[1][2] As an exemplar of Le Corbusier's "five points" for new constructions, the villa is representative of the origins of modern architecture and is one of the most easily recognizable and renowned examples of the International style.

After surviving several proposals to demolish it, it was designated as an official French historical monument in 1965 (a rare event, as Le Corbusier was still alive).

His book Vers une Architecture had been translated into several languages, his work with the Centrosoyuz in Moscow had involved him with the Russian avant-garde, and his problems with the League of Nations competition had been widely publicised.

Other than an initial brief prepared by Emile[11] for a summer house, space for cars, an extra bedroom and a caretaker's lodge, Le Corbusier had such freedom in executing the commission that he was limited only by his own architectural aesthetic.

His initial ideas were ultimately manifested in the final building, though between Autumn 1928 and Spring 1929 he drew up a set of alternative designs that were governed primarily by the Savoye couple's concerns regarding cost.

Changes made to the design while the project was being built, which included an amendment to the storey height and the removal and reinstatement of the chauffeur's accommodation, led to the costs rising to approximately 900,000 francs.

[18] In his book Vers une Architecture, Corbusier exclaimed "The motor car is an object with a simple function (to travel) and complicated aims (comfort, resistance, appearance)...".

[21] At the Villa Savoye, the act of cleansing is represented both by the sink in the entrance hall[22] and the celebration of the health-giving properties of the sun in the solarium on the roof, which is given significance by being the terminal upper point of the ramp.

On the two longer elevations they are flush with the face of the façade and imply heaviness and support, but on the shorter sides they are set back, giving a floating effect that emphasises the horizontal dimension of the house.

[25] Problems with the Savoyes caused by all the requests for additional payment from the contractors for all the changes were compounded by the need for early repairs to the new house.

[17] The exclusion of downpipes and sills which would have disturbed their aesthetic made the white surfaces more susceptible to staining and erosion from overflowing rainwater.

The villa was expropriated by the town of Poissy in 1958, which first used it as a public youth centre and later considered demolishing it to make way for a schoolhouse complex.

The restoration included structural and surface repairs to the façades and terraces because of the deterioration of the concrete;[2] the installation of lighting and security cameras; and the reinstatement of some of the original fixtures and fittings.

Nevertheless, it was the last time these five principles were expressed so fully, and the house marked the end of one phase of his design approach, as well as being the last in a series of buildings dominated by the colour white.

[31] The west wing of the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies in Canberra, designed by Ashton Raggatt McDougall, is a nearly exact replica of the Villa Savoye, except that it is black.