ABSTRACT
One of the contemporary urban phenomena is the recovery of the vertical dimension of the city and the use of common spaces at the high level of the buildings. The shifting of activities to the roof – especially those traditionally at the lower or at the ground levels – is creating changes in the relationship among urban spaces, in particular in regards to the public sphere. The forerunner of the roof space use in modern architecture is Le Corbusier. This paper looks at the beginnings of the roof space concept, focusing on the specific role that Le Corbusier had in foreseeing the contemporary approach, developing issues and theoretical reflections in relation to the view from above, intertwining architecture, nature, and landscape, and leading to their integration within a broader territorial approach.
