What arguments did Le Corbusier make in Toward a New Architecture?

In his influential 1923 book Toward a New Architecture, Le Corbusier argued for a radical departure from historical architectural styles, advocating instead for a functionalist approach suited to the 20th century.12

Key arguments and themes in the work include:

• Architecture as a Machine: He famously declared that "a house is a machine for living in," emphasizing that buildings should be designed with the same efficiency, logic, and precision as industrial products.31
• Industrial Inspiration: He looked to modern engineering marvels—such as ships, airplanes, turbines, and grain elevators—as models for a new aesthetic, viewing these objects as indexes of the modern imagination rather than traditional decorative forms.2
• Standardization and Mass Production: Le Corbusier argued that architects must embrace standardized building components and mass production to solve the pressing social problems of housing in an industrial society.2
• Rejection of Ornament: He campaigned against elaborate, nonstructural decoration and historical styles, favoring pure, simple geometric forms.12
• Urban Planning: He advocated for rationalized city planning, famously noting that "a curved street is a donkey track, a straight street, a road for men," and proposed organized, efficient urban environments.1