The symbiosis between art and architecture as evidenced in Le Corbusier’s Ronchamp

Le Corbusier was both artist and architect and the symbiosis between these dual roles contributed to his ability to think and create plastically. In order to understand the symbiotic nature of art and architecture in Le Corbusier's designs, a case study of the Chapel of N6tre-Dame-du-Haut at Ronchamp (1951-5), France, is presented that examines the influences and intellectual beliefs that contributed to the architect's works. To appreciate the symbiosis of art and architecture, as it is evidenced in this chapel built in the aftermath of World War II, it is also necessary to understand Le Corbusier's earlier experiences in these two endeavours. A literature review of the writings of critics and commentators central to our understanding of Le Corbusier's development and architectural philosophy illuminates the beliefs and experiences that contributed to his design ideals. Le Corbusier's sketches are considered, from his early drawings while studying with his mentor, L'Eplattanier, between 1902 and 1912, to his individual sketchbooks, which date from 1914, and other media contemporaneous with the chapel's construction during the 1950s, to ascertain the genesis of the design aesthetic that contributed to the plastic values of architectural projects such as Ronchamp.Applied Science, Faculty ofArchitecture and Landscape Architecture (SALA), School ofGraduat