Villa E-1027, Modern architecture villa in Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, France
Villa E-1027 is a modernist residence in Roquebrune-Cap-Martin on the French Riviera. The building sits on pillars on a hillside with floor-to-ceiling windows and an L-shaped plan designed to capture Mediterranean views.
The house was built between 1926 and 1929 by Irish architect Eileen Gray in collaboration with French-Romanian architect Jean Badovici. It represented an experiment in modern living during a transformative period for architecture.
The name E-1027 is a code: E for Eileen, 10 for the J of Jean (10th letter), 2 for the B of Badovici, 7 for the G of Gray. Gray and Badovici wrote humorous inscriptions on the walls, such as "Entrez lentement" and "Défense de rire". Gray designed furniture for the house, including a tubular steel table with an adjustable top that caught crumbs for breakfast in bed.
The house can be viewed only through guided tours with small groups. It helps to book in advance and wear suitable footwear for walking on the sloping terrain.
Le Corbusier visited the villa multiple times and created several wall paintings during his stays. Gray viewed these artistic interventions as a disruption to her original design vision and opposed his additions.
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