Was Le Brasilia always this imposing? No. Here, before Le Brasilia, you’re witnessing a structure that almost wasn’t. Le Brasilia, designed by Fernand Boukobza, stands as a testament to modernist architecture in Marseille. Its curved form, perched on pilotis, rises 21 stories, reaching 65 meters into the sky. Built between 1957 and 1967 along Boulevard Barral, Le Brasilia echoes the theories of Le Corbusier, the mastermind behind the Cité Radieuse. Look closely and you’ll see the resemblance: the pilotis, the duplex apartments, even the prominent exterior staircase. But Le Brasilia isn’t merely a copy. It stands as a unique expression of modernist principles, a sculptural concrete statement against the Marseille skyline. Sadly, the building we see today isn’t quite what Boukobza originally envisioned. Political pressures and city planning led to a significant reduction in its planned height. Imagine a Le Brasilia one-third taller, an even more striking presence dominating the cityscape. Yet, despite this compromise, Le Brasilia holds its own. The building earned the “Patrimoine du XXe siècle” label in 2000, a testament to its architectural and historical significance. It’s more than just a building; it’s a symbol of a time, a movement, a vision for the future of urban living.
Rue Callelongue
A hidden paradise at the end of the world. That’s Callelongue. Callelongue isn’t just a street it’s a journey. A