Architecture at Everest: Week 3 Post 1

Intersession
Architecture and Design
Audie Santos
1/22/13

Jan. 22nd, 2013

Documentary: La Tourette 1963

The Sainte Marie de La Tourette was a church, residence, and school for Dominican Order members to learn how to become a fully devoted and enlightened Dominicans. The architect that designed the Sainte Marie de La Tourette was Le Corbusier, a French Architect. Marie-Alain Couturier one of the Dominicans of Lyon had given Corbusier the task to build the priory in the Eveux valley.


Corbusier's build site was slanted. He did not want his building to slant with the hill's slope so he put the building on concrete stilts so the building was elevated and touching the hill at the same time. The stilts were hidden behind walls other supports.The building itself is a large perimeter made up of mostly reinforced concrete. It's roofs had grass on it and meter tall walls so Dominicans could not see the view of their surroundings. On some of the walls were glass patterns of consecutively shrinking squares. The building is a contradiction due to these glass patterns co-existing with its resemblance to a bunker. Glass makes the building more open, while it's bunker-like appearance makes it seem closed off.

La Tourette was mainly composed of rooms for the Dominican Priests and Class rooms. The dorm rooms were very small, like a holding cell. The rooms were very bland and the only link to the outside world was a large window out looking the valley, which was used during meditation.The walls have 2 different concrete textures, smooth, and rough. The smooth side is used to keep the feeling of serenity used when meditating. Most of the time, the priests would customize their rooms with computers and books. The classrooms were standard, having a chalkboard and seats for the students. The church of La Tourette was not fully attached to the main compound but slightly detached. In the center of the perimeter are hallways and corridors leading to the church.

Sainte Marie de La Tourette is still used today by Dominican Friars.

http://openbuildings.com/buildings/the-monastery-of-sainte-marie-de-la-tourette-profile-2130

A view from inside the church of La Tourette

http://www.fotopedia.com/items/flickr-3475106285