What was Purism and how did it shape Le Corbusier’s work?

Purism was an artistic movement developed in France around 1918 by the painter Amédée Ozenfant and the architect Le Corbusier. Critical of what they viewed as the overly decorative and fragmented nature of Cubism, the Purists advocated for a return to clear, precise, and ordered geometric forms that reflected the spirit of the modern machine age.21

How Purism Shaped Le Corbusier’s Work

Purism provided the theoretical and aesthetic foundation for Le Corbusier’s transition into architecture and his development of the International Style. Its influence manifested in several key ways:13

• Aesthetic Philosophy: Le Corbusier applied the Purist goal of "purified, related, and architectured elements" to his designs, favoring clean lines, simple geometric volumes, and an impersonal objectivity.21
• Functionalism: Through the review L’Esprit Nouveau, Le Corbusier championed functionalism, rejecting elaborate nonstructural decoration in favor of forms adapted to a technological culture.13
• Architectural Theory: His seminal book, Towards a New Architecture, codified these ideas, famously declaring that a house should be a "machine for living in".13
• Design Practice: This philosophy led to his use of standardized building components, mass production, and the creation of open, flowing spaces, as exemplified in iconic works like the Villa Savoye.3