Paris has lots of sights for fans of architecture, but perhaps you don’t know about the Fondation Le Corbusier, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary with a new exhibition…

photo (c) elen_


Before he died, and knowing that he was leaving no heirs, Le Corbusier decided that a public institution should be created to look after his personal archives, art collection and various documents relating to his work as an architect. The Foundation’s mission is also to help preserve Le Corbusier’s architecture around the world, and to look after the upkeep of the buildings left to it by the man himself and his brother Albert Jeanneret, namely the Molitor building in Paris and the little house next to Lake Léman in Switzerland.

The Foundation is situated at 10 square du Docteur Blanche in Paris, in a house left to it by Raoul La Roche, one of the most important patrons of the Public Art Collection of Basel. These buildings are all open for visits.

La cité radieuse, Marseille. Photo (c) Dom Dada

Since being founded in 1968, the Foundation has tried to familiarise the public with the Le Corbusier’s work through the loan of exhibits for exhibitions, scholarships for young researchers, organisation of lectures, publishing of books and reproduction furniture, preparation of a catalogue of his drawings, etc. Their library is open daily for student research.

Their current aim is to have 22 of Le Corbusier’s buildings inscribed with UNESCO as world heritage sites.

photo (c) to.bi.as

For the fortieth anniversary of the Foundation, an exhibition has been organised showing how it was created and developed, as well as showing the numerous activities and work that it does. Works of art, paintings, sculptures, tapestries and recent acquisitions will all be shown at the Maison La Roche.

Of course being a visionary means not always being right, as one of Le Corbusier’s plans for Paris from 1925 shows. Looks like we escaped demolishing half the city and making it into a Blade Runner-style skyscraper eyesore !

photo (c) marcsinger2006

Here’s all the essential information for the 40th anniversary exhibition of the Fondation Le Corbusier in Paris

When: 16th April – 20th June 2008
Where: Maison La Roche, 8-10 square du docteur Blanche, Paris 16th arrondissement. Métro Jasmin (line 9)
Opening hours: Mondays 1.30 – 6pm, Tuesday – Friday 10am – 12.30pm and 1.30 – 6pm (5pm Fridays). Saturdays 10am – 5pm. Closed Sundays and bank holidays
Entrance price: Adults 4 euros, concessions 2 euros. Free for under-14s
Official site: here

Bigger map here