(Visits to this building are only allowed with a guide)

Of the series of 5 Living Units built throughout the world (Marseilles, Rezé les Nantes, Briey-en-Fôret, Berlin Est) the one at Firminy was the last to have been built.
It was the fruit of a second development plan by the architect and by Eugène Claudius-Petit. This plan, which made provision for the construction of 3 Units, will never be totally realised.

Work began in 1965, and the building was completed by André Wogenscky. It fits the concept of the "cités jardin verticals" (vertical garden developments) and of the "Chartreuse moderne" (modern Chartreuse). In it are found the major aspects of Le Corbusier’s architecture: pilotis, façade libre, plan libre, sunshade, roof deck.
The pilotis open up the area to the sun and promote visual contact with the surrounding area. The east/west aspect is used to provide the maximum possible sunshine for the apartments, which are all duplex, apart from the studio flats.

The "Modulor" scale was used for the entire project.
The building is 130.35 metres long, 21 metres wide, 56 metres tall and comprises 20 floors. From the outset, seven interior streets served 414 different types of dwelling. Floors 18 and 19 housed the school and floor 20 was the roof deck.

A restoration and rehabilitation programme enabled, among others, the northern third to be reopened, which had been closed for 20 years. The apartments, which are now open to co-ownership, have been enlarged in order better to meet current requirements. The southern section remains the property of the Office Public HLM (public housing office) of Firminy).

The school was closed in 1998 after 30 years of use. Of the three schools produced by Le Corbusier, this one is the largest and probably the most accomplished.

Only the pilotis, façades, the school and the roof deck were given Historical Monument status in 1993. The show apartment has been retained. It is shown as the architects designed it, first as a prototype, then as a show apartment.