Charlotte Perriand – from machinal design to craftsmanship

The change of Perriand’s design perspective through time

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Abstract

This thesis investigates the life of Charlotte Perriand. Specifically her ideas on design and architecture. At the beginning of her career being inspired by the industry and machines and later inspired by natural forms and materials.
The primary source is the autobiography of Perriand, where she has explained first-hand her relationships both professional as well as personal and her travels abroad. Additionally, research articles and biographies will be used for the literature research, as well as a documentary about her life and work.
The thesis explores the shift in design style from traditional to modernist in her early career and how she was inspired by machines to create functional and elegant furniture in the first part. The second part explores the cause and the change that her design style underwent, as she stepped away from machinal design and started spending time outdoors, working with natural materials, and making nature accessible to people through her leisure architecture. In the last part her travels and especially her time in Japan are studied and the influence she had on Japanese export. Furthermore, her later work is discussed and how it was inspired by her travels and the way she was capable to adapt to different contexts and embracing them in her designs.