
Villa E.1027
Eileen Gray and the house by the sea
"E.1027 - Eileen Gray and the House by the Sea" is a fascinating film that sheds light on the extraordinary life, work and legacy of Irish designer and architect Eileen Gray. The film revolves around the famous E.1027 house, long wrongly attributed to the Swiss architect Le Corbusier, which stands on the French Riviera between Menton and Monaco and is considered a masterpiece of modern architecture.
Architecture - a man's world
Eileen Gray, a pioneer of the 20th century, was known for her avant-garde designs and her unique, all-encompassing approach to design and architecture. The film not only shows her artistic achievements, but also highlights the challenges she had to overcome as a woman in a male-dominated world of architecture and design.
Cryptic declaration of love
E.1027, the vacation home with sea access completed in 1929, was a (love)project of Gray and her partner, the architect and architecture critic Jean Badovici, whom she met during her time in Paris. The name of the house, E.1027, is intended as a cryptic declaration of love to Badovici: E stands for Eileen, 10 for the tenth letter in the alphabet (J for Jean), 2 for the second letter (B for Badovici), and 7 for the seventh letter (G for Gray). This detail underlines the great importance of the house for Gray.
Natural light sources
The film delves deep into the architectural elements and the holistic design of the house. It begins with the open floor plans, the well thought-out use and inclusion of natural light sources through to the color concepts and custom-made furniture. Not least, this makes it clear that Gray was a visionary designer, far ahead of her time and unrecognized during her lifetime.
Gray or Le Corbusier
The central theme of the film is the recognition that Gray only gradually received posthumously. During her lifetime, her work was often overlooked or attributed to other, male colleagues. It is said to have been particularly painful for Gray when Le Corbusier, a renowned modernist architect, painted murals in her house in the 1930s without her consent, which not only detracted from Gray's original vision, but must have felt like a robbery to Gray. The fact is that the Irish-born artist never returned to her home, even though it had meant so much to her. The murals, in turn, led to the house E.1027 even being mistakenly attributed to Le Corbusier at times.
Based on human needs
The film interweaves historical footage, interviews with experts and reenactments based on letters and accounts to paint a comprehensive picture of Gray's life and work. The documentary illustrates how Gray's designs were not only aesthetic but functional, addressing human needs such as the "Non Conformist Armchair", a chair that combines comfort and communication and, like many other furniture designs, was provided by Classicon.
Against great odds
"E.1027 - Eileen Gray and the House by the Sea" is not only a film about architecture, but also a portrait of an admirable woman who not only realized her visions, but also fought against great resistance. It is an invitation to discover the legacy of Eileen Gray and to recognize her important role in the history of modern architecture. Furthermore, the documentary is not just about the designer herself - it inspires the viewer to think beyond the limits of their own creativity and conventions.
Impressions of the house by the sea - E.1027, France.
Photos: Olivier Martin Gambier / Peter Cavanagh
- Architect
- Year of construction
- Completion of the renovation work
- Location
- Excerpt from the design objects
- Eileen Gray
- 1929
- Summer, 2021
- E-1027 Sent. Massolin, 06190 Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, France
- Satellite Mirror, Adjustable Table E.1027, Bibendum Armchair, Occasional Table, Blue Marine Rug