Pavillon Le Corbusier

About the museum

Interior architect, gallery owner, and patron Heidi Weber commissioned Le Corbusier in 1960 to design an exhibition pavilion at Lake Zurich and financed the construction herself. The architect designed it as an ideal exhibition venue and implemented his concept of a "synthesis of the arts." The ship-like building is based on his Modulor proportion system and demonstrates many of his design principles, such as prefabrication, ramp, roof garden, and the "promenade architecturale," the carefully staged path through the house.

On July 15, 1967, the pavilion opened as Centre Le Corbusier – Heidi Weber Museum. It is the last realized design of the architect and his only building of steel and glass. For fifty years, Heidi Weber ran the house as director and curator, presenting exhibitions on Le Corbusier's work and ideas as a total work of art.

Since 2019, the Museum of Design Zurich has operated the pavilion on behalf of the City of Zurich as a public museum under the name Pavilion Le Corbusier. Visitors traverse the building on multiple floors to the roof terrace. Each year, a new exhibition focusing on one aspect of Le Corbusier's oeuvre as architect, painter, draftsman, sculptor, and furniture designer is presented. The house closes during winter months.

Highlights

• Le Corbusier's last building and his only structure of steel and glass
• Promenade architecturale over multiple floors to the roof terrace
• Building based on the Modulor proportion system
• Digital guide with 18 stations
• Architecture course "Ma Promenade" for young people from age 9
• Located on the Lake Zurich promenade

Permanent exhibition

• Pavillon und «promenade architecturale» – The building itself is the main attraction: a tour over multiple floors with ramp, colored elements, and roof terrace, accompanied by the digital guide.

Founded

1967

Operated by

Stadt Zürich (Betrieb durch das Museum für Gestaltung Zürich)

Admission & discounts

Free admission: Free admission for all every Thursday from 5 p.m.

Same rate as at the Museum of Design. Free admission includes Swiss Museum Pass (including Raiffeisen), Swiss Travel Pass, Zurich Card, ICOM, and KulturLegi. Tickets available on-site only.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: not available
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours
• Easy-to-read materials
• Audio description: no information

The protected pavilion cannot provide full accessibility: basement and upper floor are only partially usable for wheelchair users, roof terrace not accessible, no wheelchair-accessible restroom. Seating, folding stools available on request, blind and assistance dogs welcome, guided tours with Swiss German sign language interpretation, introductory text in easy language. Information: simon.zehnder@zhdk.ch, +41 43 446 44 67.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
• Hands-on stations
• Stroller-friendly: not available

Architecture course "Ma Promenade" for young people from age 9 without accompaniment by educators (approximately 1 hour, in four languages, included in admission), hands-on table for self-creation. Children under 20 have free admission; preschool children must be supervised at all times. Strollers not permitted for space reasons.

Getting there & parking

The pavilion is located on the lake promenade at Zurichhorn.

Amenities & dining

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent

Up to 100 guests.

During the season outside opening hours for events with up to 100 people (seating in basement for maximum 50); outside the season no rentals. Inquiries at events@museum-gestaltung.ch.

Plan your visit