Radiant city, Modern residential building in Rezé, France.
Radiant City is a modern residential building in Rezé with 17 floors containing around 294 apartments, built from concrete with colored facade elements. The structure stands approximately 52 meters tall and includes three elevators serving residents throughout the building.
Le Corbusier designed this residential complex between 1953 and 1955 as part of France's post-World War II reconstruction efforts in the Nantes region. The project represented an important attempt to create housing and test new ideas for modern community living.
The building features interior streets on each floor that work like corridors of a small town, encouraging people to encounter neighbors naturally as they move through their homes. This design creates a sense of community within the vertical structure, making it feel less like a tower and more like a stacked neighborhood.
The building is well-served by elevators that provide access to all floors, including the roof area where a school operates. Visitors can most easily explore the interior corridors and exterior design to understand the structure's layout and original features.
The rooftop hosts a school at an exceptional height, showcasing Le Corbusier's vision of bringing modern perspectives to everyday life for children. The original mailbox system lining the interior corridors remains intact today, preserving how residents managed their daily routines.
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