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Paris 20th-Century Architecture City Guide: From Le Corbusier’s Modern Villas to Brutalist Estates

The 20th century saw a period of experimentation and innovation at an unprecedented pace, a direction that also marked the architectural expressions of the time. Paris, as one of Europe’s leading centers for artistic and cultural expression, was also the epicenter for the formation of new architectural styles, from Le Corbusier’s modern architecture revolution to expressions of the High-Tech style as seen in the design of Renzo Piano and Richard Rogers’ Centre Pompidou. The social transformation found its expression through Brutalist public institutions or residential ensembles, like the ones designed by Renée Gailhoustet and Jean Renaudie at Irvy-Sur-Seine, while political movements attracted architects from across the ocean, including Oscar Niemeyer, who created his first European building in the French capital.

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Sebastian Weiss Reveals The Public Personalities of French Landmarks in Paris, Nanterre and Arcueil

Sebastian Weiss Reveals The Public Personalities of French Landmarks in Paris, Nanterre and Arcueil - Featured Image
© Sebastian Weiss

For Hamburg-based photographer Sebastian Weiss, buildings are dramatis personae, or "characters". Inspired by Ash Amin and Stephen Graham's 1997 book The Ordinary City, in which the authors described the city as the "theater of life", this photo-essay of architectural landmarks in the French cities of Arcueil, Nanterre, and Paris examines the personalities of public buildings.

Sebastian Weiss Reveals The Public Personalities of French Landmarks in Paris, Nanterre and Arcueil - Image 1 of 4Sebastian Weiss Reveals The Public Personalities of French Landmarks in Paris, Nanterre and Arcueil - Image 2 of 4Sebastian Weiss Reveals The Public Personalities of French Landmarks in Paris, Nanterre and Arcueil - Featured ImageSebastian Weiss Reveals The Public Personalities of French Landmarks in Paris, Nanterre and Arcueil - Image 3 of 4Sebastian Weiss Reveals The Public Personalities of French Landmarks in Paris, Nanterre and Arcueil - More Images+ 8