Are you acquainted with Le Corbusier? This Swiss (later French) architect was a pioneer of what we now recognize as modern architecture. Controversial yet fascinating, delving into the full extent of Le Corbusier and his works surpasses the scope of this particular Cold Start installment. Written at 3 am from the comfort of a bed, our focus here is on the architect's deep affection for his 1927 Voisin C7 Lumineuse.

Unveiling Le Corbusier's Automotive Passion

Le Corbusier and His Architectural Projects

You can clearly see Le Corbusier's enthusiasm for his car as he ensured its presence in numerous pictures of his architectural projects. In the photographs where he is seen with the car, such as the one above, his pride is unmistakable. To those of us who share a similar love for cars, it is a familiar sight. For instance, look at him standing proudly by the fender of his Voisin in that funny sweater. Another photo from the same day shows him with his wife Yvonne.The car itself is quite intriguing. It was the small Voisin with a 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine producing about 44 horsepower and a lightweight aluminum body. Its design has an architectural, almost modern architectural look, being boxy with large expanses of glass. It may not be sleek, but it is clean, crisp, and unadorned, save for the iconic winged hood ornament. It stands boldly upright, with the vertical windshield defiantly facing the wind.

Le Corbusier and His Famous Buildings

Le Corbusier often parked his car in front of his famous buildings. As seen here in front of the Villa Stein from around 1928, which was built for the sister-in-law of Gertrude Stein. It's interesting how the car always appears a bit dirty and well-used in these pictures. It can be seen peeking out of the garage of the Villa Stein and at the base of the famous Villa Savoy. However, it should be noted that this is a different Voisin, and it is said that the radius of the cylindrical base and surrounding driveway was scaled based on the turning radius of a Citroën.

Le Corbusier's Grand City Plan

Le Corbusier got to know Gabriel Voisin and was sponsored by him to rework central Paris into a modernized, rational city. This was the Voisin Project, which showed Le Corbusier's aesthetic and philosophical approach to architecture on a grand scale. While it was perhaps fortunate that it was never seriously implemented, it provides valuable insights into his thinking. He genuinely believed that such a city plan would bring the most benefits to the most people. In some ways, he may have been correct. But it also highlights his almost complete disregard for the history and culture of a city. This might work well in a place lacking charm and history like Fresno (just kidding, I'm sure it has improved since I was there), but it would never have been accepted in Paris. After all, this was the man who once said "a house is a machine for living," and he wasn't entirely wrong.

Le Corbusier's Car Design

Le Corbusier even designed a car on his own called the Voiture Minimum. It was a fascinating and clever little three-seat car with a rear-engine design. It was incredibly minimal and clever, and if it had been built, it would have likely been a successful city car. I should explore this in more detail at some point as I really like the concept. For now, let's all connect with this old architect and understand his deep love for his car. The car still exists in a collection in Spain, which I'm sure would make the architect happy.