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  • Essay / The invention and use of concrete

    Charles Eduard Jeanneret was born in 1887 in Switzerland and moved to Paris in 1917 where he spent the rest of his life (Colquhoun, 2002, p.137) . After designing and building his first house in 1905 in Switzerland, Jeanneret was persuaded to become an architect by his architecture professor Charles L'Eplanttenier (Colquhoun, 2002, p.137). By the time he moved to France in the early 20th century, single-word names were very popular. The architect therefore decided to change the name of his grandfather (Lecorbésier) and adopted it as the pseudonym of Le Corbusier which he would later use for all his works. He became known worldwide as an architect, painter, writer and lecturer, as well as for being one of the founders of modernism, brutalism and functionalism (the movement is generally associated with the works and theories of Jeanneret (Norberg-Schulz)). in architecture. Not only did rationalism play an important role in his architecture, Le Corbusier also thought that one of the most interesting designs was how the proportions of buildings affected people's perceptions. He thus creates modules that he will later use to design and size all his works and projects. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay Another aspect of his architecture is that he considered it as “the organization of masses” (Choay, 1960) where he played with volumes using concrete as the main building material and light creating superb shadow patterns inside. Jeanneret was one of the most notable architects of modernism who wrote the general concept of the modern building in 5 parts: 1. raising the building above; 2. roof gardens; 3. free plan; 4 continuous windows; 5. free facade. After World War II, in the 20th century, the modern movement became dominant. It was characterized by the rejection of old traditions and neoclassicism and their replacement with new technological materials such as steel, glass and reinforced concrete. This essay will explore the use of concrete as a modern material in Le Corbusier's chapel in France. Notre Dame du Haut is a hilltop chapel near Ronchamp in eastern France (https://www.inexhibit.com/mymuseum/notre-dame-du-haut-le-corbusier-ronchamp- chapel/) . The name of the church (Notre-Dame des Hauts) is taken from the previous building of the Christian chapel built in the 4th century. Riccardo Bianchini also pointed out that during the Second World War the old church was bombed and therefore it was decided to rebuild it. The owners of the chapel asked Le Corbusier to design it in 1849 because they wanted the building to be more modern and also promised him design freedom. At that time, the architect was 63 years old and had no experience in designing religious buildings. His first intention was therefore to reject the project. However, after visiting the site, he agreed to build the new chapel. In addition to this church, Jeanneret also built two other simple constructions on site which are today hidden under the grass roof. Situated at the top of the hill, the new building is surrounded by a considerable number of trees and a small village (fig.1). This magnificent landscape inspired Le Corbusier to design Notre Dame du Haut which since 2016 has been listed as a UNESCO world heritage site along with 16 other works by the architect in France. The design process was mainly carried out through sketches and models. Jeanneret aimed to provide a pure and silent space for meditation and prayer, a place where peoplewould feel free, comfortable and safe (https://www.archdaily.com/84988/ad-classics-ronchamp-le-corbusier). The end result is the architect's most unusual work which appears to be more of an enormous, monumental work of art than a modern building. If the style of the “sculpture” seems complex, the organization of the space is pertinently simple and is made up of 3 parts: three chapels, two entrances and the altar. Massive, thick, slightly curved walls, which seem to appear from the hill as a part of it, create free space inside and provide some space outside under the roof. Another exciting design element are the unconnected masses of the Ronchamp when they appear solid from a distance (Deborah, p.76), which can be seen in the plan (fig.). Andrew Kroll also points out that Le Corbusier's main goal was "the purity of space." .' The architect was trying to escape the overload of unnecessary architectural elements that would distract people from the primary function of the building. The white color of the walls creates a pure and innocent atmosphere while the light coming from the colored glass windows acquires different colors, the interior space becomes heavenly and mysterious. Although the most interesting and remarkable part of the project is the roof (Adrian Forty). Some people think inspiration comes from an airplane wing or a hat. However, Le Corbusier used a crab shell shape he found on a Long Island beach (Deborah, p. 76) to create a roof that was different on all sides. Another exciting aspect is the silver light from the exterior which comes from the narrow line between the walls and the roof (https://www.archdaily.com/84988/ad-classics-ronchamp-le-corbusier). This small but fascinating detail gives a feeling of weightlessness and purity to the entire construction and connects the Ronchamp to the sky. The slight curvature of the roof structure was done to show the connection between the location and the design. In other words, the hill and the roof have the same line (fig.) which creates barely visible relationships. As a pioneer of the modern movement and an architect who created en masse, Jeanneret's primary material was reinforced concrete which received massive popularity with modernism (Giedion). Notre Dame du Haut was erected primarily using this concrete, as were almost all of Le Corbusier's designs, including the Villa Savoye in Poissy and Saint-Pierre in Firminy. Reinforced concrete is a material system in which steel bars are used inside the concrete to provide great flexibility of shape and strength. These advantages are most suited to Le Corbusier's idea and the atmosphere he could create fits well with the purpose of the building. The hardest part of the chapel roof is made up of 2 concrete slabs and a 2.26 meter space between them which forms the shape of the structure. To make the building waterproof, the architect decided to cover the roof membrane with aluminum tiles. The roof is supported by columns which span the wall itself. These elements are made of the same material and involve separating the roof from the walls dividing them with natural light, creating a robust religious image. The walls are curved and thicker near the ground. This was done for two reasons: 1. to increase the stability of the building; 2. connect the surrounding area to the design. Another material used is the stones from the previous church that remained there (the same as the last one). While the south wall is Le Corbusier's original design with a different shape, size and inclination of the windows, the other walls are made of the stone of the old church. Another part to consider is the ground that follows the slope.