Radical architect Claude Parent's vision is nowhere clearer than in his beautiful and thought provoking drawings, which are published extensively in a new Rizzoli publication. Parent is well known for establishing the ‘oblique function’ theory, which he developed together with Paul Virilio in 1963; it describes structures that are wall-free and showcase flowing, curvaceous forms.
Bringing together early sketches of later realised buildings and theoretical drawings, the book also features contributions by acclaimed figures in the field, such as Donatien Grau, Pascale Blin, Frank Gehry, Jean Nouvel, Odile Decq, Wolf D. Prix, Frédéric Migayrou and Azzedine Alaïa. It also has never-seen-before visuals that further explore the architect’s philosophy and approach.
Leading contemporary architects such as Frank Gehry, Jean Nouvel and Daniel Libeskind have praised Parent’s work, while the late Zaha Hadid had stated that ‘Claude Parent was one of architecture’s most radical and audacious visionaries; audacious enough to question orthogonality as architecture’s natural realm, and propose the tilted plane as the engine of invention and surprisingly fertile basis of an alternative architectural scenario’.
INFORMATION
-
Inside Hotel Chelsea’s secret basement sushi restaurantTeruko, a new Japanese restaurant and sushi bar in Hotel Chelsea, marks the final jewel in the hotel’s years-long transformation
-
The Year of the Nun is upon us: Sisters on screen get political in the year of ConclaveIn The Phoenician Scheme, Nine Perfect Strangers and The Ritual concupiscence is in, but there’s more to it
-
This photo series delves into the surreal, ritualistic world of Lithuania’s long hair competitionFrancesca Allen’s ‘Plaukai’ documents the annual contest, which speaks to the folkloric significance of long hair in Lithuania
-
Modernist Travel Guide: a handy companion to explore modernism across the globe‘Modernist Travel Guide’, a handy new pocket-sized book for travel lovers and modernist architecture fans, comes courtesy of Wallpaper* contributor Adam Štěch and his passion for modernism
-
Wild sauna, anyone? The ultimate guide to exploring deep heat in the UK outdoors‘Wild Sauna’, a new book exploring the finest outdoor establishments for the ultimate deep-heat experience in the UK, has hit the shelves; we find out more about the growing trend
-
Stay in a Parisian apartment which artfully balances minimalism and warmthTour this pied-a-terre in the 7th arrondissement, designed by Valeriane Lazard
-
Marta Pan and André Wogenscky's legacy is alive through their modernist home in FranceFondation Marta Pan – André Wogenscky: how a creative couple’s sculptural masterpiece in France keeps its authors’ legacy alive
-
Ten contemporary homes that are pushing the boundaries of architectureA new book detailing 59 visually intriguing and technologically impressive contemporary houses shines a light on how architecture is evolving
-
Take a deep dive into The Palm Springs School ahead of the region’s Modernism WeekNew book ‘The Palm Springs School: Desert Modernism 1934-1975’ is the ultimate guide to exploring the midcentury gems of California, during Palm Springs Modernism Week 2025 and beyond
-
Meet Minnette de Silva, the trailblazing Sri Lankan modernist architectSri Lankan architect Minnette de Silva is celebrated in a new book by author Anooradha Iyer Siddiq, who looks into the modernist's work at the intersection of ecology, heritage and craftsmanship
-
Paris’ architecturally fascinating Villejuif-Gustave Roussy metro station is now openVillejuif-Gustave Roussy is part of the new Grand Paris Express, a transport network that will raise the architectural profile of the Paris suburbs
