Villa Savoye - Section

As a group, we decided to cut the section through the Villa Savoye next to the ramp, which is the center of the villa. We chose to cut the section here because we felt that the ramp is one of the most important aspect in this building. It not only links level to level, but it also links interior to exterior, and dark to light. Although this Villa also has a spiraling stair case, the ramp is of more significance. As Le Corbusiers says ' the stairs separate floor levels, the ramp links them'. The movement and visual perception of a building was always important to Le Corbusier, and we felt that this was best expressed and thought through the ramp.

As you walk through the entrance the ramp is right in front of you, and its ascending pathway draws you to want to take a free flowing journey to the upper levels. It brings about it a place to go to, a destination to be arrived. Because the ramp is located in the centre, it allows the person the person to slowly walk, gliding through whilst exploring either sides of the outside space, such as the terrace, and the interior living spaces. We feel that this ramp does this more than a stair, because a staircase, especially a spiral stair does not allow you to explore or look out as much, as you are most probably concentrating on the steps and not falling.

This Villa is also about light and the free flowing design. The section which we cut allows you to see how the design is quite open, and allows a lot of sunlight through the windows, and this can further be seen through the window panels of the ramp, and the open terrace which would bring a range of lighting through the living quarters of the building, via the ramp.

We also choose to cut the section here, to show the seperation of the design of private space and open public space.