Le Corbusier's "Cité Radieuse" in Marseille,
France
Directed by Benoît van Wambeke

26 MIN
BETA DIGITAL (16/9)

Original version available
with English or French commentary
 
documentary – lifestyle – surroundings – art – culture
– society – history – nature – work – everyday life

SYNOPSIS

In the company of its inhabitants, Kaleidoscope sketches the portrait of an utopical living space: the unités d'habitation (inhabitation units) of the Cité Radieuse ("radiant housing"), an astonishing social and architectural utopia in Marseilles. It was commissioned in 1945 by the minister for reconstruction Raoul Dautry and built from 1947 to 1952. This avant-garde building includes all aspects of the theories of radiant housing formulated by Le Corbusier as early as 1935. It was inaugurated in October 1952 and was strongly criticised by the inhabitants of Marseilles for its original appearance. They did not understand this development and nicknamed it the maison du fada or crazy house. The 50 000 tons of the "Cité" rest on 34 rough and ready reinforced concrete pillars. There are 337 apartment "cells" constructed as so many individual houses. There are 15 different styles spread over 9 floors. Each apartment-villa has its own terrace and bay window of 3.66 by 4.60 metres (duplex). Each floor is a street and each street is a neighbourhood. The inhabitants come from all social classes: post office employees (the post office is co-owner of the place), members of the liberal professions, artists, or "crazy house" enthusiasts... some of them have been living there since its beginnings. The building is characterised by an inner street bordered by shops, a gymnasium, an open-air theatre, a pool for children, a nursery school with playground, and a hotel-restaurant. The rooftop, a futuristic vision of sculpted chimneys offers a panoramic view of Marseilles from the 9th floor. The Le Corbusier building was classed as a historic monument in 1986, and is now over 40 years old. Its futuristic appearance gives it an out-of-time quality.

CREDITS

Directed by : Benoît van Wambeke
Script : Benoît van Wambeke
Mister Kaleidoscope was written and acted by Marc-Henri Wajnberg
Image : Jean-Paul De Zaeytijd
Editing : Dominique Lefever
Sound : Damien Defays

INTERNATIONAL DISTRIBUTION

Wajnbrosse Productions
Video cassette available on request Contact-us

PRODUCTION

ARTE France
Panic Productions
Wajnbrosse Productions

With the support of
Centre National de la Cinématographie (CNC) ,
Ministère de la Communauté Française de Belgique et des Télédistributeurs Wallons

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