Composition without limits. Le Corbusier, space and the horizon line

Abstract

Le Corbusier started many of his projects with a first line, the horizon line. This trace, normally linked to the context, constituted in itself a mechanism to sublimate and idealize the position and spaces of the architecture in relation to the landscape. For this reason, this first line was a constraint where images, environments and spaces were concatenated. Materiality, body, and landscape end up interlacing while distancing themselves from the landscape and paradoxically also overlapping. This overlapping between images and gaze idealization was multiplied in intensity and intention with the avant-garde, especially through the surrealism practices. The visual writing and the project, which we could call "automatic", permitted the interlacing between avant-garde intentions established during the twenties, and what would be some of its projects development and characteristics. The Marseille «Unité d'Habitation» roof realization, and the open-air rooms deployment of Beistegui apartment, show us their relationship with the practices of first artistic avant garde of which Le Corbusier took part and at the same time inspired some of his projects.