What was L’Esprit Nouveau and what role did Le Corbusier play in it?

L’Esprit Nouveau was a polemic avant-garde review founded in 1920 by Le Corbusier, the painter Amédée Ozenfant, and the poet Paul Dermée. The publication served as a platform for the arts and humanities, advocating for functionalism while actively opposing elaborate, nonstructural decoration and the revivalist "styles" of the past. It promoted modern ideas in architecture and city planning that aligned with the machine age.12

Le Corbusier played a central role in the review as a co-founder, editor, and writer. Alongside Ozenfant, he authored a series of articles for the journal under the pseudonym "Le Corbusier"—a name he adopted during this period. These essays, which championed Purism and functional design, were later collected and published as his seminal book, Vers une architecture (Toward a New Architecture). Ultimately, L’Esprit Nouveau acted as a vital springboard for Le Corbusier’s professional career, establishing his reputation as a polemicist and leading to the opening of his architectural studio in 1922.12