“ I have a castle on the Riviera ;
it measures 3.66 x 3.66 meters, and is extravagantly comfortable and lavish. ” - L e C o r b u s i e r
it measures 3.66 x 3.66 meters, and is extravagantly comfortable and lavish. ” - L e C o r b u s i e r
One of the highlights of my trip to France last year was visiting
Le Corbusier's 12 ' x 12 ' x 12 ' summer home,
"L E P E T I T C A B A N O N " ( " The Little Cabin, " )
in Roquebrune - Cap - Martin, just east of Nice.
Le Corbusier's 12 ' x 12 ' x 12 ' summer home,
"L E P E T I T C A B A N O N " ( " The Little Cabin, " )
in Roquebrune - Cap - Martin, just east of Nice.
above : Swiss - French architect Le Corbusier in his cabin
aboard the ship, Lutécia, in 1929; the space is said to have been
his initial inspiration for Le Petit Cabanon.
was found dead in the sea off Cap Martin in the south of France,
the local paper proclaimed that the architect was the
' worst - lodged tourist on the Côte d'Azur. ' "
- The Guardian
I. W H Y I S L E P E T I T C A B A N O N S O T I N Y ?
" . . . m y s m a l l e s t m a c h i n e f o r l i v i n g . . .
w h e r e n o t o n e s q u a r e c e n t i m e t e r
o f s p a c e w a s w a s t e d . "
- L e C o r b u s i e r
Le Corbusier wanted a primitive hut
where he and his wife could spend summer vacations. He designed it
to serve only the most basic living needs.
Le Corbusier also sought to demonstrate that
good design - not square footage - constituted luxury.
In 1952, Le Corbusier presented Le Petit Cabanon
to his wife Yvonne as a birthday gift.
Though all of Le Corbusier's work interests me, I'd not have thought Le Petit Cabanon the place to begin discussing it. I've always loved his 1920's work (like Villa Savoye) best, but his latter buildings are usually considered his real chefs d'oeuvre. At the end of the day, Le Petit Cabanon is likely where Le Corbusier was happiest. It's also the place where Le Corbusier died and is buried.
Beginning in the 1920's Le Corbusier began studies for what would become
" L E M O D U L O R "
(emblem, above). A system of measurement based on proportion,
Le Modulor combined the basic tenets of
Leonardo da Vinci's V I T R U V I A N M A N (emblem, above). A system of measurement based on proportion,
Le Modulor combined the basic tenets of
( below, left, ) and, ( below, right, )
T h e G O L D E N R A T I O.
Le Corbusier sought a universal system of measurement
that could be applied to all architecture and mechanics.
He spent twenty years studying math, nature, human form, beauty and architecture looking for a formula by which to unite and apply them all. "Le Modulor," his final result, would be not just a unit of measure, but a universal system to be applied to all arts.... also called his
" Synthesis of the Arts."
"Le Corbusier became aware of the special links which connect the ineffable essence of an idea to the structure of an object, and of how any discipline will be intimately related to other fields. He determined that the different art forms should not be separated, as sight ought not to be dissociated from hearing or the sense of smell from that of touch. " - artdaily.org
The above floor plan of Le Petit Cabanon
( via petitcabanon.blogspot.com an in-depth, all-comprehensive site on L.P.C.!)
Albert Einstein praised Le Corbusier's "Modulor."
"A six-foot man . . . with his arm upraised (to a height of 7’ - 5”), was inserted into a square. The ratio of the height of the man ( 6’ - 0" ) to the height of his navel (at the mid-point of 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 at the level of the wrist of a downward - hanging arm. The two ratios were further subdivided into smaller dimensions according to the Fibonacci series." -- Golden Ratio in Art and Architecture" by Nikhat Parveen, UGA
divide a line into two parts so that:
the longer part (a)
divided by the smaller part (b)
(a ÷ b)
is a l s o equal to the whole length (a + b)
divided by the longer part (a + b) ÷ (a)
- this is the golden ratio.
(a ÷ b) = (a + b) ÷ (a) = the golden ratio = 1.618 = Φ
For thousands of years, artists and architects have considered the Golden Rectangle the most beautiful shape, and based their work on it. It is based on the Fibonacci series and also known as the Golden Section, the Golden Mean, and the Divine Proportion. Note the Golden Rectangle (above, left) and how it is applied to the Parthenon (above, right), one of the most important structures ever built.
We can say the same for the Mona Lisa, whose face is a perfect Golden Rectangle. Note also the spiral shape in the Golden Rectangle, which is often found in nature, and called The Golden Spiral. We see it throughout creation: in the human body, in leaves, flowers, pine cones and seashells. Some of Mozart's sonatas are said to be based on the Golden Ratio.
"The length of the bone segments in the fingers of our hands can be measured in this way. Consider the length of the first segment of any finger as the standard measurement for that finger. The length of the second segment will measure a close approximation of 1.618 times longer than that. The third segment will closely approximate 1.618 times longer than the second, and the fourth segment 1.618 times longer than the third. The bones of the entire human anatomy relate with one another according to the golden ratio, although in a more complex manner than in the hand. Not only the human form, but all creatures and natural forms can be measured in terms relating to the golden ratio."-- staffweb![]()
![]()
The faces our society perceives as the most beautiful are those whose features (and the distances between them) are the most proportional, i. e. those most closely reflecting Phi (Φ) (below, left).
Sometimes referred to as a " Phi Mask: " (below, right)
Queen Nefertiti (Egyptian, 1400 BC) and Marlene Dietrich (German, 20th C.),
considered amongst the most beautiful women in the world, both have faces which almost perfectly fit the "Phi Mask."
Golden Ratios in the human face include :
Length of face / width of face, Distance between the lips and where the eyebrows meet / length of nose, Length of face / distance between tip of jaw and where the eyebrows meet, Length of mouth / width of nose, Width of nose / distance between nostrils, and Distance between pupils / distance between eyebrows.
![]()
Length of face / width of face, Distance between the lips and where the eyebrows meet / length of nose, Length of face / distance between tip of jaw and where the eyebrows meet, Length of mouth / width of nose, Width of nose / distance between nostrils, and Distance between pupils / distance between eyebrows.
b e g i n n i n g l o w e r - l e f t c o r n e r, m o v i n g c l o c k w i s e :
1. entrance, 2. door, 3. coat/hat rack, hooks, 4. entry into main space, 5. wc, 6. clothing armoire sliding doors and drawers, 7. bed with built-in headrest + storage; bookshelves overhead + light, 8. storage unit, 10. sink wash basin with medicine cabinet above, 11. dining table + desk ( "0" on either side : seats),
12. bookshelves, 13. single shelf,
14. tall, narrow ventilation windows at opposing corners of the cabin,
15. windows (facade + right), 16. window close to the ground
12. bookshelves, 13. single shelf,
14. tall, narrow ventilation windows at opposing corners of the cabin,
15. windows (facade + right), 16. window close to the ground
i n s i d e Le Petit Cabanon, (via floor plan) above:
6. clothing armoire / drawers and 3. coat / hat rack and hooks to left, 4. entry into main space, 5. wc behind curtain, 7. bed with bookshelves and reading light, 10. sink in foreground
.jpg)
(continued) foot of 7. bed, 8. storage unit, 16. window, 10. wash basin and cabinet, 15. window, 14. ventilation window, 12. shelving and 13. separate shelf, 11. table/desk top
Not unlike Frank Lloyd Wright, an architect who
blurred the lines between " indoors and outdoors,"
Le Corbusier designed and located Le Petit Cabanon's windows
to highlight various features of its landscape :
Window 2. faces the sea, highlighting the landscape's " aquatic feature. " (above, right) Window 15. views " the vegetation feature " (above, left.)
.jpg)
views a rocky surface; " the mineral feature. "
Le Petit Cabanon's ceiling is divided into large rectangular sections,
in white, green and red; an inclusion of Le Corbusier's color philosophy. As with most of his views regarding all arts, Le Corbusier wished to use only PURE COLOR; an ideal which naturally coincided with his faith in pure, undiluted materials, such as concrete and glass.
![]()
Le Corbusier's early work was highly influenced in 1920's Paris by the Dutch Modernist de Stijl movement. It was led by artists such as Piet Mondrian, and Gerrit Rietveldt. Mondrian, founder of de Stijl , is known for his grid - based paintings of black lines which separate simple forms of pure color, ( typically there are more pure white forms than pure color). Mondrian " advocated pure abstraction and a pared down palette in order to express a Utopian ideal of universal harmony in all of the arts " -theartstory.org
![]()
![]()
Rietvelt's "Red Blue Chair," 1916, (above, left:)
Piet Mondrian, painting, 1921 (above, right:).
De Stijl theory closely matches Le Corbusier's "synthesis of the arts."
"The De Stijl movement claimed a connection between art and life with color as a fully integrated component in architecture, although their palette was limited. " -Marilyn Sturgeon, "Le Corbusier's Colors"
in white, green and red; an inclusion of Le Corbusier's color philosophy. As with most of his views regarding all arts, Le Corbusier wished to use only PURE COLOR; an ideal which naturally coincided with his faith in pure, undiluted materials, such as concrete and glass.
Rietvelt's "Red Blue Chair," 1916, (above, left:)
Piet Mondrian, painting, 1921 (above, right:).
De Stijl theory closely matches Le Corbusier's "synthesis of the arts."
"The De Stijl movement claimed a connection between art and life with color as a fully integrated component in architecture, although their palette was limited. " -Marilyn Sturgeon, "Le Corbusier's Colors"
UNESCO World Heritage Site (above, left)
Le Corbusier: Maison La Roche, 1925 (above, right.)
"Proponents of De Stijl sought to express a new utopian ideal of spiritual harmony and order. They advocated pure abstraction and universality by a reduction to the essentials of form and colour; they simplified visual compositions to the vertical and horizontal directions, and used only primary colors along with black and white." -wiki
Le Corbusier's Maison du Brésil, 1954,
Cité Universitaire, Paris (above left) and
Armée du Salut / Cité du Refuge, 1930,
Paris (above, right); given the twenty-five year difference between the two, note the variations in color palettes and construction materials.
![]()
Cité Universitaire, Paris (above left) and
Armée du Salut / Cité du Refuge, 1930,
Paris (above, right); given the twenty-five year difference between the two, note the variations in color palettes and construction materials.
"LC 32:" "Thirty-three pastel hues selected by Le Corbusier for the monochrome 1930's Salubra wallpaper collection and used against the white background of the architecture of the time."
"LC 43:" "These twenty vivid colors were introduced in the 1950's and selected by Le Corbusier to contrast dramatically with natural materials such as lime plaster, raw concrete, and wood."
Adjacent to Le Petit Cabanon is l'Etoile de Mer Restaurant
(" the Sea Star ") above, owned and operated by Corbusier's friends, Robert Rebutato and his wife. Le Corbusier first visited l'Etoile de Mer in 1951 as a guest of Eileen Gray at her own home, e1027, next door. Le Petit Cabanon has no kitchen, just a door ( above, no. 2.) to be used for passage to the restaurant. The painting is a replica of Le Corbusier's work.
In the photo above are Le Corbusier and his wife, Yvonne, on the terrace of the l 'Etoile de Mer. To the left of Le Petit Cabanon is Le Corbusier's studio - even smaller than Le Petit Cabanon - where he worked.
Behind l'Etoile de Mer are several "Unités du Camping" (camping bungalows) 1956, also designed by Le Corbusier; one shown above bears The Modulor symbol on its side, along with LC's signature, primary colors.
Above we see Corbusier and Yvonne's cat (left on bed) and dog
(with LC) enjoying their own vacations at Le Petit Cabanon !
Le Corbusier is said to have envisioned his greatest work
from his Le Petit Cabanon studio (above, left).
LC's Monastery at Sainte - Marie de la Tourette (above, right) and
from his Le Petit Cabanon studio (above, left).
LC's Monastery at Sainte - Marie de la Tourette (above, right) and
featured a life - sized model of Le Petit Cabanon. In 2009, RIBA (The Royal Institute of British Architects ) reconstructed Le Petit Cabanon for its London exhibit, "Le Corbusier’s Cabanon - the interior 1 : 1 "
finally, back to our visit . . .
We had first visited the beach just below Le Petit Cabanon that morning,
the location where Le Corbusier swam daily.
I loved this little guy (above) who blended so beautifully into his surroundings. I also found the partial pine cone (below) there. What a joyful moment! Le Corbusier made frequent reference to pine cones as perfect models of the Golden Ratio; as in his drawing and poem below :
the location where Le Corbusier swam daily.
I loved this little guy (above) who blended so beautifully into his surroundings. I also found the partial pine cone (below) there. What a joyful moment! Le Corbusier made frequent reference to pine cones as perfect models of the Golden Ratio; as in his drawing and poem below :
« Débarrassé d'entraves mieux qu'auparavant la maison des
hommes maîtresse de sa forme s'installe dans la nature
Entière en soi faisant son affaire de tout sol. »
- Le Corbusier
( portion, Poème de l'Angle Droit )
By the time we walked into a Nice restaurant for lunch hours later, I was carrying several pounds of rocks in my pockets! I know I shouldn't have taken them.
But, sitting in a glass on my desk, they make me smile and give much inspiration!
Roquebrune-Cap-Martin is basically at the French/Italian border; was once part of Italy until Napoleon made it otherwise. If you are a Le Corbusier fan, it's worth the time and effort ! Exit the train at the Roquebrune-Cap-Martin station. There's a small path down to the beach ("Plage de Buse"), but the access path from there to e1027/LPC was blocked at the time. We walked back up to the footpath alongside the train tracks, and headed SE for about ten or fifteen minutes, then found a stair leading down to the Cabanon.
![]()
Additionally, if you have no wish to drive in France, I can't recommend the SNCF/French national rail highly enough. It's easy to understand, consistent and reliable (...if only we had a system remotely like it in the US!) Take a train to the main Nice train station, then change trains - it's about fifteen minutes from there to Roquebrune-Cap-Martin (see below, the stop just after Monaco). In fact, I wasn't able to go inside; it was closed. Our time was limited, :( and we finally left around noon, with plans to catch the Matisse and Chagall museums before leaving Nice that day (locating these wasn't as easy...give yourself enough time to get there and back). And though I'd not have missed the Chagall museum (the other, not so much, surprisingly), it did mean missing the Promenade Le Corbusier as well as his tomb, both close by.
PHOTOS:
intro: 1. 3. ruth burts interiors, 2. fondation le corbusier (FLC)
I. 1. (FLC), 2. ruth burts interiors
II. 1. (FLC) 2. rouleauc.blogspot.com, 3. wikipedia, 4. petitcabanon.blogspot.com, 5. (FLC)
III. 1. hongkiat.com, 2. 3. conceptart.org, 4. unknown, 5. worldtruth.tv, 6. ecobrooklyn.com, 7. knoji.com, 8. inventikasolutions.com, 9. american journal of orthodontics, 10. - 12. beautyanalysis.com
IV. 1. - 4. (FLC) 5. wall street journal
V. 1. (FLC) 2., 3. wikipedia, 4. archdaily.com, 5. (FLC), 6. 7. ruth burts interiors
VI. 1., 3., 6., 10., 11., 13. - 15. ruth burts interiors, 2. hervé lucien, 4. petitcabanon.blogspot.com, 5. (FLC) 7.-9. wikipedia, 12. Poème de l'Angle Droit,
SOURCES:
