house had a fundamental
influence on South American© FLC/ADAGP/De Prins/Emden/Kieslowsky/OMG, 2016 architecture.

1950

FranceFranceThis is a prototype ofa new house that wasto establish a balance
between individuals andthe group. The building
has walls of exposed
aggregate concrete.

1946

The Complex of the Capital, Chandigarh India© FLC/ADAGP/De Prins/Emden/Kieslowsky/OMG, 2016

Le Corbusier demonstrated
his principles ofprefabricated andstandardized plan andstructure. This was the firstbuilding that used steel
frames for windows andpanels instead of concrete.

FranceThe Chapel at Ronchamp© FLC/ADAGP/De Prins/Emden/Kieslowsky/OMG, 2016

Switzerland

The Unité d’habitation in Marseille© FLC/ADAGP/De Prins/Emden/Kieslowsky/OMG, 2016

This is a factory designed
to meet the social andhuman needs of modernpeople. The building also
demonstrated the principlethat people working in
the factory can still feel inharmony with nature.

1927

1930

The villa is a manifesto
of Le Corbusier’s “thefive points for a newarchitecture”. This is
one of his most famousworks.

© FLC/ADAGP/De Prins/Emden/Kieslowsky/OMG, 2016

Germany

This became a prototype
of a house with precast
beams, which showcased
the new possibilities ofspace within a building
and made it possible tochange the floor plan
flexibly after construction.

© FLC/ADAGP/De Prins/Emden/Kieslowsky/OMG, 2016

1930

The Villa Savoye, together
with its gardener’s house

1924

The “Minimal house” concept
was applied to this housingdevelopment. It is a combinationof 5 square meter housing units
and is also an important workin terms of prefabrication and© FLC/ADAGP/De Prins/Emden/Kieslowsky/OMG, 2016 standardization.

Belgium© FLC/ADAGP/De Prins/Emden/Kieslowsky/OMG, 2016

France

1923

When you walk down a ramp oralong a balcony, you experience
the fluidity of space as thescenery and colors around youchange. This was the first Le
Corbusier work to which theepithet “the five points for a newarchitecture” were applied. At thistime “the five points for a newarchitecture” had not yet been
made public.

1923

Le Corbusier showed
the new architecturalform in “a minimalhouse” to meet theneeds of the occupants
with minimal elements.
This is an example ofstandardized housing.

The buildings of Cité Frugès

FranceSwitzerland

1914

This priory wasdesigned with thedeeper principles of“the five points for anew architecture”.

Japan1955

113
70
43

86
54

Le Corbusier created his architectural
measurement and proportion system bylinking architecture and the human body. He
drew up two proportional sets, red and blue,
based on the following criteria: the ratio of
the height of a human (183cm) to the heightof their navel (113cm), which gives a Golden
Ratio of 1.618:1, and the overall height of ahuman with raised arms (226cm). Harmony
and rhythm are created in architecture when
Modulor measurements are added together
or a single measurement is repeated in aseries.

In some cases, the “museum of unlimited growth” is translated as the "museum of unlimited expansion",and “the five points for a new architecture” is translated as “the five elements for modern architecture”.