Arthur Rüegg – författare

Le Corbusier designed two color collections for the Salubra wallpaper company: the “Clavier de couleurs” of 1931, with 43 colors, and the 1959 collection, with 20. Not content with the mere color selection, drawn from his experience as an architect and painter, he also organized the tones on 12 sample cards in such a manner that, by using a slider, three or five colors could be varyingly isolated or combined. Each card contained a different color scheme meant, when applied, to create a particular spatial effect. This would become not only a useful tool but also a kind of testament of the purist color theory, an essential groundwork and a valuable instrument for all those who deal with color in theory or practice. In the first volume, Arthur Rüegg, the renowned Le Corbusier expert, explores the significance of the Salubra collections for the history of modern architecture, and in the epilogue to this third edition, presents the specialist research conclusions from the last twenty years. The second volume contains 13 color plates with the 63 colors, printed using the screen printing method and glued by hand as well as 4 separate sliders in pocket. Volume three consists of 63 full page color sample sheets, also printed using the screen printing method.

The Villa Jeanneret-Perret (1912), known as the “Maison Blanche”, is an early masterpiece by Le Corbusier. The architect created this synthesis of the arts of architecture, interior design, and garden design for his parents. At first glance it appears to adhere to the tradition of classicist architecture, but a crossover to Le Corbusier’s own architectonic design language can be seen in the details. The second, revised and corrected edition of this magnificent, long out-of-print monograph documents the restored building, thus visualizing young Le Corbusier’s laboratory of ideas.

The monograph provides a sharply focused insight into how Annette Gigon and Mike Guyer understand architecture. The various concepts as well as the different constructions, materials, forms and colors that they employ in their projects are presented in an exhaustive documentation of their work that uses numerous photographs, plans and short texts. The three essays as well as a discussion between Patrick Gmur, Martin Steinmann and the architects offer in-depth reflection and contextualization.

Situated on the shore of the Lake Zurich, Le Corbusier's exhibition pavilion is his last realised design. Based on his Modulor proportional system and at the scale of a single-family home, it demonstrates the potential of prefabricated elements to form a perfect space for art and design. Commissioned in 1960 by Heidi Weber, Zurich-based gallery owner and patron of Le Corbusier the visual artist, this structure in steel and glass represents pivotal aspects of his architectural philosophy and also points to the future.Architects Silvio Schmed and Arthur Rüegg have carefully restored the Pavillon Le Corbusier to its original state,including the reconstruction of missing pieces of furniture and luminaires. This book documents their research and the restored building, featuring previously unpublished historic photographs and documents alongside newly commissioned images by Georg Aerni.

In 2019, the Vitra Design Museum will publish the Atlas of Furniture Design, the definitive, encyclopedic overview of the history of modern furniture design. Featuring over 1700 objects by more than 500 designers and 121 manufacturers, it includes approximately 2800 images ranging from detailed object photographs to historical images documenting interiors, patents, brochures, and related works of art and architecture. The basis for the Atlas of Furniture Design is the collection held by the Vitra Design Museum, one of the largest of its kind with more than 7000 works. The book presents selected pieces by the most important designers of the last 230 years and documents key periods in design history, including early nineteenth-century industrial furniture in bentwood and metal, Art Nouveau and Secessionist pieces and works by protagonists of classical modernism and postwar design, as well as postmodern and contemporary pieces. The Atlas of Furniture Design employed a team of more than 70 experts and features over 550 detailed texts about key objects. In-depth essays provide sociocultural and design-historical context to four historical epochs of furniture design and the pieces highlighted here, enriched by a detailed annex containing designer biographies, glossaries, and elaborate information graphics. The Atlas of Furniture Design is an indispensable resource for collectors, scholars and experts, as well as a beautifully designed object that speaks to design enthusiasts.