A monograph on the work of French architect and designer Charlotte Perriand. Published in conjunction with exhibitions held at Kunstmuseen Krefeld in Germany from November 2025 to March 2026, Museum der Moderne Salzburg in Austria from May to September 2026, and Fundació Joan Miró in Barcelona from October 2026 to February 2027.
The volume examines the work of one of the central figures of modern design and reassesses the lasting significance of her practice for contemporary discourse. Perriand understood design as a cultural and social practice, developing a spatial philosophy that united functionality, formal clarity, and social responsibility through her engagement with architecture, craftsmanship, and industrial production. For Perriand, dwelling was not a style but an attitude.
Published for the first time in approximately 20 years, this richly illustrated volume offers new perspectives on sustainability and the social dimensions of modernism.
It traces the evolution of her work from her collaboration with Le Corbusier and the iconic tubular steel furniture of the 1920s to the experimental housing concepts of the alpine ski resort Les Arcs (1967). Archival materials, historical photographs, and reconstructed interiors reveal the full complexity of her design program.
Furthermore, her transnational experiences in Japan, Indochina, and Brazil expanded European modernism through material and spatial approaches that continue to exert their influence today. The volume positions Perriand as a key figure in a design philosophy that unites ecological awareness, social responsibility, and formal precision.
More than an exhibition catalogue, this volume offers a renewed examination of a body of work that has fundamentally shaped contemporary ideas about dwelling.
Architecture, Design and the Ecological Vision of a Modern Icon
The exhibition catalogue Charlotte Perriand. The Art of Dwelling examines one of the central figures of modern design and reassesses the lasting significance of her work for contemporary discourse.
Charlotte Perriand understood design as a cultural and social practice. Engaging closely with architecture, craftsmanship, and industrial production, she developed a spatial philosophy that unites functionality, formal clarity, and social responsibility. For Perriand, dwelling was not a style but an attitude.
This richly illustrated volume is published on the occasion of the international retrospective presented at Kunstmuseen Krefeld, Museum der Moderne Salzburg, and Fundació Joan Miró, Barcelona.
At a glance:
- First monograph on Charlotte Perriand published in 20 years
- Extensive visual documentation of furniture, interiors, and architectural projects
- New perspectives on sustainability and the social dimensions of modernism
From her collaboration with Le Corbusier and the iconic tubular steel furniture of the 1920s to experimental housing concepts and the alpine ensemble Les Arcs, the publication traces the evolution of an oeuvre that set new standards in modern design. Archival materials, historical photographs, and reconstructed interiors illuminate the full complexity of Perriand's design program.
Her transnational experiences in Japan, Indochina, and Brazil expanded European modernism through material and spatial approaches that remain influential today. This volume positions Perriand as a key protagonist of a design philosophy that combines ecological awareness, social responsibility, and formal precision.
More than an exhibition catalogue, this publication provides a substantial and nuanced engagement with a body of work that has fundamentally shaped modern concepts of dwelling
by Charlotte Perriand
