Unité d'Habitation de Marseille, Modernist residential building in Marseille, France
The Unité d'Habitation de Marseille is a concrete residential building in Sainte-Anne in Marseille, rising on heavy pillars and housing several hundred apartments. The facade shows large colored windows and balconies, while inside corridors connect the individual floors.
Le Corbusier designed this residential block after World War II to give many families a home in a time of great need. Work began in 1947 and ended in 1952, testing new methods for building social housing.
The name comes from the French term for housing unit and reflects the idea that people can live, work and spend their free time under one roof. Today architecture enthusiasts and visitors come here to experience the communal spaces and the open rooftop, where residents gather.
Visitors can explore parts of the building, including the rooftop, where open areas and views over the city unfold. Some areas remain reserved for residents, so it is advisable to check access beforehand.
Each apartment extends across the full width of the structure and thus receives daylight from both sides, which is rare in high-rise buildings. The units were inserted like bottles into a rack, with the concrete skeleton standing independent of the walls.
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