Architecture and Utopia

Résumé du document

The world was created by man as his image. It was structured by his needs and expectations of life. Philosophers and thinker of all times have idealized, man's environment and the places he would live in after contemplating is needs. From the antique Romans to L. Costa and O. Niemeyer in Brasilia, houses and cities have always been the subject of great imagination and expectations. Architecture deals not only with the way people live, but at another scale it also represents its inhabitants' mentality and society itself. It may sometimes be taken to reflect the social ideology. Therefore the organization of a building, or a city and their aesthetic part, is strongly linked with the perception of the human being as well as the context he evolves in. The periods of greatness of a country or a leader, are always linked to dreams and the realization of a utopian architecture, from the Empires to the Industrial Revolution, through the "Lumières". The word "utopia" itself, invented by T.More is a lexical game, from its double etymology: Eutopia, means both ?a pleasant place', and outopia ? ?without a place, nowhere'. An architectural utopia should thus be as pleasant as it is inexistent, like the immoderate projects of Etienne Louis Boullée in the 18th century.

Extraits

[...] According to Chandigarh's administrator, S. F. Rodriguez, Chandigarh experiment with it's modern urbanism has proved to be a harbinger of change, ushering India into a new World of planned growth.( ) The moral and social commitment of the city to improve living conditions of it's subject has ensured a venerable status for it in the annals of Indian Urban Planning. It is a vibrant city today glowing in its rich heritage, yet marching on towards future, taking adversities in its strides in a confident way.” But the problem raised by Chandigarh is the gap between the architect and the country: who does the city belong to? [...]

[...] Le Corbusier, Chandigarh, Plan of the 22th sector (in white the housings, light yellow the green spaces, pink the schools and hospital, boarding the sector, the shops) (1950) Le Corbusier, Cité Radieuse, Marseille, (1947-1952) The intern structure of the building (the lift's columns and corridors) 5. L. Costa and O. Niemeyer, Brasilia, air sight and primary plan by L. Costa (1956) 6. L. Costa and O. Niemeyer, Brasilia, Place of the Three powers (Circulation goes under the place) (1957-1960) 7. L. Costa, O. Niemeyer, Brasilia, National Library (1957-1960) 8. [...]

[...] They consider that the rational analysis of the human being, his native needs and taste allows them to determine the conditions of the best construction system according to his nature. This reflection should lead them to determine an universal order, which can apply any human group, any time, any place. The progressist space is, in a hygienic purpose, opened, with empty spaces and vegetation. Green spaces are a frame to leisure, and body culture. The space is then organised according to human functions, separating housing, work, culture and leisure. The disposition must be simple to the sight, and satisfactory. [...]

[...] For him, architecture etymologically means “manifest the origin”. The origin being accepted by all as both as both speculative and religious, architecture can be considered in the Greek example as a spontaneous creation. The goal and essence of architecture reside in the expression of the origin under an invisible law that submits the material: gravity. So the representation of the past in a society is not simply a vision, but part of architecture. Each building should be unique, or if some of them look alike in their structure or style, they should be adapted to the personality and uses of their occupants. [...]

[...] This construction was at first much more criticised than admired. The “Association pour l'Esthétique de la France” tries to obtain the destruction of the building, and 20 million as compensation. But quickly this model is considered as and architectural and human success and Le Corbusier is asked to build similar ones near Nantes, in Berlin and in the Loire. Finally we will see the example of another disciple of the Bauhaus: Brasilia by Oscar Niemeyer and Lucio Costa. The city of Brasilia is unique as the construction of a utopia in three years (1957-1960). [...]