Le Corbusier

The celebrated architect got married to the dressmaker-model, Yvonne Gallis in 1930. The couple remain married till Yvonne's death in 1957.

He is also said to have an extramarital relationship with the heiress, Marguerite Tjader Harris.

Corbusier died on August 27, 1965 when he went for a swim in the Mediterranean Sea against the advice of his doctor.

Le Corbusier was born to Edouard Jeanneret and Madame Jeannerct-Perrct in the Swiss town of La Chaux-de-Fonds. Named Charles-Edouard Jeanneret-Gris at birth, he was the couple’s second son.

When he was 13, this celebrated architect joined the town’s Art School. Here he learnt a few essential skills of the watchmaking industry like engraving and enamelling.

In the Art School, Le Corbusier was tutored by L’Eplattenier in art history, drawing and aesthetics of art nouveau. Naturally, he opted for art over watchmaking, with the intention of becoming a painter. His teacher also insisted that he study architecture.

Corbusier became involved in local projects, and designed his first house in 1907. After this, he chose to tour places like Italy, Munich, Vienna and Paris, where he took up apprenticeships with famous architects and structural rationalists such as Peter Behrens and Auguste Perret.

This exposure to different forms of architecture in 1910 and 1911, later helped Le Corbusier come up with a number of key architectural findings such as the five points of architecture. He observed the differences between huge collective spaces and separate compartmentalised areas.

He devised a new system of measurement known as the ‘Modulor’. The Fibonacci series, the golden ratio and other important concepts formed the basis of the Modulor.

In 1912, he came back to the city where he was born and turned to teaching. It was here that he started to design villas decided to seriously pursue architecture.

The architect-painter moved to Paris in 1917, and worked as an architect on concrete structure under government contracts. However, his inclination then was more towards painting.

The gifted designer built ‘Villa Savoye’ in the French capital Paris, between 1929 and 1931. This work of art is the best example to elucidate his famed five points of architecture.

The Open Hand Monument that he designed to signify peace can be found in Chandigarh, India. It is the largest one that he constructed and is 28 m high.

He also constructed Villa Jeanneret in Paris, where the Fondation Le Corbusier and archives are currently located.