Villa La Roche

Villa La Roche is a modernist residence in Paris designed by Le Corbusier and Pierre Jeanneret in the 1920s for art collector Raoul La Roche. It now functions as the Fondation Le Corbusier and houses a permanent collection of the architect’s works and related exhibitions.

The composition comprises two interlocking volumes with a curved glass-walled salon, an interior ramp and a rooftop terrace that are frequently cited as key examples of Le Corbusier’s domestic architecture. Exhibition rooms display drawings, paintings, models and furniture illustrating his theories and built work.

The building is compact and visits typically focus on the circulation sequence, the curated collection and the way light and form are used in a Parisian urban lot. It is often visited together with other modernist landmarks in Paris.

Commissioned by Raoul La Roche in the early 1920s, the houses were executed by Le Corbusier and his cousin Pierre Jeanneret as an experimental urban residence and studio. Over time the complex became the core of the Fondation Le Corbusier, preserving and exhibiting Le Corbusier’s drawings, models and archives.

The villa sits in the 16th arrondissement of Paris, within the city rather than a separate town, and is accessible from central Paris by public transport.

• UNESCO listing: Included in the UNESCO World Heritage listing for The Architectural Work of Le Corbusier as an important example of his early residential architecture.

What to See #

• Maison La Roche and Maison Jeanneret: Two linked houses designed by Le Corbusier and Pierre Jeanneret for collector Raoul La Roche, forming a single architectural composition with interlocking volumes and a distinctive curved glass salon.
• Exhibition rooms: Interior exhibition rooms that display paintings, drawings and models by Le Corbusier alongside original furnishings and architectural elements illustrating his early 20th century theories.
• Rooftop and ramp: A rooftop terrace and ramp sequence that demonstrate Le Corbusier's approach to circulation, light and views within a small urban site.