2017-03-14



The Architectural Work of Le Corbusier: My 319th UNESCO World Heritage Site

From the World Heritage inscription for The Architectural Work of Le Corbusier:

Chosen from the work of Le Corbusier, the 17 sites comprising this transnational serial property are spread over seven countries and are a testimonial to the invention of a new architectural language that made a break with the past. They were built over a period of a half-century, in the course of what Le Corbusier described as “patient research”. The Complexe du Capitole in Chandigarh (India), the National Museum of Western Art, Tokyo (Japan), the House of Dr Curutchet in La Plata (Argentina) and the Unité d’habitation in Marseille (France) reflect the solutions that the Modern Movement sought to apply during the 20th century to the challenges of inventing new architectural techniques to respond to the needs of society. These masterpieces of creative genius also attest to the internationalization of architectural practice across the planet.

Overview of The Architectural Work of Le Corbusier

The Architectural Work of Le Corbusier is a serial site with 17 locations located in 7 different countries on 3 different continents which celebrate the work of 20th-century architect Charles-Édouard Jeanneret, aka Le Corbusier.

To date I have only visited Maison Guiete in Antwerp.

As with most serial sites, I will be visiting more of the locations which make up the site as I continue to travel.

Here is a complete list of locations which comprise the world heritage site:

Argentina, Curutchet House

Belgium, Maison Guiete

France, Maisons La Roche et Jeanneret

France, Immeuble locatif à la Porte Molitor

France, Unité d’habitation Marseille

France, La Manufacture à Saint-Dié

France, Chapelle Notre-Dame-du-Haut de Ronchamp

France, Cabanon de Le Corbusier

France, Cité Frugès

France, Villa Savoye et loge du jardiner

France, Couvent Sainte-Marie-de-la-Tourette

France, Maison de la Culture de Firminy

Germany, Maisons de la Weissenhof-Siedlung

India, Complexe du Capitole

Japan, Musée National des Beaux-Arts de l’Occident

Switzerland, Immeuble Clarté

Switzerland, Petite villa au bord du lac Léman

Visiting Maison Guiete, Antwerp, Belgium

As of January 2017, the home is not open to the public or visitation. As it has only recently be inscribed to the world heritage list, there is nothing on the outside of the building which indicates its world heritage status. There are no signs or plaques indicating that it has world heritage status. Like the Stoclet House in Brussels, all you can do it stand outside and take photos. My cab driver (shown in the photo) had no idea about the importance of the house.

View the complete list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Belgium.

View the list of all of the UNESCO World Heritage sites I have visited on my travels.

Last updated: Mar 14, 2017 @ 9:04 am

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