Architecture: City Refuge of the Salvation Army in Paris

Charles-Édouard JEANNERET-GRIS, alias Le Corbusier, was highly respected for his many talents. He was an architect, a town planner, a decorator, a painter, a sculptor and a man of letters. Even after his death, his name and works remain very much alive. Le Corbusier brought major changes to the 1930s, inlcuding the creation of the City Refuge of the Salvation Army (above) in Paris between 1929 and 1930. This building is there to welcome the deprived.

City Refuge of the Salvation Army in Paris:

The City Refuge of the Salvation Army was built by Le Corbusier and his cousin to help shelter people in need. It can welcome up to 500 homeless people. Le Corbusier built it of concrete and brick to make it sturdy and watertight, then added sliding windows and a sun visor. This makes it the first establishment to be designed in that way. Each homeless person can have their own room because of the way the dormitories are situated.

The Salvation Army, new shelters:

Le Corbusier restored hope to many homeless people with his construction. The City Refuge allowed them a roof to sleep under rather than wandering outside in the cold. Furthermore, the pleasant interior design gives it a certain joie de vivre. It uses many colour to create its welcoming image.