The origin of the conservation of the 20th century architecture in France: The action of André Malraux in favor of Le Corbusier's work

The protection of 20th century architecture in France is a relatively recent activity. Apart from one exception, the first safeguarding actions on buildings built in the 1900's, date back to the late fifties of last century. Actually, it is only when the general de Gaulle came to power and a Ministry of Cultural Affairs in 1959 was created for André Malraux, that a series of measures in favour of cultural heritage were taken and the notion of monument widened to less restrictive and more modern formulations. In 1964, the Minister Malraux also created the General inventory of monuments and art treasures of France. At its express request, the selection criteria and especially the time range of the monuments susceptible to be included in the list was extended. However, when Malraux asked the responsible committee, to proceed with the classement of several important works of modern architecture, only few of them were accepted. The action of Malraux was, nevertheless, most effective, though certainly not without difficulties, for what concerned Le Corbusier's work. In particular, Villa Savoye's inclusion among the historical monuments of the country in 1965 preserved this exceptional building from demolition, contributing to the overall recognition of its author's work. Focusing on this case study, this paper will examine the issue of the conservation of modern architecture in France.