It’s considered a gem. The exterior is thought up like an “ocean liner” on stilts. An hommage to the five points of modern architecture put forth by Le Corbusier, the view is omnipresent. A flat roof, white and blue chromatic variations, awnings made of tarpaulin, shaped out of reenforced concrete… Eileen Gray reinvented the seaside urban landscape all while preserving the location’s intimacy. To get to the house, one must follow a path along the coastline, while the yard continues down below right into the sea. One noteworthy feature, just as much for the architecture as for the furnishings, are the light fixtures and decor that are indissociable from the overall structure. For Eileen Gray, each one “has to remain free and independent”, occupying the smallest amount of space possible; to achieve this she thought up elegant, functional, and astute furnishings that she crafted every detail of. This spirit of an orderly set-up materialized through small painted labels that precisely marked out a place for everything.
Going even further, the walls were put off balance to avoid the doors being visible. The salon also served a multitude of purposes. The kitchen was equipped with removable partitions. Some furniture and carpets were creations that were originally bought in Jean Désert’s Parisian gallery, notably, the Transat Chair ,the Bibendum armchair, a black leather bench with chrome steel armrests. Also acquired there were the side tables, the “Marine d’abord” carpet in the guest room, and last but not least, an astute circular chrome nightstand table dubbed Table E-1027, its height able to be adjusted with a metallic chain. While his paintings are lesser known, Le Corbusier considered himself to be first and foremost a painter. A close friend of Jean Badovici, the artist created seven mural paintings. These frescoes, several of who’s preparatory designs are preserved at the Fondation Le Corbusier, became a point of contention between Gray and Le Corbusier. Eileen wasn’t a huge fan of them and thought that they stripped the architecture of its soul.
The two lovers would not stay together in Villa E-1027 for long, separating in 1932. Jean Badovici would remain the owner until his death in 1956, receiving Eileen Gray as a guest and collaborator a number of times. The villa would then be auctioned off in 1956, and acquired in 1960 by a friend of Le Corbusier upon the architect’s urging, to assure its preservation. After a long restoration that began in 2007, the villa, its frescoes, garden, and surrounding lands were all labeled a historical monument and earned the distinction of being part of “20th Century Heritage”.
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