RAIC International Prize Scholarships: Lucie Palombi

This essay was one of the winners of a 2019 RAIC International Prize Scholarship

Lucie Palombi’s essay adopts the form of a letter to Le Corbusier. She writes about being inspired by the travels he recounted in published journals. Through the descriptions of North America in the 19^th century, Paris in the 20^th, and the Gardens of Versailles, Palombi ponders the question: “Can we shape the world with words on paper?” As she journeys to these far-off locations from her library, Palombi learns that stories– real or fictional –give life to places.

Jury comment: The essay was astute and original in form and content, as well as beautifully written. It indicated a fresh and probing new mind capable of contributing to the discipline in thought and deed.