La Maison La Roche, the incarnation of modernity.

More than 100 years after it was built, the Maison La Roche stands out not only for its state of preservation, but also for the modernity it embodies. This building, which forms part of Le Corbusier’s architectural experiments, is nestled in the heart of Paris’s 16th arrondissement, at 8–10 Square du Docteur Blanche.

You have to be curious to find it. For indeed, Maison La Roche is tucked away at the end of a no-trough road lined with imposing trees. Built by Le Corbusier and Pierre Jeanneret between 1923 and 1925, it exemplifies the architectural modernity characteristic of these architects, with Le Corbusier regarded as the founding father of contemporary architecture.

From the soaring entrance hall, the house extends out on either side and rises over three storeys. Listed as a historic monument since 1996 and inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 2016, many visitors wander through this residence every year.

An order unlike any other

Maison La Roche came into being thanks to a commission from Raoul La Roche, a banker and collector of modern art. Driven by a desire to be able to exhibit his collection whilst living there, the building served a dual purpose: as a gallery and as private apartments. It was an unusual concept for the time, but one that did not daunt Le Corbusier.

With the help of his cousin, the architect and urban planner set about building this house with a fresh perspective. Forming part of the cycle of purist houses – a movement initiated by Le Corbusier advocating a return to simple, refined geometric forms – the Maison La Roche, twinned with the Maison Jeanneret, is the first in this lineage. “It is a laboratory house. It marks the convergence of modern architecture and purism,” explains Brigitte Bouvier, director of the Le Corbusier Foundation. Between 1920 and 1930, Le Corbusier built a dozen so-called purist houses in and around Paris.

New themes

Visible from the outside of the building, the new materials used, such as reinforced concrete, enabled Le Corbusier to realise, for the first time, the five principles of modern architecture he had theorised in 1927: the free façade, the free plan, the long windows, the roof terrace and the stilts. These concepts are still widely used in contemporary buildings, particularly roof terraces, which offer green spaces that are increasingly popular.

This residence also provided the architect with an opportunity to explore a new theme: the architectural promenade. Brigitte Bouvier describes it as “the fourth dimension of space”. “It is a space-time, an invitation to visitors to experience, through their senses and by moving about, the discovery of all the viewpoints and the design of this house.”

The architectural promenade, which took its definitive form in 1928 at the Villa Savoye, is one of the many concepts pioneered by Le Corbusier that have inspired, and continue to inspire, architects.

To see Maison La Roche in pictures, watch our special feature on our TV channel Museum TV.