Villa Savoye, Poissy, France

Villa Savoye is a modernist villa in Poissy, in the outskirts of Paris. It was designed by Swiss architects Le Corbusier and his cousin, Pierre Jeanneret, and built between 1928 and 1931 using reinforced concrete.

A manifesto of Le Corbusier's 'five points' of new architecture, the villa is representative of the bases of modern architecture, and is one of the most easily recognizable and renowned examples of the International style.

The house was originally built as a country retreat on behest of the Savoye family. After being purchased by the neighbouring school it passed on to be property of the French state in 1958, and after surviving several plans of demolition, it was designated as an official French historical monument in 1965 (a rare occurrence, as Le Corbusier was still living at the time). It was thoroughly renovated from 1985 to 1997 and is now open to visitors year-round.

In July 2016, the house and several other works by Le Corbusier were inscribed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

References:

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User Reviews

JOERSCH NEIRODN (3 years ago)
A hidden gem outside Paris city center. It is truly a magnificent monument designed by Le Corbusier. Accessible using bus at more or less 1.5 hrs from the Paris City Center. The 2 lady curators in this monument when I visited were very nice. If you are an architecture lover, you should not miss visiting this when you travel to Paris.

Wei C Sigala (3 years ago)
Wonderful architectural house, it’s one architectural icon. However, they should do a better job at maintaining it. It’s such a beautiful house but it looks decrepit and like it’s falling apart. Getting here is quite a journey: train ride and then take the cab or the bus. The grounds of the house are large and the house is very nice but wished they’d maintain it better.

Carlos Sarasola Orio (3 years ago)
A must for architecture buffs, the iconic Villa Savoye is one of the most famous examples of modern / international style, certainly Le Corbusier’s most famous house project. It’s well worth the trip, to explore the building inside out, it was restored some years ago and now it looks great.

Damian Yee (3 years ago)
A historic piece of architecture by Le Corbusier in the suburbs of Paris. Simply stunning and the staff extremely friendly. The audio guide is filled with many details of Corbusier and the Villa.

Alzbeta Dvorakova (4 years ago)
Absolute classic. Wish the furniture was there so you could have a better idea about what it was like to actually live there. Still it is amazing to step inside the world of Le Corbusier. Just about 30 minutes from paris, definitely worth the trip!

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