A City Guide to twentieth-century architecture in Paris: From Le Corbusier's modern villas to Brutalist estates

author：Maria-Cristina Florian

The 20th century was a period of experimentation and innovation at an unprecedented rate, which was also a characteristic of architectural expressions of the time. From Le Corbusier's revolution in modern architecture to the high-tech style embodied by the Centre Pompidou designed by Renzo Piano and Richard Rogers, Paris, as one of Europe's major centres of artistic and cultural expression, is also a centre for the formation of new architectural styles. Social change was embodied through brutalist public institutions or residential complexes, such as those designed by Renee Gailhoustet and Jean Renaudie in Irvy-Sur-Seine, The political movement attracted architects from across the ocean, including Oscar Niemeyer, who designed his first European building in the French capital.

Adhering to the spirit of progress, architects strive to break the shackles of traditional design paradigms, and push the city of Paris into a new era of architectural exploration. By blending architectural expressions such as modernism, barbarism, metabolism, high-tech and postmodernism, Paris presents a rich variety of different styles and expressions, bearing witness to the evolution of the architectural industry during one of the most dynamic periods in recent history. Discover 22 masterpieces of 20th century Parisian architecture in chronological order.