Auguste et Gustave Perret - Exhibition Theater, 1925

Auguste Perret (1874–1954) studied at the École des Beaux-Arts under the architectural theorist Julien Guadet, from whom he inherited a rationalist approach. He soon left the institution to manage his family’s construction company. This dual background—both theoretical and practical—shaped his career, making him a unique architect-builder capable of combining the rigor of classical proportions with the technical challenges of modern engineering.

His work marked a fundamental break with tradition through the deliberate and aesthetic use of reinforced concrete. Rather than concealing it behind conventional cladding, Perret elevated the material, creating a form of “structural classicism” in which the framework itself determines the architectural form. By systematizing the column-and-slab principle, he liberated both floor plans and façades. His treatment of raw materials and the standardization of structural elements demonstrated that constructive truth could become a powerful architectural expression.

His legacy laid the foundations of modern architecture and profoundly influenced architects such as Le Corbusier. From the pioneering apartment building on Rue Franklin (1903) to the geometric lacework of Notre-Dame du Raincy Church, his projects stand as true architectural manifestos. His life's work culminated in the reconstruction of Le Havre, a masterpiece of urban planning that is now recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.