Le Corbusier

The Le Corbusier exhibition at the Architectural Assocation in London opened with a small private view on 28 November following an afternoon symposium, which sold out early due to high demand.

It involved the recreation of Le Corbusier’s only formal UK lecture, which was held on 18 December 1947 at the very same institution, bringing together four full-size facsimiles of his original lecture diagrams (now housed in the Royal Institute of British Architects’ (RIBA) Library Drawings Collection), photographs of two ‘lost’ diagrams and a transcript of the lecture. In addition, context to the lecture was provided by original correspondence, drawings, photographs, books and ephemera relating to Le Corbusier’s visit to the AA and his subsequent influence on post-war British architecture.

“Participants at this symposium could be heard saying that Le Corbusier was ‘the Ruskin of our generation’ and that they ‘adored him like a stone God on Easter Island’. The conclusion was that one can only understand UK architecture after the second world war if you think about Le Corbusier”.
NZZ

This exhibition concentrated specifically on the speech Le Corbusier gave in London. However it was part of a series of events on the Swiss architect, which the SCFB supported in collaboration with the RIBA. There was an ongoing exhibition on ‘Le Corbusier – The Art of Architecture’ in Liverpool, European Capital of Culture in 2008, until 18 January 2009. Thereafter this exhibition was moved to the renowned Barbican Art Gallery where it was hosted from 19 February to 24 May 2009.

In March 2009 the SCFB was proud to support a series of  talks at the RIBA to celebrate the architectural legacy of Le Corbusier and highlight contemporary architectural practice.
Three eminent and internationally recognised architects talked about their work:

Arthur Rüegg, co-curator of  “Le Corbusier – The Art of Architecture”, discussed the background to the Cabanon’s extraordinary interior from its box-shaped furniture to its murals and fittings. A 1:1 replica of the interior of  Le Corbusier’s Cabanon was exhibited by Cassina Milan in the Florence Hall of the RIBA.

Valerio Olgiati, Professor of Architecture at the Academia di architettura Mendrisio, Switzerland, explained  some of his major architectural projects such as the schoolhouse in Paspels, the Yellow House in Flims, the new university in Lucerne and the museum for the Swiss National Park in Zernez, Switzerland. 

Peter Zumthor, whose buildings explore the tactile and sensory qualities of places, space and materials, discussed his philosophical belief that architecture must be experienced first hand. Shortly after his talk at the RIBA he was presented with the prestigious Pritzker Prize 2009.