The villas of the 1920s in and around Paris, including such modern classics as the Villa La Roche-Jeanneret in the Auteuil district of Paris, the Villa Stein-de Monzie in Garches, and the Villa Savoye in Poissy, constituted a radically new orientation for architecture that have made them central points of reference for all subsequent generations of architects right up to the present. This standard work, long out of print, reveals the design processes behind these icons of modernism, from the first idea to the occupation of the homes, and sheds light on the steps and contexts of daily work. It measures the concept of modern architecture against the built reality, and enables us to rediscover the architect Le Corbusier behind the myth. The continuing relevance of Le Corbusier s oeuvre today is underscored by the extensive exhibition Le Corbusier: The Art of Architecture , organized by the Vitra Design Museum in collaboration with the Netherlands Architecture Institute, the Royal Institute of British Architects and the Fondation Le Corbusier. The author, Tim Benton, is recognised as a leadinding expert on Le Corbusier and one of the most important art historians worldwide. He now teaches at the Open University, Great Britain s largest university.