Shelly Kappe introduces Geoffrey Baker to the first of his SCI-Arc residency lecture series.
Baker begins by discussing Le Corbusier’s early work. He compares it with his future architectural projects. He discusses Le Corbusier’s extensive travels, and the influence that these had on his sensibility.
Baker discusses the origins of Le Corbusier’s Dom-ino concept and outlines its significance for subsequent projects.
He describes the importance of Cubism and Le Corbusier’s role in the development of Purism, as an alternative related to the machine technologies of the post-World War I era. Baker discusses Le Corbusier’s use primary forms in terms of cultural significance rather than functionality.
Baker concludes his talk by presenting several more projects that integrated Purist elements, both paintings and architecture.
Baker discusses Le Corbusier’s use of hierarchical organizations and kit-of parts elements in both residential and urban scale proposals. He shows his Villa at Vaucresson as an example of a first work using his new language. He discusses in detail volumetric concerns, the organization of circulation, the overall layout and their sculptural statement. He ends by explaining Le Corbusier’s preoccupation with a universal architectural language of primary forms with the intent to enrich life.
