The Sunny Days of Villa Savoye

Book excerpt: The story of Villa Savoye Villa Savoye is an icon of modern architecture. But who were Eugénie and Pierre Savoye, who had the house built between 1928 and 1930? Why did they commission Le Corbusier? And how did they live in the country house they dubbed "Villa les Heures Claires"? Their grandson Jean-Marc Savoye tells the story of the villa and its residents using rare documents and family memories. In his pictures, illustrator Jean-Philippe Delhomme – long fascinated by the building – brings to life the construction site, everyday life, the war period, its use as a barn, and its rescue from demolition. In 1965, Le Corbusier lived to see Villa Savoye declared a monument; in 2016 it earned a spot on the UNESCO World Heritage list and now welcomes 40,000 visitors each year. The grandson of the builders grants personal insights into the history of Le Corbusier’s Villa Savoye Letters and photos from the family archives Eighteen specially created illustrations by Jean-Philippe Delhomme