Urban planner, architect, painter, sculptor, writer and furniture designer: who is Le Corbusier?

"I prefer drawing to talking. Drawing is quick and leaves less room for lies," said one architect. Charles-Edouard Jeanneret, known as Le Corbusier, is an architect and an urban planner, painter, sculptor, writer, and furniture designer.

Charles-Edouard Jeanneret (Le Corbusier) was born on October 6, 1887, in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland, as the son of Edouard Jeanneret, a watchmaker, and Madame Jeannerct-Perrct, a musician-piano teacher.

An architect, painter, sculptor, writer, and modern furniture designer, this person with the pseudonym Le Corbusier made his name known with his works in Europe, India, and Russia, especially with his contributions to modern architecture.

He left primary school at the age of 3 and was enrolled in an applied arts school. He learned the arts of facial decoration and engraving here. While he was still a student, he won an international award in Turin with his pocket watch design bearing cubist lines. Taking history and drawing lessons, Charles, with the help of his teacher, joined a commission that conducted regional studies on architecture and gave up his father's profession, clockmaking.

Charles-Édouard Jeanneret (6 October 1887 – 27 August 1965), known as Le Corbusier was a Swiss-French architect, designer, painter, urban planner and writer, who was one of the pioneers of what is now regarded as modern architecture. He was born in Switzerland and became a French citizen in 1930. His career spanned five decades, in which he designed buildings in Europe, Japan, India, as well as North and South America. He considered that "the roots of modern architecture are to be found in Viollet-le-Duc".

After designing his first house at the age of 20, he traveled and worked in France, Germany, Italy, and Austria, and then went on a trip to the east that would last 4 years and improve himself architecturally. He came back to Paris in 1917, and since he could not find any architectural work, he turned to painting under the influence of Amédée Ozenfant. Together with Amédée Ozenfant, he expressed his thoughts in the magazine L'Esprit Nouveau (The New Spirit). He wrote his articles here under the pseudonym "Le Corbusier", which means "raven-like" and is derived from his grandfather's name (Lecorbézier).

In 1923, he published his book Vers une Architecture "Towards an Architecture". This book, contrary to the traditional, ornamental understanding of architecture; has brought a new perspective to the concept of mass housing by advocating simple and functional structures. In the same book, he talks about the 5 basic principles of Architecture;

  1. The pillar that passes through the house without encountering any obstacles
  2. Building a roof with autonomy relative to the wall
  3. Free plan that gives each floor its own unique quality
  4. Free fronts
  5. Terrace roof

Le Corbusier served as a consultant and gave conferences in the founding efforts of the International Congresses of Modern Architecture (CIAM).

In 1953, it had the opportunity to implement urban planning principles for the first time. He drew a plan for the city and designed important government buildings. He has also designed some uniquely designed private homes in India.