After the devastation and bloodshed of the First World War, there was a need to rebuild fast and efficiently. They world had to ignore their volatile past, as it obviously wasn’t working, and strive towards a new future- a vision of a new architecture.
To solve this problem Le Corbusier created the Dom-ino house which was a structure independent of its enclosing envelope. The form comes from a simple post and beam structure that is used in timber construction. “It is simply a frame (the bases for low-cost housing) consisting of two concrete slabs kept apart by columns and linked only by an open stair.” Nuttgens (2001). It uses a reinforced concrete frame where the floating element of the floor is supported by the concrete columns. This repeating module could be easily reproduced and manufactured quickly, in any floor plan and any facade. This idea of having a facade that is completely independent and is not a structure element in itself, gave a lot of flexibility to ones design. In other words this concept could be dropped anywhere in the world, with a well structured floor plan, and the facade can be designed in any desired manner. The Villa Savoye depended on his five points of Architecture:
“Pilotis elevating the mass off the ground; the free plan, achieved through separation of the load bearing columns from the walls subdividing the space; the free facade, the corollary of the free plan in the vertical plane; the long horizontal sliding window; the roof garden, restoring the area of ground covered by the house.” Frampton (2007). The domino house uses two of his principal in Architecture which he brings forward to his design of Villa Savoye. Pilotis, elevating the mass off the ground, which can be seen by the arrangement of columns which support the first floor. This gives the building a floating effect. Free plan which is achieved through the separation of the load bearing columns from the walls.
“A great epoch has begun. There exists a new spirit. We must create the mass-production spirit. The spirit of constructing mass-production houses. The spirit of living in mass-production houses. The spirit of conceiving mass-production houses.” This module of the Dom-ino house could be repeated skywards in the form of skyscrapers. The CIAM, which Le Corbusier founded, wanted to “force” these ideas of structured living onto the public. Obviously the past didn’t work because otherwise the First World War wouldn’t have broken out. Aesthetics are not the most important thing anymore, functionality is. Down with chaos! Order! This is why Corbusier loved the Delage front wheel brake because of its machine like characteristics. It does exactly what it is supposed to and it isn’t over complicated or over decorated. In its own way it is beautiful. This was brought forward to Villa Savoye as the facade is not extremely ornate and the plan is very functional. It still has a roof garden though which is another one of his principals, because without areas of greenery one cannot be happy. The large horizontal windows in another principle which bring in vast quantities of light into all the building.
The Paestum’s symmetry and repeating placements of the columns were brought forward to the Villa Savoye. In the form of his much organised grid structure and placement of his columns. But he does break this organised approach and puts columns where they need to be put as well.
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