Le Corbusier

Le Corbusier (born Charles-Édouard Jeanneret-Gris, 1887–1965) was a Swiss-French architect, painter, and writer who revolutionized 20th-century architecture. He is considered a primary pioneer of Modernism, famous for his philosophy that "a house is a machine for living in". 

In the 1920s, he developed a radical architectural language defined by five core principles: 

1. Pilotis: Raising the building on reinforced concrete stilts to free up the ground. 
2. Roof Garden: Utilizing flat roofs for domestic green space. 
3. Free Plan: Removing load-bearing walls to allow for open, flexible interiors. 
4. Ribbon Windows: Using long, horizontal glass strips to provide even light. 
5. Free Facade: Designing exterior walls independently of the building's structure. 

Iconic Works 

• Villa Savoye (1931): The ultimate realization of his "Five Points," located in Poissy, France. 
• Unité d’Habitation (1952): A massive "vertical village" in Marseille that became a model for post-war social housing. 
• Notre-Dame du Haut (1955): A sculptural chapel in Ronchamp that marked a shift from rigid geometry toward organic, curvilinear forms. 
• Chandigarh (1950s): He designed the master plan for this new Indian city, including major government buildings like the Palace of Assembly. 

Le Corbusier was a founding member of the Congres International d'Architecture Moderne (CIAM). He envisioned "Radiant Cities" (Ville Radieuse) featuring high-density skyscrapers set within vast parklands to solve the congestion and pollution of industrial cities. While his utopian plans were often criticized for being overly clinical or indifferent to local culture, they fundamentally shaped global urban development. He died in 1965 after a heart attack while swimming in the Mediterranean Sea. In 2016, 17 of his projects were designated as UNESCO World Heritage Sites.