Examining the singular and its application to form a whole

St. Gall Plan

*ISOLATION

Medieval monasteries were sited away from the urban, they were solitary structures. The physical removal from daily life evokes a spiritual journey to the sacred. Monasteries acts as a retreat overlooking the rest of the population. Symbolically, this siting represents the monk’s vocation to oversee and care for the populace. Therefore the vast vantage points of monasteries had an infinite quality both physically and metaphorically.

*COMMUNAL

The plan of St. Gall emphasizes the church as the core of the monastery. The church dominates in size and is placed in a central position to further define its significance. Density increases around the church in order of hierarchal importance, for example the Abbot’s house has a direct route to the church, whereas pilgrim guests are located comparatively further. One can then conclude that the ease of circulation and length of travel to the church is determined by status. There is a definite inward focus to the church and the act of congregation to that central point is a communal activity regardless of status. Furthermore, the buildings are bounded in a grid to constitute as a whole. Physically this defines the community.

Plan of St.Gall: Communal gathering

*A DIFFERENT INTERPRETATION

St. Gall can be seen with isolated and communal qualities simultaneously. The community represents the individual. St. Gall is a representation of a monk's life, all the services that one requires from monk-hood to death is present. Everyone is subject to the same conditions, there can be no deviation to how life functions. Life is certain and preordained. Therefore, the community and the individual are two conditions that are integral to each other because in the case of St. Gall they are describing the same life.

Le Cabanon

*ISOLATION

In plan, Le Cabanon has a radial scheme in which the dynamics of the space are directed to isolate the core of the house. Similar to St. Gall, there is an inward focus to the essence of the architecture. Every piece of furniture is placed in relation to the central core. As Corbusier states, “volume and surface are determined by the plan”. Le Corbusier painted on the window panel, so that when closed his focus would be directed into the interior. The siting and purpose of Le Cabanon reflect isolation as well. Built as a retreat overlooking the natural word, it serves as a physical and emotional removal to modern life. The identification of the horizon and vast sea through windows explore the infinite. The physical infinite inspires the individual metaphorically.

Plan of Le Cabanon: day and night areas

Plan of Le Cabanon: Radial Scheme and Circulation

Interior of Le Cabanon: Interior focus, painting over the window (1)

*COMMUNAL

Taking the concept of the singular cell from Le Cabanon, Le Corbusier explored the possibility of joining multiple cells to form a community in designing the apartment complex L’unite D’habitation. In section, the apartment cells also uses a radial scheme. They interweave each other and form a dialogue by sharing the same space. The physical relation to the neighbor further emphasizes the occupants to be interrelated to form a social body. Finally, the individual comprises the whole. Cells are bounded in a grid to form a solid block of architecture.

Section of Unite d'habitation: radial scheme and dialogue with neighbors

-Natalie Hui

Image Sources:

"dezeen." http://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2009/03/le-corbusier-cabanon-the-interior-ricostruzione-cabanon04.jpg (accessed 12 January 2010).

Information Sources:

Janson,Alban. Le Corbusier Unite d'habitation, Marseille. Axel Menges. Stuggart/ London: Everbest Printing Company Ltd., 2007.

"St. Gall Monastary Plan." http://www.stgallplan.org/ (accessed 12 January 2010).