I’m checking in from Marseille, France, where I had the great pleasure of visiting Le Corbusier’s great design / social experiment Cite Radieuse (Radiant City) housing development.
I could go on for hours about how this moment in design used the crisis of WWII devastation to reconsider the role of architecture and interior design in meeting social and economic needs of the population, but the link below will allow me to be brief.
Although the rooftop art gallery was already closed when I got there, it’s now being used as a space for provocative, conceptual art art and performances. I lucked out and met an interesting group of musicians rehearsing for tomorrow’s concert of conceptual music inspired by the building and it’s fantastic setting while taking in unobstructed views of the Mediterranean and Marseille. What an amazing evening of design inspiration and performance art in the perfect setting!
I’ll try to get out another post before leaving Marseille, describing the interesting area I’m staying – it’s another social experiment rooted in art and design! Meanwhile, here’s the link to more photos and info on Le Corbusier’s Radiant City: