Firminy, France 11.02.07

Eglise St. Pierre, Corbusier. hot off the press, concrete barely cured. The only building where it would have been actually nice if it rained: long vertical scupper drops water onto horiz band wrapping building, then down another vertical scupper. Our tour guide unfortunately took us backwards, through the understory (now a Corbu museum), then up a side stair to the main chapel volume.
The intended procession is up the grassy berm...

over a bridge to the covered entry, through the steel butterfly doors,

under the dark, low ceiling of the mezzanine level,

the curve of the mezzanine seems to correspond to the stippled light pattern, drawing you into...

the large space. Compression and release, works everytime.

Seems like musicians love concrete boxes. This artist is jamin' on a cello with some special effects, rehearsing for a concert.

Unité d'Habitation: very interesting. Not as great as the Marseille version, the "Rolls Royce of the Unité" as our guide put it.