What are pilotis in Le Corbusier's design?

• A. Raised columns that support the building, elevating it above ground.
• B. A type of roof garden.
• C. A window style.
• D. A decorative mold.

Answer: (A)

Pilotis are the structural columns that lift a building off the ground. In Le Corbusier’s design, they replace heavy load-bearing walls, allowing the building to sit on a grid of vertical supports rather than directly on the ground. This frees the ground plane for landscaping, circulation, and even parking, giving a sense of lightness and openness. Pilotis are a key part of his Five Points of Architecture, which together promote a clean separation of structure and space, openness, and integration with the site. A roof garden is another element of his approach, but it serves a different function, not the vertical supports themselves. A window style or a decorative mold aren’t what pilotis describe.