Le Corbusier

Charles-Edouard Jeanneret-Gris, also known as Le Corbusier, born in 1887 in Switzerland and naturalized French in 1930. Was an architect, designer, painter, urban planner, writer and one of the pioneers of “Modern Architecture”.

1°Modern architecture is the term used to describe the simplified, unornamented building styles of the late 19th and the 20th centuries. The architects who designed in this style were mainly inspired by machine aesthetics. They determined the form of a building according to its functional requirements and the materials to be used. Simplified forms were preferred and all unnecessary details were banished.

Chapter 1: Le Corbusier, product design

Le Corbusier has work in urbanism and design and he is famous for his researches on the Dwelling units.

Subject he started to work on during the 1920’s as a theoretical reflexion on collective housing.

2°Dwelling unit is a single unit providing complete, independent living facilities for one or more persons, including permanent provisions for living, sleeping, eating, cooking and sanitation.

As one of the leading exponents of Modern movement, he wrote a lot of articles for architecture, design and even painting magazines. He also wrote many books such as:

“Towards a New Architecture”, “The Modulor”, “Urbanism”...

“The Modulor”, Le Corbusier

Le Corbusier is also one of the Purism theorists. Purism is a post-cubist movement, an artist current representing objects of everyday life.

In 1918, Le Corbusier and Amédée Ozenfant signs the manifesto “Purism”, where he preconize a return to order. Purism values the simple shapes and machinery.

“Modern life demands, and is waiting for, a new kind of plan, both for the house and the city”, Le Corbusier, 1923

He refers to the house as a “machine for living”, an industrial product that should include functional furniture.

In this spirit, Le Corbusier co-designed furniture with French designer Charlotte Perriand.

Concerned by the problems of furniture as equipment of the house, he sketched several designs and in 1929, he presented them. The furniture he creates projected a new rationalist aesthetic from tubular steel and by the inspiration of purism.

The models where: from the backrest chair, the small comfort chair, the large comfortable chair, different models and size of couch, tables, chairs... Those furnitures are still manufactured and distributed because of their great aesthetic and functionality.

Chapter 2: Socio-economic situation

This period is between the two world wars. At this time France was lead by a socialist and popular political party.

France growth rate was the highest in Europe which explains why Le Corbusier work on dwelling unit

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