Villa Savoye
Villa Savoye
Architect: Le Corbusier (with Pierre Jeanneret)
Location: Poissy, France
Year: 1931
Visited: July 2017
Why it matters: A pure expression of Le Corbusier’s “Five Points of Architecture,” this house was revolutionary in form—and infamous in function.
YouTube tour
Why It’s Iconic:
Villa Savoye is the blueprint for modernism: pilotis, flat roof, ribbon windows, open plan, and a free façade. Its crisp white geometry, lifted above the landscape like a minimalist temple, set the tone for generations of architecture to come. But behind the icon is a very human story of frustration and failure.
The Savoye family faced constant construction issues—leaks, cracks, cost overruns, and an architect who prioritized theory over comfort. The family abandoned the house during WWII, when it was repurposed by German and then Allied troops, and left to decay post-war. By the 1950s, it was vandalized and nearly demolished.
It wasn’t until the 1960s that the architectural world rallied to save it. Declared a historic monument in 1965—while Le Corbusier was still alive—it has since been restored and reclaimed as a pilgrimage site for students, scholars, and design lovers. Walking through it in 2017, with the sunlight bending across stark white walls, felt like visiting the ghost of modernism itself: brilliant, flawed, and still ahead of its time.
Jeb Score (Judging Every Building)
Design ★★★★★
Preservation ★★★★☆
Livability ★★☆☆☆
Influence ★★★★★
Overall Iconicity ★★★★★
