A Rarely Listed Le Corbusier Flat Hits the Market for €1.2M
It was during the process of developing his now-famous "Five Points" manifesto that Swiss architect Charles-Édouard Jeanneret, better known as Le Corbusier, was commissioned to build a multi-family residence in the suburbs of Paris. The project, Villa Stein-de-Monzie, was one of Le Corbusier's first attempts at defining and perfecting his now-venerated style. Nearly one hundred years later, the historic property remains in private hands, and a rarely available flat inside the building is now up for sale.
Villa Stein-de-Monzie was built between 1926-28 for Michael Stein, brother of author Gertrude Stein, and his wife, Sarah. The multi-family dwelling also included space for their family friend, Gabrielle de Monzie, who shared the couple's desire to live in a communal space.
Le Corbusier preferred to call the project "Les Terrasses," a name given to acknowledge the multiple courts and terraces he weaved into the structure's design. Husband and wife, Michael and Sarah Stein, along with their family friend, Gabrielle de Monzie, commissioned the design. According to historical records, the original owners then sold the property less than a decade after its construction was completed in the late 1920s.
Over the years, the property has exchanged hands with several private owners, including one who further subdivided the building into five independent apartments in the 1960s. Records describe the resulting flats as "remodeled beyond recognition." Luckily, both the exterior and interior were subsequently recognized as a Historical Monuments by the French government, igniting efforts to restore the property back to Le Corbusier's original vision.
An approach to the villa leads down a lush drive as the white, cubic form slowly appears. Le Corbusier's original design included a communal space on the first level, along with two master suites on the second level—the Steins occupied one while de Monzie resided in the other. The second level also housed additional guests suites.
In an interview with the New York Times, one of the apartment's most recent owners, designer Julie Isoré explains how she and architect Aurélie Berthet restored the second floor living spaces in 2010, removing erroneous features and combining two apartments from the 60s-era renovation. The pair consulted the Le Corbusier Foundation in Paris, along with other historical experts and records, to redesign the space in a manner that paid tribute to the legendary architect.
The apartment's main living room features original parquet floors and a feature wall painted in an ultramarine blue—the color having been matched to Le Corbusier’s original palette. A 1962 Arco lamp by the Castiglioni brothers drapes over the space.
One upstairs apartment originally belonged to Isoré's grandmother, who lived in the building along with her aunt in an apartment across the hall. In the Times interview Isoré describes the transformation: "The kitchen was closed in, a pillar hidden within the wall, and there were partitions and doors everywhere. We went back to Le Corbusier’s open plan. We knocked the partitions down, keeping only one wall, and redesigned the circulation."
Large sliding doors open up onto an original 300-square-foot terrace—one of the many that inspired Le Corbusier to refer to the project as "Les Terrasses."
Today, the resulting flat occupies the entire second floor of the villa, offering three bedrooms and two full bathrooms. Modern updates offer comfortable interior spaces while original features of Le Corbusier's design remain—from the parquet floors to the iconic ribbon windows. Keep scrolling to see more of the home, currently listed for €1,200,000.
The kitchen was renovated by Isoré and Berthet in 2010. The bright space features built-in cherry cupboards, with pulls copied from two original Le Corbusier armoires in the bedroom.
A pass-through connects the dining and living rooms with the kitchen.
A look at one of the flat's three bedrooms. This one is currently used as a home office, and in the corner is an armoire that reportedly inspired the kitchen cabinetry design.
The master bedroom features yet another shade of blue, with broad windows to let in natural light. The apartment also offers two full bathrooms, along with a half bath off of the kitchen.
The apartment overlooks communal gardens surrounding the building.
The Apartment inside Le Corbusier’s Villa Stein is currently listed for €1,200,000 (~$1,320,000) by Architecture de Collection.
Know of a home for sale or rent that should be featured on Dwell.com? Find out how to submit to Dwell.
Published
Get the Pro Newsletter
What’s new in the design world? Stay up to date with our essential dispatches for design professionals.