Pierre Jeanneret was a Swiss born architect, born in Geneva on March 22nd in 1896. He attended the School of Fine Arts “Ecole des Beaux-Arts” in Geneva and became a renowned architect and furniture designer.
His cousin was the famous architect and designer Charles-Edouard Jeanneret-Gris, aka Le Corbusier who Jeanneret worked alongside for most of his career. Le Corbusier was happy to take Jeanneret under his wing and share his knowledge and connections. Their partnership began in 1922 when the two opened an architectural practice which they managed together with their friend Charlotte Perriand from 1927-1937.
They created furniture such as the ‘LC4’ Chaise Lounge Chair pictured below. Their designs favored function and order over embellishment. The materials they used were highly luxurious leathers and hides for upholstery with chrome tubes to frame the pieces. While working together they also developed the "Five Points Towards a New Architecture," a theory of design which set the stage for modern architecture today. Their design of the famous Villa Savoye, completed in 1928, being a perfect example of their modern structural ideals. (Check out our blog on LeCorbusier to learn more.)
Around the time of the second World War the two had a rift that would last for almost 10 years. Many speculated that it may have been due to political differences. Thankfully the rift didn’t last too long and they joined forces again in the 1950’s after the war had ended, stating that their time apart was merely due to practicality.
What brought them together was a project in India that Le Corbusier was overseeing. It was probably the biggest project of Le Corbusier’s career, to design the first planned city of India, Chandigarh. The project was commissioned by the first Prime Minister of India Jawaharal Nehru. He stated that this project represented “the nation’s faith in the future.” Le Corbusier was to design residential, commercial and industrial areas, including parks and government buildings. He insisted they hire his cousin to help. While Corbusier dealt with some of the more high-level aspects of the design, he counted on Jeanneret when it came to the execution.
One of Jeanneret’s biggest contributions to the city's redesign was the furniture. Jeanneret used inexpensive, locally sourced teak. This bug and humidity resistant material was ideal for the hot and humid climate of the city. He also used bamboo, iron rod, rope, cotton and upholstery which were all local, even the craftsmanship was executed by residents of the city. The designs were robust and sturdy with an adherence to Jeanneret and Le Corbusier’s design theory that simplicity and function was superior to embellishment.
After a few years Le Corbusier decided to leave the city of Chandigarh, but Jeanneret stayed, rarely returning home. He said Chandigarh is where he found his confidence, and the city held a special place in his heart. After he died he even had his ashes spread at the city’s Sukhna Lake.
For Jeanneret the city’s redesign was spiritual, he felt every building should be able to nurture a human with its interplay of space, light and air. His furniture designs reflected that same experience for its users. He wanted his furniture to hug the human shape and provide an ideal experience, whether you are conversing with your friends or taking a nap.
Because of this attention to detail and obsession with the user experience, his designs are still sought after today. Unfortunately the city of Chandigarh began to deteriorate by the 1980s, and much of Jeanneret’s furniture was left out to rot; succumbing to heavy use, high temperatures and extreme humidity. However collectors still buy these designs to have them refurbished because they are just that remarkable.
This pair of unrestored Committee Armchairs pictured below sold at a recent auction for $9,100. Although very worn, the structure and quality craftsmanship still remains, nothing a little tender love and care can’t mend.
