Cité Frugès
1926Pessac, FranceUNESCO
An experimental workers’ housing estate using standardized units and polychrome façades—mass production with individuality.
Identical units are repeated, then differentiated by color and siting. Read it as the “machine for living” idea scaled up to a collective estate.
Highlights
- The row of blocks — Where does repetition give way to difference?
- Painted wall surfaces — Does color hide structure, or emphasize it?
Architects
Visit notes
Some areas and routes are open; check local guidance. Do not enter private property.