Le Corbusier's "Five Points of Architecture" revolutionized modern design. These principles—pilotis, free façade, open floor plan, ribbon windows, and roof garden—transformed how buildings function and look, emphasizing efficiency and connection to the environment.

Le Corbusier's design philosophy embraced the machine age's influence. His focus on purism, standardization, and mass production led to innovative projects like the Domino House, which showcased the potential of reinforced concrete and modular construction techniques.

Five Points of Architecture

Structural and Aesthetic Innovations

• Pilotis, reinforced concrete columns, elevate the building allowing for open ground floor spaces and unobstructed views (Villa Savoye)
• Free façade, non-load-bearing exterior walls, can be designed independently of the structural system enabling greater flexibility in layout and appearance
• Open floor plan, absence of interior load-bearing walls, creates fluid and adaptable spaces that can be freely arranged according to functional needs (Maison Citrohan)
• Ribbon windows, horizontal bands of windows, provide even illumination and panoramic views while emphasizing the building's horizontality
• Roof garden, flat roof utilized as a functional outdoor space, regains the area of the ground covered by the building and provides insulation

Functional and Environmental Benefits

• Pilotis allow for better air circulation, natural lighting, and integration with the surrounding landscape
• Free façade enables the incorporation of large windows for improved daylighting and ventilation
• Open floor plan facilitates efficient circulation, flexibility in furniture arrangement, and adaptability to changing needs over time
• Ribbon windows optimize natural light distribution, reduce glare, and enhance the connection between interior and exterior spaces
• Roof garden serves as an additional living space, provides thermal insulation, and helps regulate the building's temperature (Unite d'Habitation)

Design Principles

Purism and Machine Aesthetic

• Purism, a minimalist approach emphasizing geometric forms, clean lines, and the absence of ornament, reflects the machine age's influence on architecture
• Machine aesthetic, inspired by industrial design, celebrates the beauty of functional elements and the honest expression of materials (Villa Stein)
• Modulor system, an anthropometric scale based on human proportions and the golden ratio, guides the design of harmonious and ergonomic spaces

Standardization and Mass Production

• Standardization of building components, such as windows and doors, allows for efficient construction and cost reduction
• Mass production techniques, borrowed from industrial manufacturing, enable the creation of affordable and replicable housing solutions (Maison Dom-Ino)
• Prefabrication of building elements off-site improves construction quality, reduces on-site labor, and accelerates project timelines

Influential Projects

Domino House

• Domino House, an open-plan prototype for mass-produced housing, showcases the potential of reinforced concrete construction and the five points of architecture
• Features a minimal structural framework of columns and slabs, allowing for flexible interior layouts and adaptable façades (Maison Dom-Ino)
• Represents a radical departure from traditional load-bearing wall construction, enabling greater design freedom and standardization
• Serves as a model for affordable, modular, and expandable housing solutions that can be adapted to various contexts and user needs