The design freedom given to Le Corbusier to implement his architectural tenets took precedent over considerations of the family’s requirements, values, and lifestyle. Ultimately, this direction made the family physically ill and mentally unhappy in the Villa Savoye.

“His (Le Corbusier) strategies and processes are an antithesis to the core purpose of our studio,” as stated by Ar. Denise De Castro, in her talk “Rethinking Residences.” “To co-create so that the imagined can be experienced, meaningfully and memorably. With this purpose in mind, we approach each project by designing in moments! And we embrace the collaborative endeavor of building a home with the client, engineers, contractors, suppliers, and everyone on the team.”

This is the foundation to DEQA’s approach, which is: Human-focused, Research-based, and Experience-driven.

As Ar. Denise concluded, “Next time you see an image of the Villa Savoye. Think not of Le Corbusier & of the importance of the building to the International Style of architecture. Instead, think of the Savoyes – the clients, the family, their sick son. And how it could have been an even better example of 20th-century architecture and design if Le Corbusier designed for their values, for their lifestyle, and for moments for them to experience.”