Unité d'Habitation — Attraction in Marseille

As a lover of brutalism and mid century modernism this was a pilgrimage for me, to visit one of Le Corbusier's triumphs.

Though shunned when first designed and built, it is now an absolute gem. Genius can take a long time to be recognised. I will add many more photos to this when I get home and get my camera photos downloaded.

Now the building is a French National Monument it gets the respect and support it deserves.

We booked a tour named Cite Radieuse with the Marseille City Tourist Office. It was in French, so some of the more detailed bits were hard to.understand but we were given a printed guide and our tour guide took the time to explain some things to us. Her name was Camille and she was fantastic.

You start outside with some background about Le Corbusier and a history of the building. Then it's inside where the guide picks out some architectural details, perfect for the photographer. Then it's up to a tour of an apartment that's been kept in the original 1950s style. Wow!! There were so many individual design details that were incredible, from the kitchen area, to the staircase, the shower was like on a spacecraft! The radiators underneath the loggia by the balcony doors. Bookcases built into the wall, storage areas, the flow of the apartment from sleeping area to play area. Breath taking design.

Then it's around the commercial areas, with beautiful corridors, everything having its place, with more beautifully aesthetic design touches that had form, function and restraint.

Finally we were taken to the roof, and shown the children's playground, the running track around the edge, the exhibition space and the mini open air theatre. The views were incredible too.

This was one of the most incredible tours I've ever taken. Yes, I love the subject, but the guide still had to make it a worthwhile experience and at this, she excelled.

Frankly, a life enhancing tour. I'm still smiling several...

Amazing hotel and bit of urban planning design history. Enjoying stay. Breakfast was great. Sunset was...

The LeCorbusier construction is open to the public free of charge, though visitors are required to sign in to a visitors book. A horrid little man nudged open his kiosk door and bellowed out when I crossed an invisible line before signing his meaningless book before which there was a gathering of visitors signing in, including my partner who was signing us both in. There's no verification process or scrutiny whatsoever so you could easily write Donald Duck, plus party of seven quacks or Islamic State senior officials away day and nobody'd be any the wiser, not least little job's worth who couldn't even see the book from inside his (albeit beautifully, brutally designed) cabin.

The architecture is to very much to my liking. The 'welcome' personnel decidedly ignorant and...