Le Corbusier: Poésie sur Alger

by Le Corbusier (Artist), Cleo Cantone (Contributor)

Le Corbusier's (1887-1965) Poesie sur Alger, written in 1942 and first published in 1950, is a self-mocking examination of 13 intensive years of ultimately abortive work, during which Le Corbusier devoted himself to the drawing up of extensive urban plans for Algiers. Numerous additional plans followed on his first trip to Algeria in 1931. The architect dreamed of installing Algiers as the southernmost point of the cultural connection between the littoral states of the Mediterranean, between Paris, Barcelona and Rome--as an -Islamic pole, - as he called it. The decision to publish his very personal and self-illustrated thoughts on a -plan directeur- for Algiers marks an important point in Le Corbusier's development. The publication provides many insights into the inner life and world of thought of the pioneer of architectural modernism.

128 pages, Paperback

Published August 23, 2016

About the author

Charles-Édouard Jeanneret-Gris, better known as Le Corbusier; was an architect, designer, painter, urban planner, writer, and one of the pioneers of what is now called modern architecture. He was born in Switzerland and became a French citizen in 1930. His career spanned five decades, with his buildings constructed throughout Europe, India, and America. He was a pioneer in studies of modern high design and was dedicated to providing better living conditions for the residents of crowded cities. He was awarded the Frank P. Brown Medal and AIA Gold Medal in 1961.
Le Corbusier adopted his pseudonym in the 1920s, allegedly deriving it in part from the name of an ancestor, Lecorbésier.

Reviews

[Jen A]

J’ai relu ce livre en préparation pour une visite à Marseille cette été. Je trouve ça dure de réconcilier Le Corbusier comme urbaniste qui croyait que ses projets améliorer la vie des habitants avec l’image de Le Corbusier qui voulait rasé des communautés entièrement pour qu’il puisse les reconstruire à ses spécification. Les principles de Le Corbusier de la ville verticale qui cible l’échelle humaine m’a beaucoup marquée quand je faisais mes études en urbanisme. Mais, la « Poésie sur Alger » ne peu pas cacher avec des mots lyrique qui décrive la beauté des plages, le désert et la végétation que Le Corbusier ne voyait pas les contribution des maghrébins à leur propre ville et ne les voyait pas comme des hommes égaux. Pour lui Alger est une ville créé par les turques et les français, où la Casbah est la pour servir les touristes. Il voulait construire une auto route pour que les europeans puisse circuler entre la mer et leur maison sans interactions avec les arabes et amazighs. Je pense qu’il avais une mentalité de son époque et je suis contente qu’il n’a pas peu mettre en œuvre son grand plan.

Ça m’a fait du bien de lire en français. Excuser mes fautes de grammaire (je n’écrit pas souvent en français).

[Graham George · Rating 3 out of 5]

An amusing, imaginative, and often dated essay (treatise? rant?) with an indispensable afterword that pulls on criticisms, letters, and archives to answer the question of how seriously people should take this guy's vision of postcolonial (insofar as the 20th century Frenchman could stomach it) Algiers, as a "capital of Africa" on a shared meridian with Paris.

[JT · Rating 4 out of 5]

Uma visão surpreendentemente atualizada - pragmática, mas poética - daquela Argel que (tão bem) conheci.

As propostas de Corbusier ‘desenhar’ Argel perante as impossibilidades de deixar que esse ‘desenho’ seja Futuro, naquele ‘carrefour’ de Munfo.