Le Corbusier: Le Grand

Back in print, the spectacular visual biography of the life and work of Le Corbusier – one of the twentieth century’s most influential architects

‘Le Corbusier arguably had more of an influence on the form of the modern world than any other architect… You couldn’t make a book like this about just any architect. Beyond the architecture, it reveals a great deal about the man himself’ – Guardian

Almost two decades since its first publication, the bestselling and classic monograph Le Corbusier Le Grand is finally available again. Documenting the life and work of one of the giants of twentieth-century architecture and design, the book presents an array of sketches, photographs, and correspondences, charting the vast and varied output of Le Corbusier, an artist who continues to fascinate those inside and outside the architectural world. The survey features an introductory essay by the esteemed architectural historian and Le Corbusier expert Jean-Louis Cohen, to whom this edition is dedicated, and chapter introductions by another leading Le Corbusier scholar, Tim Benton.

Review

‘This monumental book offers an intimate and comprehensive look at Le Corbusier’s groundbreaking work and complex persona…A must-have for architecture enthusiasts and design aficionados alike!’ – Design Milk

‘Dive[s] into the details of the revered and controversial creative.’ – Aspire Design and Home

Praise for the first edition:

‘The man who designed the 20th century [Le Corbusier] arguably had more of an influence on the form of the modern world than any other architect… You couldn't make a book like this about just any architect. Beyond the architecture, reveals a great deal about the man himself. It all points to a life lived enviably fully.’ – Guardian

‘Formidable and wide-ranging… Le Corbusier Le Grand is a feast… Every page is dense with ideas… A source book for the modern world.’ – Jonathan Meades, New Statesman

‘The impact of all the illustrations is undoubtedly fascinating – a real joy […] to browse through – conveys the experience of a day at a really well organised archive.’ – Building Design

‘As visually arresting as it is thought-provoking… An archival achievement of the highest order… Essential reading for those with even a fleeting interest in modernist architecture.’ – The Essential Journal

About the Author

Jean-Louis Cohen (1949-2023) was widely regarded as France’s most authoritative and knowledgeable historian of twentieth-century architecture and urbanism. From 1994 until his death, he was the Sheldon H. Solow Professor in the History of Architecture at the Institute of Fine Arts of NYU University.

Tim Benton, a highly regarded Le Corbusier scholar, is Professor Emeritus in the history of art for the Open University, Milton Keynes, England.