We leave to monsieur Le Corbusier his style that suits…
““We leave to monsieur Le Corbusier his style that suits factories as well as it does hospitals. And the prisons of the future: is he not already building churches? I do not know what this individual -- ugly of countenance and hideous in his conceptions of the world -- is repressing to make him want thus to crush humanity under ignoble heaps of reinforced concrete, a noble material that ought to permit an aerial articulation of space superior to Flamboyant Gothic. His power of cretinization is vast. A model by Corbusier is the only image that brings to my mind the idea of immediate suicide. With him moreover any remaining job will fade. And love -- passion -- liberty. Gilles Ivain (aka Ivan Chtcheglov)””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Corbusier’s rigid, concrete‑driven designs suppress humanity, feeling oppressive and dehumanizing.
In simple terms: Concrete architecture can feel oppressive.
Key Takeaway
Question the human impact of stark design.
Themes
architecture
humanism
art criticism
Mood
critical
analytical
Type
critical
philosophical
When to use this quote
- designing public spaces
- educational curricula
- urban redevelopment
- heritage preservation
Key Concepts
modernism
materialism
urban planning
Questions to Reflect On
- Does functionality outweigh aesthetic oppression?
- How can design balance utility and humanity?
A Different Perspective
Some argue Corbusier’s work also enabled functional, affordable housing.