In response to the housing crisis in Europe after World War II, Le Corbusier began designing large-scale residential structures for the victims of the war. One of his most notable communal housing projects was the Berlin Unite d’ Habitation, also known as the Corbusierhaus. Completed in 1959, the project was designed to give Germany a more modern appeal, as it was trying to redefine itself after both the Second World War and Cold War.
To highlight the building’s particular exterior composition, architectural photographer Bahaa Ghoussainy explored Le Corbusier’s housing unit, putting its characteristics on full display.
At the time, the German building code was limited to specific proportions and spatial dimensions, which displeased Corbusier during the design phase. However, the standardization of the units, the spatial configuration, and the reduction of corridors in certain floors, introduced a new style of German architecture.
