Nature as an Architect
THE VILLA 'LE LAC' BOOM, PLANTED BY
LE CORBUSIER WITH A COLLECTION OF WOODEN OBJECTS BY JAIME HAYON
Villa 'Le Lac' located on the shores of Lake Geneva in Switzerland, is the first example of modern architecture designed by Le Corbusier and his cousin Pierre Jeanneret. The house in concrete was completed in 1924 and became the home for Le Corbusier's parents. When the ECAL/University of Art and Design Lausanne informed Cassina that the historic Paulownia tree planted in 1924 on the garden terrace of the Villa 'Le Lac' had to be felled because of an incurable disease, the brand felt immediately involved. In 2013 Cassina assisted with the felling and subsequent transfer of the tree to her joinery in Meda.
“Ik was vereerd met de opdracht om nieuwe objecten te maken van de Villa ‘Le Lac’ boom, die een ode zijn aan de grote Le Corbusier. Ik dacht na over wie de prachtige Paulownia, staande op de oever van het meer van Genève, het meest zou missen. Ik dacht
aan de vogels die zingen doorheen het geluid van bladeren in de wind, aan een kleine thuis voor deze vogels, en aan jonge kinderen, vrolijk lachend en schommelend tussen de bladeren. Ik liet me in die geest inspireren voor het creëren van de drie objecten die iets vertellen over de poëtische aard van de boom en nieuw leven oproepen.”
NATURE AS AN ARCHITECT
According to Patrick Moser, curator and initiator of the project, Le Corbusier's choice to plant the Paulownia tree was certainly not accidental.
"This particular tree is considered by many architects to be the 'sacred tree' of the villa. It was chosen by the architect because its long branches formed the roof of a green garden room, which he had cleverly built next to the water and where a small window in the wall is the perfect frame for the breathtaking view".
"IN ALL THINGS OF NATURE THERE IS SOMETHING WONDERFUL" (ARISTOTLE)
Countless efforts to breed a descendant of the same Paulownia tree failed. Also the seeds from its fruit that were planted in different places in Europe were not allowed to germinate and grow. In November 2013 a new Paulownia tree was planted to ensure the legacy of Le Corbusier and its architecture. However, in the spring of 2014, nature did its thing and a branch was discovered that grew out of the wall of the terrace on the shore of the lake of the villa. The story goes that the spirit of Le Corbusier blew a seed with the wind blowing towards the wall. This descendant of the Paulownia tree is now planted on the Bourse aux Arbres in the suburbs of Lausanne where it has already grown into a tree over 50cm high.
SYMBOLIC LIMITED EDITION ACCESSORIES
OFF THE WOOD OF THE PAULOWNIA BOOM BY JAIME HAYON
To commemorate the 50th anniversary of Le Corbusier's death, Cassina - with the support of the Fondation Le Corbusier - asked artist and designer Jaime Hayon to create a series of accessories in the wood of the unique Paulownia tree in honour of the great architect.
Today Le Corbusier lives on in three decorative objects produced from all the healthy parts of the tree, up to the very last piece. These 'Villa Le Lac Paulownia' objects are a strong poetic reference but also have a specific function.
Paulownia wood is known for its lightness and versatility, but also for its lack of rigidity and difficulty to work with. This made the project even more challenging. The objects were deliberately kept natural, with only a light oil treatment, to preserve the warmth of an original piece of Le Corbusier's history.
The limited editions are numbered and verified with the Cassina logo, title of the project 'Villa Le Lac Paulownia' and Jaime Hayon's signature. Each piece, accompanied by its own identity card, will be presented in tailor-made packaging to emphasize the inimitable quality and authenticity of each object.