This exceptional Complete Works edition documents the enormous spectrum in the oeuvre of one of the most influential architects of the 20th Century. Published between 1929 and 1970, in close collaboration with Le Corbusier himself, and frequently reprinted ever since, the eight volumes comprise an exhaustive and singular survey of his work. Includes eight volumes in a slip case box. This boxed set will be the crown jewel in anyone's library of architecture books.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
By Mark
Amazon Verified Purchase
I agree with the earlier review, if you are looking at this, then you likely know what you are getting into. A few comments:
1. The first two volumes are NOT multi-lingual. The majority of the text in these 2 volumes is in French. All notations/labels for the images and photos are in French. Only the more extensive texts/essays are in German and English.
2. These appear to be straight reproductions of the original books, no reformatting has occurred. This may be a reason for the lower quality of the images/photos.
3. Great opportunity to see models/drawings of major unbuilt works - Governor's Palace in Chandigargh, Strasburg, Algiers, Venice, Geneva, etc. As well as paintings, le Modulor and other non-building works.
The packaging was incredible, and worth saving in my opinion.
I would recommend this for this price, and is much more convenience than hunting on eBay for the early editions of the individual volumes.
1. The first two volumes are NOT multi-lingual. The majority of the text in these 2 volumes is in French. All notations/labels for the images and photos are in French. Only the more extensive texts/essays are in German and English.
2. These appear to be straight reproductions of the original books, no reformatting has occurred. This may be a reason for the lower quality of the images/photos.
3. Great opportunity to see models/drawings of major unbuilt works - Governor's Palace in Chandigargh, Strasburg, Algiers, Venice, Geneva, etc. As well as paintings, le Modulor and other non-building works.
The packaging was incredible, and worth saving in my opinion.
I would recommend this for this price, and is much more convenience than hunting on eBay for the early editions of the individual volumes.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
By K. Andria
Amazon Verified Purchase
If you are looking at this book, you probably already know that this is the most informative collection of Corbusier's work short of the Corbusier Archive. That said, I won't review the content.
I purchased the 'new' (1996) printing from Birkhauser. This seems to be the cheapest edition to be found, and the quality of the paper, images, and text support this. Birkhauser tends to make excellent books (check out the complete works series of Aalto, Herzog & DeMeuron, and Botta for proof), but I'm left a little confused by the modern feel to the paper, which the rustic quality of the image/print. I guess there is something to be said for a mid 1970's slightly yellowing gently read copy. That is if you can find one for less than a $1200.
Nevertheless, I highly recommend spending the $400 on this fantastic body of knowledge. You won't regret it for a second.
On a side note, Birkhauser's packaging is fantastic: even UPS and my not-so-gentle delivery man weren't able to damage the contents.
I purchased the 'new' (1996) printing from Birkhauser. This seems to be the cheapest edition to be found, and the quality of the paper, images, and text support this. Birkhauser tends to make excellent books (check out the complete works series of Aalto, Herzog & DeMeuron, and Botta for proof), but I'm left a little confused by the modern feel to the paper, which the rustic quality of the image/print. I guess there is something to be said for a mid 1970's slightly yellowing gently read copy. That is if you can find one for less than a $1200.
Nevertheless, I highly recommend spending the $400 on this fantastic body of knowledge. You won't regret it for a second.
On a side note, Birkhauser's packaging is fantastic: even UPS and my not-so-gentle delivery man weren't able to damage the contents.
6 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Amazon Verified Purchase
While there have been many monographs of Le Corbusier, this is the definitive edition. It is the set of volumes that inspired everyone from Alvar Aalto to Zaha Hadid, shaping the way we look at Modern Architecture. There is a typo in the number of pages. This set is massive but it doesn't weigh in at 176,000 pages. The 8 volumes, about 200 pages each, were originally released individually from 1929 to 1969 with Boesinger and Stonorov working directly with Le Corbusier. These are the original drawings and photographs, so if you are looking for glossy prints of Corbu's more famous works, I suggest purchasing monographs by Kenneth Frampton or William Curtis, which have contemporary photos of his better known buildings. Also, much of the text is not translated, presented in the original French. You have to have a great appreciation for Corbu's work to consider such a purchase, but given how rare first editions are, not to mention expensive, this is the best price by far for this invaluable collection.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Super important book for any architectural private library
Extensive review for the complete master works, indispensable for advanced analysis of Lecorbusier architectural evolution, includes all his architectural phases in eight volumes... Read more
Published 16 months ago by Mario Daniel Motta Beltran
5.0 out of 5 stars
jaume
the paradigma of a comprete works of any architect, a presentation that has influenced all architects between its publication and S,M,L,XL.
Published on March 9, 2008 by Jaume Prat Ortells
4.0 out of 5 stars
good- fair
I received the package fairly quickly and the books were in great condition, but the protective sleeve was bandaged and beat up. However I was pretty satisfied with my purchase.
Published on January 18, 2008 by Carlyle A. Fraser Jr.
5.0 out of 5 stars
a must have
A comprehensive overlook on the work of the most influential architect of the 20th century. The print quality of this edition is not as good as the original but the price is now... Read more
Published on November 22, 2007 by Pablo Emilio Herenu
5.0 out of 5 stars
Oeuvre Complete
The books are amazing and I was happy to get them for so cheap and in new condition. The shipping was also very fast.
Published on November 16, 2007 by M. Mahal
5.0 out of 5 stars
fascinating books, expertly put together
I had the good fortune of checking these books out from my university library. They are without a doubt the best books on Le Corbusier out there. They're endlessly fascinating.
Published on June 17, 2005 by C. Sterner
4.0 out of 5 stars
le corbusier complete works in english eight volumes
most excellent masterpieces of architectures of 20th centry
Published on May 22, 2000 by satoru kiyosawa
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