French Architect Claude Parent, Theorist of the 'Oblique Function', Dies at 93

Claude Parent, the French architect who co-developed the 'oblique function' theory with Paul Virilio, died on 29 February 2016 at age 93. His architectural philosophy emerged from observing World War II bunkers along the Atlantic coast that had shifted in sand dunes, creating spaces where sloped floors blurred with walls. Parent's limited but influential built works include the Maison de l'Iran at Paris's Cité Universitaire, the Sainte-Bernadette church in Nevers, and the Maison Drusch in Versailles. In 1970, at Rem Koolhaas's request, he designed the French pavilion interior for the Venice Biennale, installing artificial sloped landscapes to display artworks. Elected to the Académie des Beaux-Arts in 2005, Parent's utopian and experimental approach profoundly impacted younger architects, notably Jean Nouvel, who began his career as Parent's collaborator. His legacy rests on both built projects and theoretical contributions that challenged conventional architectural forms.