Villa Savoye: A Manifesto of Modern Architecture
Villa Savoye by Le Corbusier is a key work of modern architecture, built in 1928–31, illustrating the Five Points and a new way of living.
Villa Savoye is a modernist villa designed by Le Corbusier, located in Poissy, just outside Paris. It is considered one of the purest expressions of his architectural ideas and a landmark of 20th-century architecture.
The house was constructed between 1928 and 1931 as a weekend retreat for the Savoye family. Its completion coincided with the peak of Le Corbusier’s early modernist period.
Villa Savoye embodies Le Corbusier’s Five Points of a New Architecture, which went on to shape modern architecture worldwide. It marked a decisive break from traditional, ornamented domestic design.
The building is raised on pilotis, freeing the ground level and creating a sense of lightness. Ribbon windows wrap around the façade, while the open floor plan allows spaces to flow without rigid internal walls.
Movement through the villa is carefully choreographed via a gentle ramp rather than stairs, emphasising continuity and perspective. The roof garden restores green space taken by the building and blurs the boundary between interior and exterior.
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