History of a tree

Villa “Le Lac”, located on the shores of lake Geneva in Switzerland, is the first example of modern architecture designed by Le Corbusier and his cousin Pierre Jeanneret. This concrete house was completed in 1924 and became the home for Le Corbusier’s parents.

In 2013 Cassina assisted felled and transfered to its carpentry workshop in Meda the historical Paulownia tree planted in 1924 on the garden terrace of Villa “Le Lac”, that had to be removed due to an incurable illness.

Despite numerous efforts made to plant a descendent from the same Paulownia tree, the fifty cuttings taken from the branches did not survive due to the wet spring of 2013, and the seeds taken from its fruit and planted on several latitudes in Corseaux (Switzerland), Paris, Boulogne-sur-Mer (north of France), Roquebrune Cap Martin (south of France) and Bruxelles (Belgium) did not grow. In November 2013 a new Paulownia tree was planted to continue the legacy of Le Corbusier and his architecture. However in spring 2014, nature took its course and a little branch was discovered to be growing out of the terrace’s wall on the lakeside of the villa, most probably thanks to a seed which had been blown by the wind. This Paulownia offspring has now been replanted at the Bourse aux Arbres in the suburbs of Lausanne where it is now more than 50cm high.

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the LC Collection (Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeanneret, Charlotte Perriand) and commemorate the 50 years since Le Corbusier passed away, Cassina, with the support of the Fondation Le Corbusier, asked Jaime Hayon to create a set of accessories in the wood from this same unique Paulownia tree.

“I thought about who would most miss the beautiful Paulownia standing on the banks of Lake Geneva. I thought about birds singing amidst the sound of leaves in the wind, a little home for those birds, and kids laughing joyously while swinging from the branches. I let this spirit guide me in creating the three objects which speak the poetic nature of the tree, evoking new life.” Jaime Hayon explains.

Villa Le Lac Paulownia
Design: Jamie Hayon
Produzione: Cassina