La colonie latino-américaine dans l’atelier parisien de Le Corbusier

Abstract

Although Le Corbusier completed just one project in Latin America, many Latino architects in training were drawn to his work due to his doctrinaire influence. Twenty-one Latin Americans even completed a work placement with the architect, thereby establishing one of the largest communities ever held in his Parisian office at 35 rue de Sèvres. The involvement of these young designers in the most important architectural studio of their time occurred simultaneously to their discovery of an intellectual universe in Paris. This sphere included other expats from Latin America and beyond-exiled artists, writers, politicians – as well as members of the French intelligentsia. In several cases, these encounters influenced the designers to think critically about their teachings and to consciously apprehend what they learned at Rue de Sèvres, even to the point of distancing themselves from it. This paper seeks to provide an overview of the general characteristics of the Latin American collaborators who arrived in Paris and worked in Le Corbusier’s Parisian office between 1932 and 1952. This will be done based on the empirical exam of plans, sketches, and other primary sources related to their years in training, as well as some secondary sources from Latin American and Lecorbusierian historiography.

Keywords

• Modern Architecture
• Le Corbusier
• Latin American Architects
• immigration
• Architectural training