Le Corbusier and the Promenade Architecturale Juan Calatrava

From Earth To Sky, From Darkness To Light: Le Corbusier And The Promenade Architecturale Juan Calatrava Among the theoretical founda- meaning by using the same word, This ‘promenade’ was often tions of some of Le Corbusier’s applying it to the context of archi- associated with the significance most important projects, such as tecture. His ‘promenades architec- that Le Corbusier is known to have the Villa Savoye [6a,6b] and others turales’, which mostly take place ascribed to the intrinsic differences lesser-known, is the concept of the from ‘within’ houses, eventually between the two basic systems of ‘promenade architecturale’; an connect to the outside, yet invari- vertical communication: the stair- architecture where movement and ably begin inside. These constitute case and the ramp. If a staircase circulation are given precedence just one of the devices used in a separates and a ramp connects, over the static1. Yet it is precisely Corbusian house to enable the then the ramp must surely consti- here, in the name of the concept inside and the outside to merge tute the most suitable device as an itself, where the first paradox lies: together to form a hybrid that intermediary for this architectural Le Corbusier’s alternative use of a embodies a new idea of home and walk.2 word with an otherwise well-estab- living. Since Le Corbusier, it is However, this does not simply lished meaning. Although the term now possible to ‘go for a walk’ refer to circulation, or rather the ‘promenade’, in the usual sense of within what was traditionally movement needed for fixed and the word, generally refers to a walk thought of as the immobile, sta- definite points to communicate outside (to a ‘walk’ ‘en plein air’ as tionary area, or rather the inside of with each other. Le Corbusier’s opposed to within the oppressive a house, along a route which inevi- architecture is certainly abound 6a,b / Le Corbusier: Villa Savoye. Poissy. 1929. gloom of a house, which became a tably ends outside, suggesting the with designs that stand out for key tool for Rousseau’s thought integration of the inside with the their wealth of circulation and process), Le Corbusier distorts this outside world. movement, such as the circulation 48 49 section1_06_J.Calatrava_lay2.indd 48-49 30.06.15 17:09 of patients and healthcare staff, ‘Grand Narrative’, which has very essence of this villa lies in the Earth to sky, from the dense and sacred´ and where the senses would and modern ‘protoecology’, gave which formed the basis for his provided us with greater insight as variety granted by this ‘walk’, even dark to the aerial and luminous; an be reunited (leaving behind the rise to Le Corbusier’s project. The project for the Venice Hospital; the to the ‘other’ Le Corbusier; a within such a strict constructive element that serves to connect exorbitant privilege of sight) and key player of this project was the different paths taken by workers as character who was far more and structural setting. The ‘prome- human constructions with nature. synthesis would occur between Basilique universelle de la paix et du they make their way around the complex than his lesser image as a nade architecturale’ is a source of From this ‘toit-jardin’, which is architecture and the arts. In the pardon: a telluric temple dug out of Duval and Olivetti factories; the guardian of machinist diversity and allows for a range of far more ‘designed’ than one would same year he began work on a the rocky mountain side that route embarked upon by a visitor as functionalism. In this new, different viewpoints, producing a expect of a simple roof, the ramp project that he would continue to would pass through the mountain they wander through the musée à historiographical context, we can series of discoveries that are spe- leads to a window which provides a improve and amend until the end from one side to the other, from croissance illimitée or in the Pavillon now fully appreciate the extent to cific to a concept of architecture spectacular, framed view, like the of his days, despite the fact that it the sacred cave all the way to reach des temps nouveaux, and the which the concept of the that sees beyond the frontal per- pavilion in Zurich5 would later, of was unsuccessful: the underground the Mediterranean Sea. [6c] The collective ‘promenade’ of his project ‘promenade architecturale’ goes far spective; these discoveries evoke the ever-changing sky of the world cathedral in Sainte-Baume. route, which was truly initiatory in for the Palace of the Soviets beyond the purely architectural and the idea of an intellect that is pur- seen through the prism of the In Marseille, Le Corbusier its most hermetic sense, with its (designed to convey and firmly plants itself in Le suing a continual quest to under- geometry of this window/frame. became acquainted with Édouard sloping planes designed to repre- communicate Walter Benjamin’s Corbusier’s complex world view: a stand the relationship between The ‘promenade’ does not finish on Trouin; a visionary character and sent access to higher levels of spiri- so-called aestheticisation of patchwork of hermeticism, man, his artificial creations and the the roof of the house, but rather landowner of territory in the area tuality by means of physical politics). Interestingly, at the very alchemist thought, more heterodox natural environment in which continues its virtual route through (between Toulon and Marseille) strength, would begin from the beginning of his career, the ramp versions of Christian piety and his these arise. this very window; the spiritual known as La Sainte-Baume, which dark mouth of the cave and lead all already played a key role in both of dualist view of a world in two This ‘promenade’ in the Villa meaning of this can only be under- was named after the legend of the way to the opening at the other his slaughterhouse projects in 1917, halves (built on the foundations of Savoye also allows us to reflect on stood by those who have completed Mary Magdalene who was said to end, where the traveller would be serving as the race for the cattle to dual tensions between light-dark, the special role that history plays this initiatory journey. have lived in a cave in one of the greeted with the glaring light of move along. man-woman, sun-moon, night-day, for Le Corbusier; a role that is both Almost 20 years later, Le hills. Trouin was determined to the Sun (representing Light and However, unlike simple earth-water, earth-air, reason- evident and conducive, despite the Corbusier published his article preserve this territory, which he Fire) and the Mediterranean Sea circulation, the ‘promenade passion, etc.). His was a divided long-standing idea of a supposed titled “L’espace indicible” in 1946, had already predicted would be (Water). This path was illuminated architecturale’ does not aspire to world where the only task of the ‘tabula rasa’ that would entirely in which he formulates the idea of closely tied to seasonal tourism in by both natural light (through sky- lead the walker to any place in architect or designer was to lay disregard lessons of the past. More an immeasurable space, one which the future. This union between lights, which clearly resemble the particular, or to seal off its route, down bridges and to establish specifically, Le Corbusier intro- is linked to the experience of ‘the ancient spirituality, ‘genius loci’ drawings created in Hadrian’s Villa but rather it constitutes an end in connections, no matter how duces us to his concept of the itself and becomes one of the momentary these may be. From ‘promenade’, not as his own inven- keystones of the architecture that the time of his studies until his tion but rather as the (re)-discovery contains it. According to Le most brilliant visual-theoretical of a principle which, according to Corbusier, the ‘promenade’ is what views expressed in the Le Poème de him, was already present in Islamic allows the senses to contribute as a l ’Angle Droit (1955), the architecture: the concept of an whole, rather than just sight alone: ‘promenade’, whose poetics of architecture that rejects the use of by viewing a walk as a means of walking involve both the body and a fixed viewpoint and that can only encountering an experience that is intellect together, transforming a be fully appreciated by walking just as physical as it is emotional, walk into the means of around it4. the ‘promenade’ involves the entire encountering the human The Villa Savoye also allows us body, becoming a comprehensive experience, is nothing other than to appreciate more clearly the deep, tool for knowledge. The the architectonic translation of an cosmological meaning of this ‘promenade’ introduces the ancient initiatory journey from the ‘walk’ along the ramp. The journey temporal dimension into material to the spiritual world; embarks in a deliberately dark area, architecture; the experience of the from earth to sky, from darkness to shaded by the ‘pilotis’, where the progressive passing of time based light: a journey that turns the act ramp is in direct contact with the on a succession of fragmentary of wandering into the path to earth; it rises upwards towards the moments as opposed to a single man’s spiritual purification and light, freeing itself from heavier, moment captured by the fixed, refinement. material aspects. Initially from frontal gaze. In his description of the Villa inside, it leads out onto the terrace, The extensive revision of Savoye in his Oeuvre complète, for turning the ‘toit-jardin’ into the historiography over the past few the first time Le Corbusier first stage, not the goal, of a decades has called into question describes the ‘promenade’ as one of promenade which often ensues in a Modernism’s canonical text, the the keystones of the building.

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