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1887 - 1965
Switzerland
Born “Charles-Edouard Jeanneret” in Switzerland in 1887, Le Corbusier was the most influential and best-known architect of the 20th century.
Earlier than any other architect, he realized that new methods of building required not only a functional approach, but a completely new aesthetic. He articulated provocative ideas, created revolutionary designs and demonstrated a strong, if utopian, sense of purpose — to meet the needs of a democratic society dominated by the machine. His furniture, like his architecture, was based on the realization that new methods of production, materials and social trends necessitated a new approach to the problems of design. His willingness to totally rethink existing conventions resulted in forms which were both functional and aesthetically pleasing, and his chairs are now recognized as landmarks in the story of design.
In 1908, he went to Paris and began to practice with Auguste Pierret, an architect known for his pioneering use of concrete and reinforced steel. Moving to Berlin, Le Corbusier worked with Peter Behrens, who taught him about industrial processes and machine design. In 1917, he returned to Paris where he met post-cubist Amedee Ozenfant and developed Purism, a new concept of painting. In 1920, still in Paris, he adopted the pseudonym, “Le Corbusier.”
During the 1920’s and 30’s, Le Corbusier concentrated on architecture, and during the 1950’s he moved towards more expressive forms that revealed the sculptural potential of concrete. Over the decades, his work has included mass housing blocks, public buildings and individual villas, all conceived with what he called the “engineer’s aesthetic.”
