Villa Le Lac (Lake Villa) was one of two must-sees on our trip with the other being Eileen Gray's Villa E1037. Our itinerary was built about these two sites.
Villa Le Lac was Le Corbusier's first realized Modern project, a lake cabin for his parents. What many don't realize is that what we see today is not what was originally built in 1923-24 but with a small second-story addition constructed later (1931) and changes in the cladding (1931 on the northern and western facades; 1951 on the southern facade) as the hiking trail changed into a busy roadway.
The original structure was white stucco with Corbu's soon-to-be-trademark ribbon window and the famous white-washed stone wall with a window to the lake in the back yard. Corbusier placed a two-story tall privacy wall on the western edge of the property to block the view from next door's two-story house.
Although Villa Le Lac is small (it was a cabin, after all), the space is comfortable and feels good. The linear lakeside garden provides a small setback from the shore, and the ample side yard has several options for outdoor dining and enjoyment. Corbu even included a small window to the street in the fence and steps to get to it for the family pets to gawk at the world. Otherwise, there's the gentle lapping of clear lake water a few feet away.
We found it difficult to leave this magical place. Walking round and round with the biggest smiles.
The original Villa Le Lac circa 1924
after the second-floor addition, change in cladding, and change in front fence
note the steps and window for the cats and dogs!
second-story bunk beds
the green roof is a recent addition to assist with climate control
this detail makes my heart flutter!
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