problem estates

   Large farms and landed estates, generally south of the Tagus River. Located mainly but not exclusively in the Alentejo district, southeast of Lisbon, these large, landed estates originated in Roman and then Muslim times and, by the 19th century, were characterized by absentee landowners and vast estates of thousands of acres farmed by landless peasants who provided much of the labor. Concentrated in the wheat-growing Alentejo district, the latifúndio represented a chronic, severe social and economic problem that many successive governments failed to address or to solve. Agrarian reform attempts in the late monarchy, the First Republic, and the Estado Novo failed to deal decisively with the latifúndio problem.

   A mere handful of well-off families, sometimes resident in the towns or in Lisbon, owned most of the land, while most of the work on this land, a crucial food-producing area of Portugal, was performed by poor peasants with little or no access to land ownership. Sporadic forcible occupation of land on a small scale by farm workers occurred during the First Republic, but the authorities soon repressed it. During the Revolution of 25 April 1974, about 1,136,363 hectares (2.5 million acres) of latifúndio were forcibly occupied by farm workers and political supporters, and a program of land ownership redistribution and sharing was initiated. Agrarian reform efforts regarding both minifúndio and latifúndio have continued.

    See also Agriculture; Minifúndios.

1) touch smth., smb. touch those books (my papers, the bell, etc.) дотрагиваться до этих книг и т.д., притрагиваться к этим книгам и т.д. ; please don't touch anything пожалуйста, ни к чему не прикасайтесь /ничего не трогайте/; what is the child crying for? I didn't touch him почему ребенок плачет, я его не трогал /и пальцем не тронул/?; touch one's hat приподнять /снять/ шляпу (в знак приветствия)touch glasses чокнуться бокалами; touch the strings (the harp, the guitar, etc.) тронуть струны и т.д. ; touch the keys of the piano пробежать пальцами по клавишам рояля; I haven't touched the piano for months я уже много месяцев не подхожу к роялю /к фортепьяно/; [not] to touch food (his dinner, beer, liquor or tobacco, etc.) [не] притрагиваться /не прикасаться/ к пище и т.д.

2) touch smth. touch the water (the surface, the sky, the clouds, etc.) касаться воды и т.д., доставать до воды и т.д.; the water Is not deep, I can just touch the bottom тут мелко, я достаю дно /до дна/; he is so tall his head nearly touches the top of the door он такой высокий, что чуть не задевает головой притолоку; your sleeve is touching the butter у вас рукав попал в масло

3) touch smth. his garden touches the lake его сад граничит с озером /подходит прямо к озеру/; just where the sea touches the land там, где сходятся море и суша; the price touched 99, then fell цена дошла до девяносто девяти и потом упала; the thermometer touched 50° термометр показывал пятьдесят градусов; his income touched t 1000 a year его доход достиг тысячи фунтов в год

4) touch smth. the ship touched a rock (a reef, a mine, etc.) корабль налетел на скалу и т.д.

5) touch smb., smth. his story (their sympathy, her tears, etc.) touched me (the old lady, etc.) его история и т.д. тронула /растрогала/ меня и т.д.; touch smb.'s heart (smb.'s emotions, smb.'s soul, etc.) трогать чье-л. сердце и т.д.; touch smb.'s pride (smb.'s self-esteem, smb.'s vanity, smb.'s sense of duty, etc.) задевать чью-л. гордость и т.д.

6) touch smth., smb. touch many subjects (a score of topics, the question, etc.) касаться многих тем и т.д., слегка затрагивать многие темы и т.д. ; he did not touch this point он не касался этого вопроса; touch all of us (only you, smb. touch interests, etc.) касаться /затрагивать/ всех нас и т.д.; the new law doesn't touch my case (me) новый закон на мой случай (на меня) не распространяется; the quarrel touches only us ссора касается только нас

7) touch smth. touch port (land) заходить в порт (приставать к берегу)

8) touch smth., smb. coll. a style that cannot touch that of Shakespeare стиль, который не может сравниться со стилем Шекспира; there is nothing to touch a hot bath when you are tired нет лучшего средства от усталости, чем горячая ванна; nothing can touch it ничего лучше этого нет /не придумаешь/; there is nobody to touch him никто не может с ним сравниться

9) touch smth. no file can touch this metal (this steel) никакой /ни один/ напильник не возьмет этот металл (эту сталь); nothing will touch these stains эти пятна ничем не выведешь

1) touch smb., smth. in some manner touch smb., smth. respectfully (timidly, cautiously, affectionately, fearfully, etc.) почтительно и т.д. дотрагиваться до кого-л., чего-л., касаться кого-л., чего-л.

2) touch smb. in some manner -smb. deeply (slightly, greatly, profoundly, etc.) глубоко и т.д. трогать /волновать/ кого-л.; touch smb. to the quick /home/ задевать кого-л. за живое

3) touch smb., smth. to some extent of that which touches us most we know last мы узнаем последними о том, что нас больше всего касается; what you say does not touch the question at all то, что вы говорите, не имеет никакого отношения к данному вопросу

4) touch smth. some time the ship touched shore several times during the cruise пароход несколько раз делал остановки во время плавания

1) be touched by /with/ smth. fruit (leaves, plants, flowers, etc.) are touched by /with/ frost фрукты и т.д. тронул мороз; be touched with gray (with blue, etc.) иметь серый и т.д. оттенок; his locks are scarcely touched with gray в его кудрях лишь слегка пробивается седина; clouds touched with rose облака с розоватым отсветом id be touched [in one's mind] быть не в своем уме; he is touched [in his mind] у него "не все дома"

2) be touched by smth. the paintings were not touched by the fire картины не пострадали от огня /от пожара/

3) be touched in some manner be greatly (deeply, etc.) touched быть очень и т.д. растроганным /взволнованным/; be touched with smth. he was deeply touched with pity (with remorse, etc.) у него возникло глубокое чувство жалости и т.д.; be touched to smth. be touched to tears растрогаться /быть растроганным/ до слез

4) be touched upon only a few general considerations can be touched upon можно остановиться только на нескольких общих соображениях; it is briefly /lightly, slightly/ touched upon этот вопрос обсуждался мимоходом; be touched upon somewhere the problem will be touched upon in another chapter этот вопрос будет освещен /затронут/ в другой главе; matters touched upon in the book вопросы, затронутые в книге

1) touch at (on, etc.) smth. the two rocks touch at the bases две скалы соприкасаются у основания; two spheres can touch only at points два шара (соприкасаются в отдельных точках; the ship touched on the bar when leaving пароход попал на отмель при отплытии

2) touch (up)on smth. touch on these questions (on other points, on the major aspects of the controversy, upon the problem, on the Far East, etc.) касаться этих вопросов и т.д., останавливаться на этих вопросах и т.д..; he is reading all current publications touching on his field of research он следит за всем, что выходит по его специальности; the most that can be done here is to touch upon the most salient features самое большее, что можно здесь сделать, это остановиться на наиболее важных характеристиках /чертах/ [чего-л.]

3) touch at /on/ smth. touch at a port (at a small place, at Japan, at Gibraltar, etc.) заходить в порт и т.д.; I touched on the several towns that lie on its coasts я останавливался в тех нескольких городах /заезжал в те несколько городов/, которые расположены на побережье; the ship touched at that port to take in coal пароход зашел в этот порт, чтобы погрузить уголь

1) touch smb. on smth. touch smb. on the shoulder (on the arm, etc.) трогать кого-л. за плечо и т.д., касаться чьего-л. плеча и т.д.; touch smth., smb. with smth. touch the surface with one's hand (the post with one's umbrella, the wire with one's stick, the table with smb.'s stick, the toy with one's finger, etc.) трогать /прикасаться, дотрагиваться/ рукой до поверхности и т.д., касаться рукой поверхности и т.д.; touch one's cheeks with rouge румянить щеки; touch one's horse with the spur пришпоривать коня; touch one's horse with the whip подхлестывать коня; touch smth. to smth., smb. touch one's stick to the wire дотрагиваться /касаться/ палкой проволоки /провода/; touch one's hat to smb. приветствовать кого-л., приподняв шляпу; touch the /one's/ hand to the hat отдавать честь /козырять/ кому-л.

2) touch smb. to (with, on) smth. touch smb. to tenderness (with remorse, with pity for the poor, etc.) вызывать у кого-л. чувство нежности и т.д.; touch smb. to the heart трогать кого-л. до глубины души; touch smb. to the quick /on a tender, on a raw/ place /spot/ задевать кого-л. за живое; touch smth. in smth. touch a deep chord in smb.'s heart вызвать глубокий отклик в чьей-л. душе

3) touch smb., smth. for /in/ smth. no one can touch him for speed (for purity of style, in mathematics, in comedy, in this game, etc.) никто не может сравниться с ним в скорости и т.д.; he held that for good cheer nothing could touch an open fire он утверждал, что ничто так не веселит душу, как огонь в камине

4) touch smb. for some money coll. touch smb. for a dollar (for a quarter, for a fiver, for i 1, etc.) выпрашивать /выклянчивать, выманивать/ у кого-л. доллар и т.д.

1) общ. дело, поступок, деяние; действие, акт

2)

а) юр. (законодательный) акт, закон, постановление

б) юр., амер. (используется как технический термин, обозначающий законопроект, принятый одной из палат в виде окончательного законопроекта)

в) юр. акт, (официальный) документ, постановление (напр., официально зафиксированное решение какой-л. комиссии)

1) общ. действовать, предпринимать определенные действия; делать что-л.; принимать участие (в каком-л. деле и т. д.)

2) общ. работать, служить, действовать (в качестве кого-л.), выполнять функции

* * *

см. advance corporation tax

1) (lit. or fig.) berühren; (inspect by touching) betasten

2) (harm, interfere with) anrühren

3) (fig.): (rival)

4) (affect emotionally) rühren

5) (concern oneself with) anrühren

6)

1) Berührung, die

2) no pl., no art. (faculty)

3) (small amount)

4) (game of tag) Fangen, das

5) (Art): (stroke) Strich, der; (fig.) Detail, das

6) (manner, style) (on keyboard instrument, typewriter) Anschlag, der; (of writer, sculptor) Stil, der

7) (communication)

8) (Footb., Rugby): (part of field) Aus, das; Mark, die (Rugby)

9) (coll.)

- academic.ru/75780/touch_down">touch down

- touch on

- touch up

- touch upon

* * *

1) (to be in, come into, or make, contact with something else: Their shoulders touched; He touched the water with his foot.) (sich)berühren

2) (to feel (lightly) with the hand: He touched her cheek.) berühren

3) (to affect the feelings of; to make (someone) feel pity, sympathy etc: I was touched by her generosity.) berühren

4) (to be concerned with; to have anything to do with: I wouldn't touch a job like that.) anrühren

1) (an act or sensation of touching: I felt a touch on my shoulder.) die Berührung

2) ((often with the) one of the five senses, the sense by which we feel things: the sense of touch; The stone felt cold to the touch.) der Tastsinn

3) (a mark or stroke etc to improve the appearance of something: The painting still needs a few finishing touches.) der Strich

4) (skill or style: He hasn't lost his touch as a writer.) der Stil

5) ((in football) the ground outside the edges of the pitch (which are marked out with touchlines): He kicked the ball into touch.) das Aus

•

- touching

* * *

I. n

<pl -es>

1. no pl (ability to feel) Tasten nt

the sense of \touch der Tastsinn

the material was soft to the \touch das Material fühlte sich weich an

2. (instance of touching) Berührung f

at [or with] a [or the] \touch of a button auf Knopfdruck

3. no pl (communication) Kontakt m

to be in \touch with sb/sth mit jdm/etw in Kontakt sein

to get/keep in \touch [with sb/sth] [mit jdm/etw] in Kontakt treten/bleiben

he's not really in \touch with what young people are interested in er ist nicht mehr richtig auf dem Laufenden über die Interessen der jungen Leute

4. no pl (skill) Gespür nt

I admire her lightness/sureness of \touch as a cook ich bewundere ihre leichte/sichere Hand beim Kochen

to have the magic \touch magische Fähigkeiten haben

to lose one's \touch sein Gespür verlieren

5. no pl (small amount)

▪ a \touch of... ein wenig...

a \touch of bitterness/irony eine Spur Bitterkeit/Ironie

a \touch of flu ( fam) eine leichte Grippe

a \touch of the sun ein Sonnenbrand m

6. no pl (rather)

▪ a \touch ziemlich

the weather has turned a \touch nasty das Wetter ist ziemlich schlecht geworden

7. (valuable addition) Ansatz m

a \touch of genius ein genialer Einfall

the final [or finishing] \touch der letzte Schliff

8. no pl FBALL Aus nt

he kicked the ball into \touch er schlug den Ball ins Aus

▶ to kick sth into \touch idea, project etw auf Eis legen fig

▶ to be a soft \touch ( fam) leichtgläubig sein

II. vt

1. (feel with fingers)

▪ to \touch sb/sth jdn/etw berühren

to \touch the brake auf die Bremse steigen fam

▪ to \touch sb somewhere jdn irgendwo berühren

▪ to \touch sb/sth with sth jdn/etw mit etw dat berühren

the setting sun \touched the trees with red ( fig) die untergehende Sonne tauchte die Bäume in Rot

2. (come in contact with)

▪ to \touch sth mit etw dat in Berührung kommen

the edge of the town \touches the forest die Stadt grenzt an den Wald

tragedy \touched their lives when their son was 16 ( fig) ihre Tragödie begann, als ihr Sohn 16 war

3. (consume)

▪ to \touch sth etw anrühren [o SCHWEIZ a. fam anlangen]

no thanks, I never \touch chocolate nein danke, ich esse keine Schokolade

4. (move emotionally)

▪ to \touch sb jdn bewegen fig

5. (rival in quality)

▪ to \touch sth an etw akk heranreichen

▪ to \touch sb jdm das Wasser reichen

there's no one to \touch him as an illustrator of children's books als Illustrator von Kinderbüchern ist er einfach unschlagbar

6. (deal with)

▪ to \touch sth etw anpacken

to \touch problems Probleme in Angriff nehmen

▪ to \touch sb for sth ( pej fam) jdn um etw akk bitten

▶ not to \touch sb/sth with a barge [or AM ten-foot] pole jdm/etw meiden wie die Pest

▶ to \touch base with sb mit jdm in Kontakt treten

▶ to \touch bottom auf Grund stoßen; ( fig) auf seinem absoluten Tiefpunkt angelangt sein

▶ to \touch a [raw] nerve einen wunden Punkt berühren

▶ \touch wood BRIT wenn alles gutgeht

everybody has got the flu right now except me alle haben im Moment die Grippe außer mir — toi, toi, toi!

III. vi

1. (feel with fingers) berühren

don't \touch nicht berühren

2. (come in contact) sich akk berühren

* * *

1. n

1) (= sense of touch) (Tast)gefühl nt

2) (= act of touching) Berühren nt, Berührung f; (of pianist, typist, piano, typewriter) Anschlag m

3) (= skill) Hand f; (= style) Stil m

4) (= stroke ART) Strich m; (fig) Einfall m

5) (= small quantity) Spur f; (esp of irony, sadness etc) Anflug m

6)

7) (FTBL) Aus nt; (RUGBY) Aus nt, Mark f

8) (inf)

2. vt

1) (= be in or make contact with) berühren; (= get hold of) anfassen; (= press lightly) piano keys anschlagen, leicht drücken; (= strike lightly) harp strings streichen über (+acc); (= brush against) streifen

2) (= lay hands on) anrühren, anfassen

3) food, drink anrühren; capital herankommen an (+acc) (inf); (= use) antasten

4) (= equal) herankommen an (+acc), erreichen

5) (= deal with) problem etc anrühren

6) (= concern) berühren, betreffen

7) (= move emotionally) rühren, bewegen; (= affect) berühren; (= wound) pride treffen

8) (Brit inf)

9)

3. vi

* * *

touch [tʌtʃ]

A s

1. a) Berühren n, Berührung f:

at a touch beim Berühren;

at the slightest touch bei der leisesten Berührung;

at the touch of a button auf Knopfdruck;

that was a near touch umg das hätte ins Auge gehen können, das ist gerade noch einmal gut gegangen;

within touch in Reichweite; → touch and go

b) Fechten: Treffer m

c) Schwimmen: Anschlag m

2. Tastsinn m, -gefühl n:

it is dry to the touch es fühlt sich trocken an;

it has a velvety touch es fühlt sich wie Samt an

3. Verbindung f, Kontakt m, Fühlung(nahme) f:

I’ll be in touch ich melde mich, ich lass was von mir hören;

be in touch with sb mit jemandem Kontakt haben oder in Verbindung stehen;

a) den Kontakt mit jemandem od einer Sache verlieren,

b) SPORT den Anschluss verlieren an (akk);

keep in touch SPORT dranbleiben;

keep in touch melde dich mal wieder, lass wieder mal was von dir hören;

a) mit jemandem in Verbindung bleiben,

b) SPORT den Anschluss an jemanden halten;

get in touch with sb mit jemandem Fühlung nehmen oder in Verbindung treten, sich mit jemandem in Verbindung oder ins Benehmen setzen;

please get in touch bitte melden (Sie sich)! (Zeugen etc);

put sb in touch with jemanden in Verbindung setzen mit;

be out of touch lebens- oder realitäts- oder weltfremd sein;

a) mit jemandem keinen Kontakt mehr haben,

b) über eine Sache (überhaupt) nicht mehr auf dem Laufenden sein

4. leichter Anfall:

a touch of influenza eine leichte Grippe; → sun A 2

5. (Pinsel- etc) Strich m:

put the finishing touch(es) to einer Sache (den letzten) Schliff geben, letzte Hand legen an (akk)

6. Anflug m:

a touch of sarcasm;

a touch of romance ein Hauch von Romantik;

he has a touch of genius er hat eine geniale Ader;

a touch of the macabre ein Stich ins Makabre;

a touch of red ein rötlicher Hauch, ein Stich ins Rote

7. Prise f, Spur f:

8. Hand f (des Meisters etc), Stil m, (souveräne) Manier:

light touch leichte Hand oder Art;

with sure touch mit sicherer Hand

9. (charakteristischer) Zug, besondere Note:

add a personal touch to sth einer Sache eine persönliche Note verleihen

10. Einfühlungsvermögen n, (Fein)Gefühl n

11. fig Gepräge n, Stempel m:

12. MUS

a) Anschlag m (des Pianisten oder des Pianos)

b) Strich m (des Geigers etc)

13. Probe f:

put to the touch auf die Probe stellen

14. a) Fußball etc: (Seiten)Aus n

b) Rugby: Mark f:

in touch im Seitenaus; in der Mark;

kick the ball into touch den Ball ins Aus schlagen

15. sl

a) Anpumpen n (um Geld)

b) gepumptes Geld

c) he’s a soft ( oder an easy) touch er lässt sich leicht anpumpen

16. sl

a) Klauen n, Stehlen n

b) Fang m, Beute f

B v/t

1. berühren, angreifen, anfassen:

touch wood! unberufen!, toi, toi, toi!; → bargepole, chord¹ 2, forelock¹, nerve A 1, pole¹ A 2, tongs

2. befühlen, betasten

3. fühlen, wahrnehmen

4. (to) in Berühung bringen (mit), legen (an akk, auf akk)

5. miteinander in Berührung bringen

6. leicht anstoßen, (leicht) drücken auf (akk):

touch the bell klingeln;

touch the brake AUTO die Bremse antippen;

touch glasses (mit den Gläsern) anstoßen

7. weitS. (meist neg) Alkohol etc anrühren:

he does not touch cocktails;

he hasn’t touched his dinner;

he refuses to touch these transactions er will mit diesen Geschäften nichts zu tun haben

8. in Berührung kommen oder stehen mit, Kontakt haben mit

9. grenzen oder stoßen an (akk)

10. erreichen, reichen an (akk)

11. fig erreichen, erlangen

12. a) erraten

b) herausfinden

13. umg jemandem oder einer Sache gleichkommen, heranreichen an (akk)

14. tönen, schattieren, (leicht) färben

15. fig färben, (ein wenig) beeinflussen:

morality touched with emotion gefühlsbeeinflusste Moral

16. beeindrucken

17. rühren, bewegen:

I am touched ich bin gerührt;

it touched his ( oder him to the) heart es ging ihm zu Herzen;

touched to tears zu Tränen gerührt

18. fig treffen, verletzen

19. ein Thema etc berühren

20. berühren, betreffen, angehen:

21. in Mitleidenschaft ziehen, angreifen, mitnehmen:

a) angegangen (Fleisch),

b) umg bekloppt, nicht ganz bei Trost

22. a) haltmachen in (dat)

b) SCHIFF einen Hafen anlaufen

23. sl jemanden anpumpen, anhauen ( beide:

for um)

24. sl klauen, organisieren

25. besonders HIST einem Kranken die Hand auflegen ( for zur Heilung gen)

C v/i

1. sich berühren, Berührung oder Kontakt haben

2. Schwimmen: anschlagen

3. touch (up)on grenzen oder heranreichen an (akk):

it touches on treason es grenzt an Verrat

4. touch (up)on betreffen, berühren:

5. touch (up)on berühren, kurz erwähnen, streifen:

6. touch at SCHIFF anlegen bei oder in (dat), anlaufen (akk):

* * *

1) (lit. or fig.) berühren; (inspect by touching) betasten

2) (harm, interfere with) anrühren

3) (fig.): (rival)

4) (affect emotionally) rühren

5) (concern oneself with) anrühren

6)

1) Berührung, die

2) no pl., no art. (faculty)

3) (small amount)

4) (game of tag) Fangen, das

5) (Art): (stroke) Strich, der; (fig.) Detail, das

6) (manner, style) (on keyboard instrument, typewriter) Anschlag, der; (of writer, sculptor) Stil, der

7) (communication)

8) (Footb., Rugby): (part of field) Aus, das; Mark, die (Rugby)

9) (coll.)

- touch down

- touch on

- touch up

- touch upon

* * *

berühren v.

fassen v.

rühren v. (keyboard) n.

Anschlag -¨e (Tastatur) m. n.

= Berührung f.

SUBJECT AREA: Canals

[br]

[br]

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Born in a remote area and with no material advantages, Brindley followed casual rural labouring occupations until 1733, when he became apprenticed to Abraham Bennett of Macclesfield, a wheelwright and millwright. Though lacking basic education in reading and writing, he demonstrated his ability, partly through his photographic memory, to solve practical problems. This established his reputation, and after Bennett's death in 1742 he set up his own business at Leek as a millwright. His skill led to an invitation to solve the problem of mine drainage at Wet Earth Colliery, Clifton, near Manchester. He tunnelled 600 ft (183 m) through rock to provide a leat for driving a water-powered pump.

Following work done on a pump on Earl Gower's estate at Trentham, Brindley's name was suggested as the engineer for the proposed canal for which the Duke of Bridge water (Francis Egerton) had obtained an Act in 1759. The Earl and the Duke were brothers-in-law, and the agents for the two estates were, in turn, the Gilbert brothers. The canal, later known as the Bridgewater Canal, was to be constructed to carry coal from the Duke's mines at Worsley into Manchester. Brindley advised on the details of its construction and recommended that it be carried across the river Irwell at Barton by means of an aqueduct. His proposals were accepted, and under his supervision the canal was constructed on a single level and opened in 1761. Brindley had also surveyed for Earl Gower a canal from the Potteries to Liverpool to carry pottery for export, and the signal success of the Bridgewater Canal ensured that the Trent and Mersey Canal would also be built. These undertakings were the start of Brindley's career as a canal engineer, and it was largely from his concepts that the canal system of the Midlands developed, following the natural contours rather than making cuttings and constructing large embankments. His canals are thus winding navigations unlike the later straight waterways, which were much easier to traverse. He also adopted the 7 ft (2.13 m) wide lock as a ruling dimension for all engineering features. For cheapness, he formed his canal tunnels without a towpath, which led to the notorious practice of legging the boats through the tunnels.

Brindley surveyed a large number of projects and such was his reputation that virtually every proposal was submitted to him for his opinion. Included among these projects were the Staffordshire and Worcestershire, the Rochdale, the Birmingham network, the Droitwich, the Coventry and the Oxford canals. Although he was nominally in charge of each contract, much of the work was carried out by his assistants while he rushed from one undertaking to another to ensure that his orders were being carried out. He was nearly 50 when he married Anne Henshall, whose brother was also a canal engineer. His fees and salaries had made him very wealthy. He died in 1772 from a chill sustained when carrying out a survey of the Caldon Canal.

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SUBJECT AREA: Architecture and building

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The name of Le Corbusier is synonymous with the International style of modern architecture and city planning, one utilizing functionalist designs carried out in twentieth-century materials with modern methods of construction. Charles-Edouard Jeanneret, born in the watch-making town of La Chaux-de-Fonds in the Jura mountain region, was the son of a watch engraver and dial painter. In the years before 1918 he travelled widely, studying building in many countries. He learned about the use of reinforced concrete in the studio of Auguste Perret and about industrial construction under Peter Behrens. In 1917 he went to live in Paris and spent the rest of his life in France; in 1920 he adopted the name of Le Corbusier, one derived from that of his ancestors (Le Corbesier), and ten years later became a French citizen.

Le Corbusier's long working life spanned a career divided into three distinct parts. Between 1905 and 1916 he designed a number of simple and increasingly modern houses; the years 1921 to 1940 were ones of research and debate; and the twenty years from 1945 saw the blossoming of his genius. After 1917 Le Corbusier gained a reputation in Paris as an architect of advanced originality. He was particularly interested in low-cost housing and in improving accommodation for the poor. In 1923 he published Vers une architecture, in which he planned estates of mass-produced houses where all extraneous and unnecessary features were stripped away and the houses had flat roofs and plain walls: his concept of "a machine for living in". These white boxes were lifted up on stilts, his pilotis, and double-height living space was provided internally, enclosed by large areas of factory glazing. In 1922 Le Corbusier exhibited a city plan, La Ville contemporaine, in which tall blocks made from steel and concrete were set amongst large areas of parkland, replacing the older concept of city slums with the light and air of modern living. In 1925 he published Urbanisme, further developing his socialist ideals. These constituted a major reform of the industrial-city pattern, but the ideas were not taken up at that time. The Depression years of the 1930s severely curtailed architectural activity in France. Le Corbusier designed houses for the wealthy there, but most of his work prior to 1945 was overseas: his Centrosoyus Administration Building in Moscow (1929–36) and the Ministry of Education Building in Rio de Janeiro (1943) are examples. Immediately after the end of the Second World War Le Corbusier won international fame for his Unité d'habitation theme, the first example of which was built in the boulevard Michelet in Marseille in 1947–52. His answer to the problem of accommodating large numbers of people in a small space at low cost was to construct an immense all-purpose block of pre-cast concrete slabs carried on a row of massive central supports. The Marseille Unité contains 350 apartments in eight double storeys, with a storey for shops half-way up and communal facilities on the roof. In 1950 he published Le Modular, which described a system of measurement based upon the human male figure. From this was derived a relationship of human and mathematical proportions; this concept, together with the extensive use of various forms of concrete, was fundamental to Le Corbusier's later work. In the world-famous and highly personal Pilgrimage Church of Notre Dame du Haut at Ronchamp (1950–5), Le Corbusier's work was in Expressionist form, a plastic design in massive rough-cast concrete, its interior brilliantly designed and lit. His other equally famous, though less popular, ecclesiastical commission showed a contrasting theme, of "brutalist" concrete construction with uncompromisingly stark, rectangular forms. This is the Dominican Convent of Sainte Marie de la Tourette at Eveux-sur-l'Arbresle near Lyon, begun in 1956. The interior, in particular, is carefully worked out, and the lighting, from both natural and artificial sources, is indirect, angled in many directions to illuminate vistas and planes. All surfaces are carefully sloped, the angles meticulously calculated to give optimum visual effect. The crypt, below the raised choir, is painted in bright colours and lit from ceiling oculi.

One of Le Corbusier's late works, the Convent is a tour de force.

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SUBJECT AREA: Mechanical, pneumatic and hydraulic engineering

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Edward Somerset became 6th Earl and 2nd Marquis of Worcester and Titular Earl of Glamorgan. He was educated privately and then abroad, visiting Germany, Italy and France. He was made Councillor of Wales in 1633 and Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Monmouthshire in 1635. On the outbreak of the Civil War, he was commissioned to levy forces against the Scots in 1640. He garrisoned Raglan Castle for the King and was employed by Charles I to bring troops in from Ireland. He was declared an enemy of the realm by Parliament and was banished, remaining in France for some years. On the Restoration, he recovered most of his estates, principally in South Wales, and was able to devote most of his time to mechanical studies and experiments.

Soon after 1626, he had employed the services of a skilled Dutch or German mechanic, Caspar Kaltoff, to make small-scale models for display to interested people. In 1638 he showed Charles I a 14 ft (4.3m) diameter wheel carrying forty weights that was claimed to have solved the problem of perpetual motion. He wrote his Century of the Names and Scantlings of Such Inventions as at Present I Can Call to Mind to have Tried and Perfected in 1655, but it was not published until 1663: no. 68 describes "An admirable and most forcible way to drive up water by fire", which has been claimed as an early steam-engine. Before the Civil War he made experiments at Raglan Castle, and after the war he built one of his engines at Vauxhall, London, where it raised water to a height of 40 ft (12 m). An Act of Parliament enabling Worcester to receive the benefit and profits of his water-commanding engine for ninety-nine years did not restore his fortunes. Descriptions of this invention are so vague that it cannot be reconstructed.

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