ID 2202 1 International Style

Answer with definition

What is the International Style?

A 20th-century architectural movement emphasizing volume over mass, regularity over symmetry, minimal ornamentation, and a universal rational language.

Who was Le Corbusier (Charles-Édouard Jeanneret-Gris)?

Swiss-French architect and theorist who defined modern architecture with functionalism, proportion, and the idea of the house as a “machine for living.”

Who was Pierre Jeanneret?

Le Corbusier’s cousin and collaborator on major architectural and furniture projects.

What was the Pavilion of the New Spirit (1925)?

Le Corbusier & Jeanneret’s exhibit in Paris showcasing minimalist, mass-producible interiors and modern industrial aesthetics.

When and where was the Pavilion of the New Spirit exhibited, and who designed it?

1925, Paris International Exposition of Decorative Arts; Le Corbusier & Pierre Jeanneret.

What was “L’Esprit Nouveau” journal (1920–1924)?

Magazine by Le Corbusier promoting modern art, architecture, and standardized functional design.

What is the Dom-ino House (1914–1915)?

A structural system using reinforced concrete slabs on pilotis, allowing a free floor plan without load-bearing walls.

When was the Dom-ino House designed, and by whom?

1914–1915, Le Corbusier.

What is the Citrohan House (1919–1922)?

Corbusier’s prototype mass-produced house — compact, modular, and functional, inspired by automobiles.

When was the Citrohan House designed, and by whom?

1919–1922, Le Corbusier.

What is the Villa Savoye (1929–1930)?

Le Corbusier’s modernist masterpiece in Poissy, France, embodying his Five Points of Architecture.

When and where was the Villa Savoye built, and who designed it?

1929–1930, Poissy, France; Le Corbusier.

What was the 1932 MOMA “Modern Architecture: International Exhibition”?

Show that showcased and defined the International Style, prominently featuring Le Corbusier.

What are the Five Points Toward a New Architecture (1926)?

Pilotis; free façade; free floor plan; ribbon windows; roof garden.

What are pilotis?

Slender reinforced concrete columns elevating a building for open ground space and light.

What is a free plan?

An interior layout not constrained by structural walls — enabled by pilotis.

What is a free façade?

An exterior wall separate from structure, allowing more windows and open surfaces.

What are ribbon windows?

Long horizontal windows providing even light and panoramic views.

What is a roof garden?

An accessible flat roof that replaces ground space lost to the building footprint.

What is Le Corbusier’s theory of Urbanism (1925)?

Rational city planning using zoning, vertical high-density housing, and modular systems.

What was the “City of Tomorrow” (1922–25)?

Corbusier’s proposal for a futuristic modular high-rise city with efficient traffic flow and green spaces.

When was the City of Tomorrow proposed, and by whom?

1922–1925, Le Corbusier.

What is the Modulor Man?

Le Corbusier’s human-based proportional system using the golden ratio for architectural harmony.

When did Le Corbusier develop the Modulor system?

Mid-1940s; published 1948.

What is the Golden Section/Golden Ratio?

A proportional system (~1:1.618) used to structure harmonious design.

What does “a house is a machine for living in” mean?

Architecture should function efficiently like a tool and serve daily life.

What does “a tool object is attuned to our movements” mean?

Modern objects should respond efficiently to human activity with ergonomic design.

What is “The Decorative Arts Today” (1925)?

Le Corbusier’s essay rejecting ornament; defined “human-limb objects” and “tool-objects.”

What are “human-limb objects”?

Objects shaped to interact ergonomically with the human body.

What are “tool-objects”?

Objects stripped of ornament and designed purely for function.

What are “confrontations” in Corbusier’s design ideology?

The idea that modern design should challenge outdated decorative traditions.

What is the B301 chair (1929)?

Tubular steel & leather chair by Corbusier & Charlotte Perriand with machine-age aesthetics.

When was the B301 chair made, and by whom?

1929, Le Corbusier & Charlotte Perriand.

What is the B306 chaise (1929)?

Adjustable tubular steel recliner allowing mechanized comfort.

When was the B306 chaise made, and by whom?

1929, Le Corbusier & Charlotte Perriand.

What are the “Grand Confort” chairs and sofa (1929)?

Box-frame furniture with external tubular steel structure balancing precision and comfort.

When were the “Grand Confort” chairs made, and by whom?

1929, Le Corbusier & Charlotte Perriand.

Who was Charlotte Perriand?

French designer who brought warmth, ergonomics, and material sensitivity to Corbusier’s furniture.

What is the “L’Esprit Nouveau” philosophy?

Modern order through technology, standardization, and clarity of form.

What does “Domus innovation” (Dom-ino) refer to?

Flexible modular concrete skeleton for modern mass-produced housing.

What is the machine aesthetic?

Beauty defined through industrial materials and mechanized form.

What is modularity in Corbusier’s designs?

Standardized units repeated and arranged flexibly.

What are key traits of the International Style?

Rectilinear forms, open plans, lack of ornament, glass curtain walls.

How did Le Corbusier influence global modernism?

His theories guided mid-century planning and architecture worldwide (examples: Brazil, Chandigarh India).