From the onset of her career, Charlotte Perriand was a maverick who believed in good design as a force for the betterment of society. Many young designers would be devastated by a rejection from Le Corbusier’s studio, but when the great architect told her they had no use for a female furniture designer, Perriand only became more determined to prove her mettle as an artist. Under Le Corbusier, and long after she left his studio, Perriand’s contributions to both furniture design and architecture demonstrated a unique attention to the organic artistry of nature as well as the egalitarian possibilities of the machine age. Her leftwing populist politics motivated much of her work, from modular furniture systems to major architectural projects.
This monograph explores Perriand’s most famous interiors, original furniture and architectural projects, as well as her never-before-seen sketchbooks, shedding new light on her creative process and place in design history.
Charlotte Perriand (1903–99) emerged as a notable designer with 1927's "Le Bar sous le toit," which presaged her signature minimalist and utilitarian style. While renowned for her early chaise longue designs, Perriand's impact spans furniture and architecture, including work on Le Corbusier's Unité d'habitation. Her quest for accessible design led her across the globe, from Tokyo to Rio de Janeiro.
304 pages (180 color / 120 black & white) Hardcover, 7 x 9"
These carefully chosen and crafted pieces represent a considered mix of the esoteric and the highly pragmatic. Many of these simple things reflect the hand of the artisan or the quiet genius of the inventor. They are useful in ways that are difficult to quantify but, if pressed, we would say they make life a little more efficient and a lot more beautiful.
