In 1947, a devastated France wrestled with a baby boom. The authorities turned to architect Le Corbusier, who had a plan for a city in the sky that used the only building material available in post-war France: poured concrete. The result is Marseille’s Unité d’Habitation. A mammoth monument to budget design, it envisioned communal living for 1,600 residents (complete with rooftop garden, day care center and a paddling pool). Europe’s housing ministers were so impressed that they asked Le Corbusier to plant replica towers in Nantes and Berlin. In 2016, the Marseille building and its timeless third floor hotel became part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. For the princely sum of €79, one may sleep in a monument historique complete with concrete balcony and panoramic views over the Mediterranean. Hôtel Le Corbusier 280 Boulevard Michelet, 13008 Marseille France TwitterFacebookPinterest Related Stories Arts & Culture Issue 24 Minotaure Lavish covers and literati contributors: the lasting mystique of a 1930s Parisian periodical. Arts & Culture Plantes Parisiennes A photo essay by Parisian photographer Romain Laprade, depicting the overlooked plant life of the French capital. Arts & Culture A Weekend in Paris with Tony Cederteg A Stockholm transplant to Paris, art director, designer and publisher Tony Cederteg shares his tips on what to do on a weekend in the French capital. Arts & Culture The Decisive Moment: Images à la Sauvette An exhibition in Paris offers rare insight into the making of Henri Cartier-Bresson's iconic book, Images à la Sauvette. Arts & Culture Breaking From Convention: Fernand Léger A significant piece of experimental filmmaking, Ballet Mécanique takes the viewer into a realm that transcends the rigid pattern of rational thought. Arts & Culture Issue 48 Jordan Casteel The acclaimed painter of people—and now plants.
Arts & Culture Issue 24 Minotaure Lavish covers and literati contributors: the lasting mystique of a 1930s Parisian periodical.
Arts & Culture Plantes Parisiennes A photo essay by Parisian photographer Romain Laprade, depicting the overlooked plant life of the French capital.
Arts & Culture A Weekend in Paris with Tony Cederteg A Stockholm transplant to Paris, art director, designer and publisher Tony Cederteg shares his tips on what to do on a weekend in the French capital.
Arts & Culture The Decisive Moment: Images à la Sauvette An exhibition in Paris offers rare insight into the making of Henri Cartier-Bresson's iconic book, Images à la Sauvette.
Arts & Culture Breaking From Convention: Fernand Léger A significant piece of experimental filmmaking, Ballet Mécanique takes the viewer into a realm that transcends the rigid pattern of rational thought.
