Charlotte Perriand (French, 1903-1999) and Pierre Jeanneret (Swiss,1896-1967) - Le Refuge Tonneau (B

Charlotte Perriand (French, 1903-1999) and Pierre Jeanneret (Swiss,1896-1967) - Le Refuge Tonneau (Barrel Refuge) - architectural model - 1938

Charlotte Perriand was a French architect and designer. Her work aimed to create functional living spaces in the belief that better design helps in creating a better society.

Pierre Jeanneret studied architecture in Geneva before joining the firm of his cousin, Charles Edouard Jeanneret, better known by his sobriquet Le Corbusier.

Starting off as a young furniture designer in Paris in the late 1920s, Perriand was one of very few women in the field at a time when society was often unwelcoming to working women. Le Corbusier, a giant of modern architecture, famously dismissed her when she first turned up at his office in search of a job after completing her studies. “We don’t do embroidery here,” he quipped condescendingly. A year later, Le Corbusier reneged on his snap judgement when he saw Perriand’s work on display at an annual fair for young artists, the Salon d'Automne, in 1929. Her installation, “Bar sous le Toit”(Bar in the Attic), a simple staging of modern, industrial-looking interior design, caught his eye and was her ticket to join his team.

Around 1928 Corbusier and Pierre collaborated with Charlotte Perriand to design a line of furniture that incorporated modern simplicity and industrial materials.

Charlotte Perriand reclining in Chaise longue basculante (Tilting lounge chair) - designed byLe Corbusier, P.Jeanneret, C.Perriand -1928

Charlotte Perriand - Fauteuil pivotant(Swivel chair) - chrome-plated tubular steel, metal springs, sheepskin cover, down padding - 28⅝”x 24 ⅝”x 21⅞” - 1927

“Art is in everything,” insisted Charlotte Perriand, the pioneering French architect, designer, and multidisciplinary creative force. “It is in a gesture, a vase, a cooking pan, a glass, a sculpture, a piece of jewelry, a way of carrying yourself. Making love is an art.”