Villa Jeanneret-Perret Villa Jeanneret-Perret The Villa Jeanneret-Perret (also known as "Maison blanche") is the first independent project by Swiss architect Le Corbusier. Built in 1912 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Charles-Edouard Jeanneret's hometown, it was designed for his parents. Open to the public since 2005, the house is under the patronage of the Swiss National Commission for UNESCO and has been proposed by the Swiss Government for inscription on the World Heritage List. In February 1912, Charles-Edouard Jeanneret opened his own architectural office in La Chaux-de-Fonds, the city where he was born and where he began his career after completing his education at the
Gris-gris (talisman) originates with the French "joujou" meaning doll or play-thing. It has otherwise been attributed in scholarly sources to the Mandingo word meaning "magic." The gris-gris originated in Dagomba in Ghana and was associated with Islamic traditions. Originally the gris-gris was adorned with Islamic scripture and was used to ward off evil spirits (evil djinn) or bad luck. Historians of the time noted that they were frequently worn by non-believers and believers alike, and were also found attached to buildings. The practice of using gris-gris, though originating in Africa, came to the United States with enslaved Africans and was quickly adopted