Pierre Jeanneret (1896 – 1967)

It is destined that furniture designer and architect Pierre Jeanneret will be best remembered for his partnership with his famous cousin, Charles-Édouard Jeanneret-Gris (also known as, Le Corbusier). In 1922, the two began their partnership with the Villa Besnus outside Paris. This acclaimed familial duo went on to create some of the most revered icons of midcentury modernism, including the Villa Savoye in Poissy, France, and the Grand Modele seating collection.During his partnership with Corbusier, Jeanneret also worked extensively with Charlotte Perriand, and they joined forces with Jean Prouvé in 1940 to research the potential of prefabricated housing. Then came World War II, creating a shortage of materials – and a rift between Jeanneret and Corbusier that would last 10 years. Jeanneret, sympathizing with the Communists, joined the French resistance, while Corbusier’s authoritarian leanings led him to elicit work from the Vichy Government and Italian Fascists.In 1950, after the war, Corbusier once again made a request to his cousin, this time for a project on a much greater scale: designing the capital of Punjab, the city of Chandigarh, India. Jeanneret agreed, and Chandigarh – the first outlined city in India – became his home for fifteen years. Corbusier devised the high-level aspects of the design, but it was Jeanneret who executed the plans. Gandhi Bhawan, his famous building on the campus of Punjab University, represents a lotus flower floating on the water.Jeanneret went on to become a respected figure in Indian architecture. He left his second home in poor health in 1965 to return to France, where he passed away in 1967.