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Le Corbusier Quotes (1887-1965)
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About Le Corbusier
Charles-Édouard Jeanneret (October 6, 1887 – August 27, 1965), better known as Le Corbusier, was a Swiss-born French architect, designer, urbanist, writer, and one of the pioneers of what is now called modern architecture.
Best Le Corbusier Quotes
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Explore our curated collection of the most famous and impactful Le Corbusier quotes.
“Une maison est une machine-à-habiter.”
“Vous savez, c'est la vie qui a raison, l'architecte qui a tort.”
“A hundred times I have thought: New York is a catastrophe, and fifty times: it is a beautiful catastrophe.”
“It is a question of building which is at the root of the social unrest of today: architecture or revolution.”
“Vehicular traffic is completely forbidden in the green strips, where tranquility shall reign and the curse of noise shall not penetrate.”
“The object of this edict is to enlighten the present and future citizens of Chandigarh about the basic concepts of planning of the city so that they become its guardians and save it from whims of individuals.”
“The truthfulness of materials of constructions, concrete, bricks and stone, shall be maintained in all buildings constructed or to be constructed.
The seed of Chandigarh is well sown. It is for the citizens to see that the tree flourishes.”
The seed of Chandigarh is well sown. It is for the citizens to see that the tree flourishes.”
“My own duty and my aim is to try and raise people out of their misery, away from catastrophe; to provide them with happiness, with a contented existence, with harmony. My own goal is to establish or re-establish harmony between people and their environment.”
“You employ stone, wood and concrete, and with these materials you build houses and palaces. That is construction. Ingenuity is at work.
But suddenly you touch my heart, you do me good, I am happy and I say: "This is beautiful." That is Architecture. Art enters in.”
But suddenly you touch my heart, you do me good, I am happy and I say: "This is beautiful." That is Architecture. Art enters in.”
“The city of Chandigarh is planned to human scale. It puts us in touch with the infinite cosmos and nature. It provides us with places and buildings for all human activities by which the citizens can live a full and harmonious life. Here the radiance of nature and heart are within our reach.”
“Architecture is the masterly, correct and magnificent play of masses brought together in light. Our eyes are made to see forms in light; light and shade reveal these forms; cubes, cones, spheres, cylinders or pyramids are the great primary forms which light reveals to advantage; the image of these is distinct and tangible within us without ambiguity. It is for this reason that these are beautiful forms, the most beautiful forms. Everybody is agreed to that, the child, the savage and the metaphysician.”
Le Corbusier Quotes by Topic
Find exactly what you are looking for by browsing this categorized list of Le Corbusier quotes by topic.
Le Corbusier on New York City
“A hundred times I have thought: New York is a catastrophe, and fifty times: it is a beautiful catastrophe.”
Le Corbusier on Order
Le Corbusier on Iron
“What I saw in Barcelona – Gaudí – was the work of such strength, such faith, of an extraordinary technical capacity, manifested during a whole life of genius; of a man who carved the stones before his eyes in well thought out pattern. Gaudí is the ‘builder’ of the turn of the century, a man adept with stone, iron and brick.”
Le Corbusier on Stone
“What I saw in Barcelona – Gaudí – was the work of such strength, such faith, of an extraordinary technical capacity, manifested during a whole life of genius; of a man who carved the stones before his eyes in well thought out pattern. Gaudí is the ‘builder’ of the turn of the century, a man adept with stone, iron and brick. His glory is seen today in his country. Gaudí was a great artist; only those who move the sensitive hearts of gentle people remain. But they are mistreated in the course of their lives, misunderstood or accused of sin toward the mode of the day. Architecture’s significance is shown when there dominates evidence of lofty intentions that triumph over all the problems in the line of fire (structure, economy, technique, utility). Thanks to interior preparation, architecture is the fruit of character – just that, a manifestation of character.”
What Le Corbusier Said About Others
Discover personal opinions Le Corbusier shared regarding contemporaries.
Le Corbusier on Antoni Gaudí
“What I saw in Barcelona – Gaudí – was the work of such strength, such faith, of an extraordinary technical capacity, manifested during a whole life of genius; of a man who carved the stones before his eyes in well thought out pattern. Gaudí is the ‘builder’ of the turn of the century, a man adept with stone, iron and brick. His glory is seen today in his country. Gaudí was a great artist; only those who move the sensitive hearts of gentle people remain. But they are mistreated in the course of their lives, misunderstood or accused of sin toward the mode of the day. Architecture’s significance is shown when there dominates evidence of lofty intentions that triumph over all the problems in the line of fire (structure, economy, technique, utility). Thanks to interior preparation, architecture is the fruit of character – just that, a manifestation of character.”
About Le Corbusier
Charles-Édouard Jeanneret (October 6, 1887 – August 27, 1965), better known as Le Corbusier, was a Swiss-born French architect, designer, urbanist, writer, and one of the pioneers of what is now called modern architecture.