2. ABOUT
Undoubtedly one of the greatest architectural minds of
the 20th
century, his unique approach using reinforced
concrete, separated him from ordinary architects of his
time.
Le Corbusier was born on October 6, 1887
in the town of La Chaux-de-Fonds,
Switzerland. Although born Swiss, he lived
most of his life in France.
He trained as an engraver and goldsmith
but, from 1904, he began his studies in
architecture.
In 1943 Le Corbusier applied a similar
interdisciplinary approach to developing
"Modulor", a system of quantity, based on
the male figure and the Golden Mean, used
to determine the proportions of units in
architecture and technology.
This was also the foundation of Le
Corbusier's work in furniture design.
3. • Modular design, or modularity in design is an
approach that subdivides a system into smaller parts
that can be independently created and then used in
different systems to drive multiple functionalities.
UNDERSTANDING MODULAR DESIGN
ABOUTMODULARDESGIN
5. APPROACH
APPROACH
This system is
based on three
aspects:
human
measurements
theFibonacci
numbers
the golden ratio
LE-MODULARLE-MODULAR
Le Corbusier
developed the
Modulor between
1943 and 1955 in
an era which was
already displaying
widespread
fascination with
mathematics as a
potential source of
universal truths.
6. •Le Corbusier created the Modulor following
the steps of Vitruvius, Leonardo da Vinci's
Vitruvian Man, the work of Leone Battista
Alberti, and other attempts to discover
mathematical proportions in the human body
and then to use that knowledge to improve
architecture.
HUMAN MEASUREMENT
VITRUVIAN MAN
•"Vetruvio, architect, puts in his work on
architecture that the measurements of man are
in nature distributed in this manner, that is:
•a palm is four fingers
•a foot is four palms
•a cubit is six palms
•four cubits make a man
•a pace is four cubits
•a man is 24 palms
•and these measurements are in his buildings"
7. THE FIBONACCI
NUMBERS
are a sequence of
numbers where the
first number of the
sequence is 0, the
second number is 1,
and each
subsequent number
is equal to the sum
of the previous two
numbers of the
sequence itself.
FIBONACCI NUMBERS
FIBONACCI SPIRAL
8. THE GOLDEN RATIO
(1.618)
Two quantities are in
the golden ratio if the
ratio between the sum
of those quantities and
the larger one is the
same as the ratio
between the larger one
and the smaller.
GOLDEN RATIO
GOLDEN RATIO
a + b = a
a b
9. LE MODULOR
LE MODULOR
A six-foot (about 183-
centimeter) man,
somewhat resembling the
familiar logo of the
“Michelin man,” with his
arm upraised (to a height
of 226 cm; 7’5”), was
inserted into a square .
The ratio of the height of
the man (183 cm; 6’) to
the height of his navel (at
the mid-point of 113 cm;
3’8.5”) was taken
precisely in a Golden
Ratio.
The total height (from the feet to the raised arm) was also divided in a Golden ratio
(into 140cm and 86 cm) at the level of the wrist of a downward-hanging arm. The
two ratios (113/70) and (140/86) were further subdivided into smaller dimensions
according to the Fibonacci series
The purpose of the Modulor was to "maintain the human scale everywhere"
10. Le Corbusier explicitly used
the golden ratio in
his Modulor system for
the scale of architectural
proportion.
The Modulor is
an anthropometric scale of
proportions devised by him.
It is based on the height of
an English man with his
arm raised
LE MODULOR
LE MODULOR
ARM UPRAISED
VERTICAL MEASUREMENTS
•The graphic representation of
the Modular is a stylized human
figure with one arm upraised
standing next to two vertical
measurements.
11. According to the quantities of
113 and 226, Le Corbusier
developed two vertical
measurements, the red series
and the blue series, which are
descending scales related to
the height of the human figure.
RED SERIES BLUE SERIES
LE MODULAR
LE MODULAR
12. Basic plot:
113, 70, 43 cm.
When these quantities
are combined, they
provided other
measurements related
with the modulor.
For example:
43+70=113,
113+70=183 and
113+70+43=223, these
three results define the
space human body
occupies.
BASIC PLOT
113
70
43
LE MODULOR
LE MODULOR
16. INTRODUCTION: VILLA SAVOYE,POISSY- FRANCE 1929-31
Introduction
Located in a suburb near Paris
Architect-le corbusier
Constructed-1929-1931
17. INTRODUCTION: VILLA SAVOYE,POISSY- FRANCE 1929-31
Introduction
VILLA SAVOYE ISRELATED TO THE WHOLE RANGE OF LE CORBUSIER’S
ARCHITECTURE AND URBAN PLANNING
IT ISSITUATED ON SMOOTHLY SLOPING HILL TOPIN MIDST OF FIELDS
IT ILLUSTRATESWITH EXTREME CLARITY AND ISPERHAPSTHE MOST
FAITHFUL IN ITSOBSERVATION OF HI FIVE POINTSI.E PILOTIS, ROOF
GARDEN, FREE FLOOR PLAN , ELONGATED WINDOW, AND FREE FAÇADE
PALLADIAN GRID ISFOLLOWED
GOLDEN PROPOTIONSARE ANALYSED
COLUMNSOF THE BUILDINGSARE DEFINED BY A SYSTEM OF WALLS
INDEPENDENT OF STRUCTURE
ENTRY TO THE PROPERTY ISTHROUGH A GATE AT ONE END OF HIGH
STONE WALL
18. Introduction
LeCorbusier used thegolden ratio in hisModulor system for the
scaleof architectural proportion.
Hesaw thissystem asacontinuation of thelong tradition of
Vitruvius, Leonardo daVinci's"Vitruvian Man", thework of Leon
BattistaAlberti, and otherswho used theproportionsof thehuman
body to improvetheappearanceand function of architecture.
In addition to the golden ratio, LeCorbusier based thesystem on
human measurements, Fibonacci numbers, and thedoubleunit.
VILLA SAVOYE,POISSY- FRANCE 1929-31
THE PILOTIS
ROOF GARDEN
FREE FLOOR PLAN
ELONGATED WINDOW
FREE FACADE
IDEOLOGY
19. FIVEPOINTS OFARCHITECTURE:
Introduction
LeCorbusier'sFive Pointsof Architecturearebest summed up in hiswork "VillaSavoye".
1) Raised Structure: Thebulk of thestructureiselevated from theground and issupported by "pilotis", or, reinforced
concretestilts. Thesestiltsprovidethestructural support for thedwelling.
2) A FreeFacade: thestilts that support thestructureallow for non-supporting wallsthat can assist thearchietct's
design asheseesfit.
3) Open Floor Plan: likethefreefacade, theopen floor plan ismadepossibleby thesystem of supporting stilts. This
open spacewasfreefor thearchitect to configureinto roomsor to re-purposeto fit acertain design.
4) Ribbon Windows: Thesecond floor of theVillaSavoyeincludeslong stripsof ribbon windowsthat allow
unencumbered views of thelargesurrounding yard. Thesestripsof elongated windowsallowed for impressiveviewsof
theexterior and let in agreat amount of natural light.
5) Rooftop Garden: Theideaof therooftop garden wasto replacethegreen areathat had been consumed by the
building'sfootprint and to transplant it to theroof of thebuilding., and which constitutethefourth point of hissystem.
Thefifth point wastheroof garden to compensatefor thegreen areaconsumed by thebuilding and replacing it on the
roof.
20. Modular proportions in Villa savoye
Villa savoye
LeCorbusier also put the
concept of golden section into
thefacades, using baselineof
12 degreesto determinethe
ruleof dividing themain parts
aswell astheslopeof the
central ramp, thepositionsof
bar windows, thesizesof the
window-pane, thewidth
oftheroadway, etc
25. MILL OWNERSASSOCIATION
BUILDING
location Ahmedabad
function auditorium, meeting
room, office
location Ahmedabad
function auditorium, meeting
room, office
A ceremonial ramp makesfor agrand approach into atriple-height entrancehall.
Arrival ison thefirst floor, wheretheexecutives’ officesand boardroom arelocated
MILLOWNERS ASSOCIATION
BUILDING
26. MILL OWNERSASSOCIATION
BUILDING
Theinterior arrangementstakefull
advantageof prevailing winds.
theroof isused together with bar for
evening entertainment.
theassembly hall isconstructed of
doublethin brick wallspanelled in
wood.
either random or concreteseating 2
vertical tapestriesaresuspended
from theceiling for acoustical
purposes.
thehall isindirectly lighted by
reflectionsfrom thecurved ceiling,
which in turn iskept cool by 2
gardensand awater basin on the
roof.
MILLOWNERS ASSOCIATION
BUILDING
28. MILLOWNERS ASSOCIATION
BUILDING
Building characteristic
Theground floor housesthework spacesof
theclerksand aseparate, single-storey
canteen at therear.
On thethird floor isauditorium with aroof
canopy and acurved, enclosing wall, in
addition to agenerouslobby.
Theeast and west façadesarein theform of
sun breakers, oneof Corbusier’smany
formal inventions.
whileavoiding harsh sun, permit visual
connection and air movement.`
29. On thesecond floor of theMill Owners’
Building, thelobby istreated as“an open
spacedefined by harsh, angular forms.
And theauditorium asan enclosed space
delineated by soft, curvilinear forms.
Facadesmade of rough shuttered concrete, the
north and south sides, built in rough
brickwork, are almost unbroken.
MILLOWNERS ASSOCIATION
BUILDING
32. UNITE D’HABITATION
After World War II, theneed for housing wasat an
unprecedentedly high. The United’ Habitation in
Marseille, Francewasthefirst largescaleproject for
thefamed architect, LeCorbusier.
Completed in 1952, theUnited’ Habitation wasthe
first of anew housing project seriesfor Le
Corbusier that focused on communal living for all
theinhabitantsto shop, play, live, and come
together in a“vertical garden city.”
LeCorbusier used hissystem of golden ratio in the
MarseillesUniteD'Habitation in thegeneral plan
and section, thefront elevation, plan and section of
theapartment, in thewoodwork, thewall, theroof
and someprefabricated furniture.
33. GOLDEN RATIO IN ELEVATION
The elevation of the building is approximately two descending golden ratio
rectangles resting side by side. The boundaries of the individual units and the
openings to the balconies are also perfectly influenced by the golden ratio
rectangle.
34. GOLDEN RATIO IN INDIVIDUAL PLANS
Section of Unité d'Habitation
Floor Plan of Unité d'Habitation
35. ARRANGEMENT OF BLOCKS
Reinforced concreteframing
with model of relationship of
individual unitsto thelarger
organization.
The apartment block is a large rectangular structure of reinforced concrete, 17
storeys high and sitting on massive pilotis. It houses just over 1,600 people. Its 337
apartments are of 23 types, accommodating from one or two up to about eight. Le
Corbusier himself described the structure as like a huge rack into which apartments
slot like drawers.
36. MATERIALS
TheUnité
introduced the
world to raw
concrete- béton
brut - with its
texturedefined by
thewooden planks
shaping it when it
waspour.
It isspecially build up to human scaleand also emphasizethebeauty of using bareconcrete. Le
Corbusier compare thebareconcreteof theUnitéto human skin, which showsit ageand
character it flaws.
37. STRUCTURE
17 storeys high and sitting on massive pilotis.
houses over 1,600 people.
Its 366 apartments are of 23 types,
accommodating from one or two up to about
eight.
Room heights within each apartment are (a
very low) 2.4 m/ 7'5" and (a very high) 4.8 m/
15'9".
On the roof are sculpted ventilation shafts and
facilities for a crèche, paddling pool and
gymnasium.
Another notably 'sculptural' feature is the
staircase at one end of the block.
Decoratively, the board-faced concrete finish is
relieved by little else than a system of red, blue,
yellow and green colored squares
38. STRUCTURE
Common roof spaces
Another interesting aspect of the dwelling unit is to use the roof as a function, being
one of the areas of greatest vitality.
Included:
an athletics track, 300 meters
covered gym
a club
nursing
kindergarten
social space.
