Summary
Eileen Grey, a prominent figure in early 20th-century design, discovers the ideal location for her summer home, E-1027, along the Côte d'Azur in 1926. After a fruitless search, she stumbles upon a secluded site that perfectly aligns with her vision. The house, named using initials and numbers significant to her and her lover, Romanian architect Jeanne Badovici, is ingeniously integrated into the natural landscape, featuring glass walls that offer stunning views of the Mediterranean.
During the three years of construction, Grey is hands-on, ensuring every detail of her design is executed to her standards. E-1027 is celebrated for its innovative use of materials and seamless indoor-outdoor living spaces. However, the relationship with Badovici deteriorates, leading Grey to abandon the house. The property later becomes infamous for the murals painted by Le Corbusier, which Grey deemed vandalism. Ironically, these murals help preserve the house, which is now recognized as a historical monument despite its current state of disrepair.
In a contemporary reflection, a visitor retraces Grey's steps to E-1027, finding the site littered and neglected, a stark contrast to its original grandeur. The once-celebrated villa now resembles a shipwreck, yet the turquoise Mediterranean remains a reminder of its former beauty.
Show Notes
How Eileen Gray created her modernist villa in 1920s France, and a visit to the crumbling house many decades later See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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