Towards Universality: Le Corbusier, Mies And de Stijl

There is no shortage of books about Le Corbusier, or Mies van der Rohe, or De Stijl. This one is different, however, in a number of ways. First, it does not treat them as separate subjects, but in relation to each other. While their response to De Stijl throws some new light on Le Corbusier and Mies, it is above all De Stijl who can be defined in relation to them. Second, the purpose is to excavate the philosophical foundations of their work, rather than to merely describe and discuss the work itself. Third, Padovan looks for connections between the aims and ideals of the 1920s and such 'post-modern' concerns as the creation of habitable 'places' and the survival of the historical city.