7
Escargot at La Luce Exhibition in Geneva, 2015
Q The Maison La Roche, headquarters of the
Foundation, has become in recent years a
must-see destination for architecture lovers
passing through Paris.
During the visit, it happens to meet great
architects, important designers, writers,
actors. What was the recipe for achieving this
consolidated and unique position in such a
short time?
A No recipe, except the genius of Le
Corbusier can be a more effective
communication and diversification of our
partnerships and actions beyond the world
of architecture.
Q Your many international activities are
having a significant impact on emerging
markets, particularly in Asia. The cultural
role of the Foundation goes beyond Le
Corbusier’s message and, in fact, transfers a
set of values and experiences in a global way.
What kind of interest do you see in these
initiatives?
A The mission of the Foundation, which Le
Corbusier created during his lifetime, is to
preserve, make known and transmit a work that
has revolutionized the discipline and
architectural practice. Today we can see its
ability to bring together across borders, its
universal and profoundly humanist value. LC’s
work and research find an echo that can be
amplified after the COVID crisis that has made
us rediscover our interiors.
In 1925, when he imagined the Pavillon de
l’Esprit Nouveau, LC was already anticipating
current expectations for architecture: more
greenery, more outdoor space, more comfort for
the development of each and to live better
together.
The relationship with nature and ecological
awareness were at the heart of his work.
In a 1961 lecture at the Faculty of Medicine in
Paris, he said:
«Urban planning is a word that is wrong
because it does not concern itself only with
the city; we all have to take care of
something else, the Earth itself!»
Q When it comes to Le Corbusier’s lighting
programs, the partnership with Nemo has
indeed revealed to the world projects that
have remained hidden for many years and
immediately became icons.
What is the functional recipe for a research
and product development activity between
the Foundation and Nemo?
A Nemo contributes to the Foundation’s
missions: to make known and transmit
aspects of Le Corbusier’s work, such as the
creation of lighting and lighting systems for
architecture. Le Corbusier liked to say that:
«Architecture is the correct and
magnificent clever play of volumes
assembled under the light.»
It is therefore not surprising that he also
designed lighting for our interiors as well as
for public space as in Chandigarh.
Our partnership with Nemo is based on trust,
a shared love for innovation and research,
and also the desire to share the beauty of
form and design. Our collaboration is also
based on the desire to transmit the history of
objects that remain as faithful as possible to
the first prototypes imagined by Le Corbusier.
Fondation Le Corbusier
