LE CORBUSIER

INTRODUCTION

• CHARLES EDOUARD JEANNERET NOW POPULARLY KNOWN AS LE CORBUSIER

• BORN ON 6th OF OCTOBER’ 1887 AT LA CHAUX DE FONDS IN SWISSJURA MOUNTAINS 4 KMS FROM FRENCH BORDER

• HE STARTED WORKING UNDER CONTRACTER PERRET, LE CORBUSIER’S SO CALLED MASTER

• HE AS A CHILD PREPARED HIMSELF FOR A MANUAL OCCUPATION • HE LEFT HIS SCHOOL AT THE AGE OF 13½ YRS• JOINED AN ART SCHOOL LATER

CHANDIGARH

INTRODUCTION

SINCE PUNJAB WAS DIVIDED INTO TWO PARTS, THE CAPITAL WAS LEFT IN PAKISTAN THERE FORE PUNJAB IN INDIA REQUIRED NEW CAPITAL

LE CORBUSIER WAS APPROACHED BY PUNJAB GOVERNMENT AND THE PRIME MINISTER OF INDIA

CHANDIGARH IS A BOLD EXPERIMENT IN MODERN CIVIC DESIGN CHANDIGARH HAS PROVOKED FRESH THINKING AND IN FACT SHOWN

NEW WAY OF LIFE MAXWELL FRY, JANE DREW AND PIERRE JEANNERET WERE ALSO

INVOLVED IN THE TEAM OF ARCHITECTS WHEN LE CORBUSIER ASSUMED CONTROL OF THE CHANDIGARH

PROJECT IN 1951, HOWEVER THE DESIGN OF THE CITY HAD ALREADY BEEN DEVISED BY THE NEW YORK FIRM OF MAYER, WHITTLESEY, AND GLASS WHO RECEIVED A CONTRACT FOR THE MASTER PLAN OF CHANDIGARH IN 1950

ALBERT MAYER THE MASTER PLAN

MAYER WAS THE FIRST ONE TO GET THE CHANDIGARH PROJECT MATTHEW NOWICKI WAS INVITED TO JOIN THE STAFF ASSEMBLED TO

PLAN CHANDIGARH.HIS DITIES WERE TO TAKE THE FORM OF ARCHITECTURAL CONTROL.

MAYER STATED THAT HE WAS TRYING TO CREATE SOMETHING”THAT REALLY APPLIES TO WHAT WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT MUCH BUT WHICH HAS BEEN AT BEST DONE IN A LIMITED WAY IN RADBUBN,THE GREENBELT TOWNS AND BALDWIN HILLS.

THE BASIC AIM,STATED MAYER,WAS A BEAUTIFUL CITY. THE MASTER PLAN WHICH ALBERT MAYER PRODUCED FOR

CHANDIGARH ASSUMES A FAN-SHAPED OUTLINE,SPREADING GENTLY TO FILL THE FILE THE SITE BETWEEN THE TWO RIVER BEDS.

THE PROVINCIAL GOVT. BUILDINGS ARE LOCATED THE UPPER EDGE OF THE CITY WITHIN A FORK IN ONE OF THE RIVERS,WHILE THE CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT OCCUPIES AN AREA NEAR THE CENTER.A CURVING NETWORK OF MAIN ROADS SURROUNDS THE RESIDENTIAL SUPERBLOCKS,EACH OF WHICH CONTAINS A CENTRAL AREA OF PARKLAND.

TWO LARGER PARKS MAY BE SEEN STRETCHING THROUGH THE CITY. THE FLATNESS OF THE SITE ALLOWED ALMOST COMPLETE FREEDOM

IN CREATING STREET LAYOUT AND IT IS OF INTEREST TO NOTE HAT THE OVERALL PATTERN DELIBERATELY AVOIDS A GEOMETRIC GRID IN FAVOUR OF A LOOSELY CURVING SYSTEM.

THE DEATH OF NOWICKI NECESSITATED THE SELECTION OF A NEW ARCHITECT FOR CHANDIGARH.

IT WAS THE MINISTER OF PLANNING WHO SUGGISTED LE-CORBUISER AND WHO ALSO RECOMMENDED THE INCLUSION OF PIERRE JEANNERET WHOM HE TERMED A’’ GOOD DETAIL MAN.’’

THE PROVINCIAL GOVT. BUILDINGS ARE LOCATED THE UPPER EDGE OF THE CITY WITHIN A FORK IN ONE OF THE RIVERS,WHILE THE CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT OCCUPIES AN AREA NEAR THE CENTER.A CURVING NETWORK OF MAIN ROADS SURROUNDS THE RESIDENTIAL SUPERBLOCKS,EACH OF WHICH CONTAINS A CENTRAL AREA OF PARKLAND.

MASTER PLAN

IN 1951 IT WAS GIVEN TO LE CORBUSIER IN CHANDIGARH LE CORBUSIER SYTEM OF SELF SUPPORTING

NEIGHBORHOOD UNIT KNOWN AS A SECTOR HAS WORKED VERY WELL

SECTOR WHICH IS INTROVERTED IN CHARACTER COMMUNICATES ONLY AT 4 JUNCTIONS WITH THE ADJOINING NEIGHBOURHOOD UNITS

ALL THE HOUSES OPEN UP INSIDE GRID PLANNING IS DONE CHANDIGARH PLANNING WAS DONE IN AN MANNER THAT EVERYTHING

WAS EASILY CLEAR ABOUT THE ROUTES AND SECTORS 7 V’S ROAD SYSTEM IS USED THE ROADS ARE CLASSIFIED AS V1 ,V2 ,V3………V7 V1 CONNECTS CHANDIGARH TO OTHER CITIES

PLAN OF THE CITY

V2 ARE THE MAJOR AVENUES OF THE CITY E.G MADHYA MARG ETC V3 ARE THE CORRIDORS STREETS FOR VEHICULAR TRAFFIC ONLY V4…..V7 ARE THE ROADS WITHIN THE SECTORS CHANDI GARH HAS BEEN PLANNED ON THE SCIENTIFIC PRINCIPLES

AND TO APPRISE THE COMING GENERATION OF THESE PRINCIPLES THE MAIN FEATURE OF THIS EDICT ARE ITS- HUMAN SCALE SELF SUFFICIENT SECTORS ROADS SYSTEM AREAS OF SPECIAL INTEREST ARCHITECTURAL CONTROL

THREE DISCIPLINES

THE DISCIPLINE OF MONEY LE CORBUISER ONCE REMARKED THAT”INDIA HASTHE TREASURES OF A

PROUD CULTURE,BUT HER COFFERS ARE EMPTY.” AND THROUGHOUT THE PROJECT THE DESIRE FOR GRANDNESS WAS HAMPERED BY THE NEED FOR STRICT ECONOMY.

IN WORKING UP HIS DESIGNS,LE CORBUISER CONSULTED THE PROGRAM FOR EACH BUILDING AS GIVEN IN THE BUDGET AND THEN PREPARED THE INITIAL PROJECT.

THE DISCIPLINE OF TECHNOLOGY AVAILABLE IN QUANTITY,HOWEVER,WAS GOOD CLAY STONE AND

SAND,AND,ABOVE ALL’HUMAN LABOUR. THE MATERIALS OF WHICH CHANDIGARH HAS BEN CONSTRUCTED ARE

ROUGH CONCRETE IN THE CAPITOL COMPLEX AND THE CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT AND FOR MOST OF THE CITY,ESPECIALLY IN HOUSING,LOCALLY PRODUCED BRICK.

THE DISCIPLINE OF CLIMATE BESIDES THE ADMINISTRATIVE AND FINANCIAL REGULATONS THERE

WAS A LAW OF THE SUN IN INDIA. THE ARCHITECTURAL PROBLEM CONSISTS;FIRST TO MAKE

SHADE,SECOND TO MAKE A CURRENT OF AIR[TO VENTILATE],THIRD TO CONTROL HYDRAULICS.

THE SECTOR

TAKING CHANDIGARH AS AN EXAMPLE,WE MAY SEE AT ONCE THE DEMOCRATIC IDEA WHICH ALLOWS US TO DEVOTE AN EQUAL CARE TO HOUSING ALL CLASSES OF SOCIETY TO SEK NEW SOCIAL GROUPINGS, NEW PATTERNS OF EDUCATION AND PUBLIC WELFARE,AND MADE MORE POSSIBLE BY PRACTICAL APLICATOIN OF THE SCIENTIFIC IDEA WHICH THROUGH INDUSTRIALISM,GIVES US SUCH BENEFITS AS PIPED WATER,ELECRICITY AND CHEAP TRANSPORT.

EACH SECTOR IS DESIGNATED BY NUMBER,THE CAPITAL COMPLEX BEING NUMBER 1,WITH THE REMAINING SECTORS NUMBERED CONSECUTIVELY BEGINNING AT THE NORTH CORNER OF THE CITY.

AT PRESENT THERE ARE 30 SECTORS IN CHANDIGARH,OF WHICH 24 ARE RESIDENTIAL.

THE SECTORS AT THE UPPER EDGE OF THE CITY ARE OF ABBREVIATED SIZE.

IN ALL TYPE OF HOUSING ,PARTLY BECAUSE OF THE GLAZING EXPENSE,PARTLY TO KEEP OUT SUN.

AS THE MOST ECONOMICAL AND READILY AVAILABLE MATERIAL FOR BUILDING AT CHANDIGARH WAS LOCALLY MADE BRICK.

THIS BECAME THE MATERIAL OF CONSTRUCTION. THE FLAT ROOF WAS EMPLOYED THROUGH OUT IN CHANDIGARH

HOUSING BECAUSE OF ITS USEFULNESS AS A SLEEPING AREA 70% OF THE BUILDING WOULD BE PRIVATE IN ALL THE SECTORS. RESIDENTIAL PLOTS RANGING IN DIMENSIONS FROM 75 SQ. YARDS TO

5000 SQ YARDS.

THIS IS BECAUSE THE CAPITOL COMPLEX IS CONTAINED WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES OF SECTOR 3 EXTENTED TO ITS FULL DIMENSIONS.

GOVERNMENT HOUSING LE-CORBUISER WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE GENERAL OUTLINES OF THE

MASTER PLAN AND THE CREATION OF THE MONUMENTAL BUILDLINGS,WHILE PIERRE JEANNERET,MAXWELL FRY AND JANE DREW WERE CHARGED WITH THE TASK OF DEVELOPING THE NEIGHBOURHOOD SECTORS WITH THEIR SCHOOLS,SHOPPING BAZAARS,AND THE TRACTS OF GOVERNMENT HOUSING.

IN THE PROGRAM PRESENTED TO THE ARCHITECTS,13 CATEGORIES OF HOUSES WERE SPECIFIED,EACH CORRESPONDING TO A LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT EMPLOYMENT.

SMALL WINDOWS OPENINGS HAVE BEEN CONSISTENTLY EMPLOYED

CHANDIGARH UT IS SPREAD OVER AN AREA OF 114SQ KMS INCLUDING MANIMAJRA AND BURAIL

THE BIRTH OF CHANDIGARH HAS NOT INFLUENCED ONLY THE NORTH WEST REGION BUT THE WHOLE COUNTRY IN THE MATTERS OF ARCHITECTURE AND URBAN PLANNING

PROJECTS HE HANDLED WERE CAPITOL COMPLEX, HOUSING, MUSEUM, CITY PLAZA ETC

THE CAPITOL COMPLEX

THE AREA OF THE GREATEST SYMBOLIC SIGNIFICANCE IN CHANDIGARH WAS THE CAPITOL COMPLEX , WHICH IN ITS FINAL FORM WAS BASED ON THE DESIGN OF A GRAET CROSS AXIS

THE MOST IMPORTANT GROUP OF THE BUILDINGS CONSTITUTING THE CAPITOL- RIGHT, THE PARLIAMENT, LEFT,IN THE BACKGROUND, THE SECRETARIAT

IN THE FOREGROUND, THE POOL OF THE PALACE OF JUSTICE THE ARTIFICIAL HILLS IN THE FRONT OF THE SECRETARIAT HAVE NOT

BEEN CREATED AND LAID OUT IN ACCORDANCE WITH COEBUSIER;S CONCEPTIONS

ALTHOUGH THE SCENE IS HARMONIUS IN EFFECT, THERE ARE STILL MISSING THE BUILDINGS THAT BELONG HERE ,SUCH AS , FOR INSTANCE, THE TOWERS OF SHADOWS

SITE PLAN

SECRETARIAT

ASSEMBLY

HIGH COURT

GOVERNOR,S PALACE

OPEN HAND

HERE THE SECRETARIAT BUILDING IS TREATED AS A HORIZONTAL PLATFORM LIKE THE PLAIN OF CHANDIGARH ITSELF,CARRYING ON ITS ROOF THE PROVINCIAL ASSEMBLY HALL RISING IN A PARABOLIC ARCH, A FORM ECHOING THE DISTANT HILLS

AS A RESPONSE TO THE SUN, THE CAPITOL COMPLEX CAN BE INTERPERATED AS AN INTERLACED ARRAY OF SUN BREAKERS

INSPIRATION FROM L,UNITE IT LIES IN THE FOOT OF SHIVALIK HILLSJUST NEXT TO ARTIFICIAL LAKE GOVERNOR,S PALACE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE IN THE SITE BUT THE

IDEA WAS ABANDONED THE CAPITOL AREA WAS DESIGNED AS THE GREAT PEDISTRIAN PLAZA

WITH MOTOR TRAFFIC SEPARATED INTO SUNKEN TRENCHES LEADING TO PARKING AREAS

ALTHOUGH THE SITE IS VERY BIG,IT IS NOT DESIGNED WITH ALLOWENCE FOR EXPANSION

THE SECRETARIAT,1958

THE SECRETARIAT

THE FIRST DESIGN FOR THE SECRETARIAT PRESENTS THE BUILDING AS A TALL THIN SLAB CARRYING A SURFACE BRISE SOLEIL DIVIDED BY A CENTRAL HORIZONTAL BAND

THE DESIGN WHICH WAS ACCEPTED ESTABLISHED THE BUILDING FORM AS A LONG ,HORIZONTAL CONCRETE SLAB

THE SECRETARIAT, THE LONGEST BUILDING IN CHANDIGARH, 254M LONG,AND 42M HIGHFORMS THE ADMINSTRATIVE CENTER,WITH MINISTERAL OFFICES GROUPED IN THE CENTER AND OFFICES FOR EMPLOYEES ARRANGED ON EITHER SIDE

THE BUILDING WAS COMPLETED IN 1958 THE BUILDING IS COMPOSED OF SIX EIGHT STOREY BLOCKS

SEPARETED BY EXPANSION JOINTS THE CENTRAL PAVILION, BLOCK 4, CONTAINS THE OFFICES OF THE

MINISTERS

FREE FACADE

RAMP ENCLOCURE

ROUGH CONCRETE

FINISH

SQUARE WINDOWS

PROJECTED PORTICOS

SMALL ENTRANCE

BIG ENTRANCE

THE ROUGH CONCRETE AGAIN INTERPOSES IN THE FENESTRATION OF THE TWO MAIN FACADES ; MORE THAN 2000 UNITS OF UNIQUE DESIGN

APPRAOCH TO THE BUILDING IS THROUGH ROADWAYS BELOW GROUND LEVEL TO A LARGE PARKING AREA IN FRONT OF THE CENTRAL BLOCK, AND A FLOOR IS LEFT OPEN AT THIS LEVEL TO FORM AN ENTRANCE HALL

BLOCK 1 AND 2 RISES DIRECTLY FROM THE GROUND BLOCK 3,4 AND PART OF 5 FACE ON THE EXCAVATED AREA OF THE

PARKING LOT AND HAVE THE LOWER STOREY OPEN BETWEEN PILOTIS FOR THE REST PART OF BLOCK 5 AND WHOLE OF 6 THE LEVEL GOES

TILL PLAZA HEIGHT, AND LOWER PORTION OF THESE BLOCKS ARE LEFT OPEN TO A HEIGHT OF TWO STORYES

THE TOP OF THE BUILDING IS DEVELOPED AS A ROOF GARDEN CONTAINING THE SERVICE BLOCKS AND CAFETERIA FOR EMPLOYEES

THE PLASTIC EMPHASIS IS GIVEN TO THE BUILDING BY FREE STANDING EXTERIOR RAMPS ENCLOSED IN ROUGH CONCRETE WALLS

FOR SUPPLEMENTARY COMMUNICATION WITHIN THE BUILDING , EACH OF SIX BLOCKS IS EQUIPPED WITH INTERIOR STAIRWAYS AND LIMITED ELEVATOR SERVICE

HORIZONTAL CIRCULATION IS BY MEANS OF A CENTRAL CORRIDORS

FOR MINISTER’S BLOCK THE BAY SIZE IS INCREASED AND THE COLUMN IS THICKENED

HT OF 2

STOREYS

LEFT OPEN

COLUMNS SUPPORTING

1 ½ BLOCK

THE HIGH COURT

THE HIGH COURT,

THE HIGH COURT FORMED A PART AS “ A GREAT ARCHITECTURAL VENTURE USING VERY POOR MATERIALS AND A LABOUR FORCEQUITE UNUSED TO MODERN BUILDING TECHNIQUES

AN ENTIRE STUCTURE HAS RESULTED IN THE USE OF DOUBLE ROOF THE UPPER ROOF CANTILEVERED OUT OF THE OFFICE BLOCK IN THE

MANNER OF PARASOL SHADING THE LOWER ROOF THE SPACE BETWEEN THE TWO ROOFS IS LEFT OPEN TO ENABLE

CURRENTS OF AIR TO MOVE BETWEEN THE FLAT ROOF OF THE OFFICE BLOCK AND THE UNDERSIDE OF THE PARASOL ROOF WHICH SLOPES TOWARDS CENTER IN THE FORM OF ROWS OF ARCHES

IN THE PLAN THE BUILDING TOOK THE FORM OF ABBREVIATED L – SHAPED WITH LONG FAÇADE FACING THE CAPITOL PLAZA TO CONTAIN COURT ROOMS

THE BUILDING IS A RECTILINEAR FRAME WITHIN WHICH THE INTERIOR FUNCTIONS ARE DEFINED

THE EIGHT COURT ROOMS ARE IDENTICALLY EXPRESSED ON THE MAIN FAÇADE AND SEPARETED FROM THE LARGER HIGH COURT BY A MONUMENTAL COLUMNED ENTRANCE RISING THE HEIGHT OF THE BUILDING

BUILDING RISES DIRECTLY FROM THE EARTH THE MAIN FAÇADE IS DEFINED BY A FULL HEIGHT CONCRETE BRISE

SOLEIL THE ARCH FORM IS RESTRICTED TO THE UNDERSIDE OF THE

PARASOL ROOF IT IS THE VISUAL DRAMA OF THE PIERS RISING SIXTY FEET FROM THE

GROUND TO MEET THE HEAVY OUTWARD THRUST OF THE ROOF WHICH CREATES THE FOCAL EMPHASIS OF THE PRESENT PLAN

ON THE MAIN FAÇADE THE DEEP FIXED CONCRETE BRISE SOLEIL GIVES A STRONG AND SCALELESS PATTERN TO THE BUILDING

IT IS THE CONCRETE SCREEN WHICH GIVES THE MAIN FAÇADE ITS OVER ALL UNITY

BEHIND THE BRISE SOLEIL , THE WINDOWS OF THE COURT ROOMS ARE OF FIXED GLASS, BUT BETWEEN ARE NARROW VERTICAL SPACES CONTAINING SHUTTERS WHICH OPEN AND CLOSE ON HINGES

IT IS NOTED THAT THE ORIENTATION OF THE HIGH COURT IS SUCH THAT THE MAIN FAÇADE FACES NORTH WEST , AND THIS DOES NOT RECEIVE DIRECT SUNLIGHT

THE ROUGH CONCRETE OF THE BUILDING IS TREATED IN VARIETY OF MANNERS FOR MUCH OF THE SURFACE INCLUDING THE UNDERSIDE OF THE PARASOL ROOF AND THE EXTERIOR SIDE WALLS , THE MASS OF SHEET METAL CHARACTERIZE THE SURFACE

IN PORTIONS OF THE INTERIOR AND ON THE RAMPS , WOODEN BOARDS HAVE BEEN INSERTED WITH IN THE METAL FORMS TO GIVE THE CONCRETE SURFACE THE IMPRESS OF THEIR JOINTED PATTERN, WHILE OTHER SURFACES, INCLUDING THOSE OF MASSIVE ENTRANCE PIERS ARE FINISHED WITH GUNNITE CEMENT

COLOURED MASSIVE PILLARS

PARASOL ROOF FORMING ARCHES

DOUBLE ROOF

GAP LEFT BETWEEN

TWO ROOFS

FULL HT ENTRANCE

ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES

REAR VIEW

ROUGH CONCRETE FINISHED RAMP

DOUBLE ROOF

APPROACHED THROUGH ROADS

THE ENTRANCE LOBBY IS PAVED WITH WHITISH FLAG STONE SET IN THE ROWS OF VARYING WIDTHS

NEW SCHEME FOR PAINTING THE COLUMNS AND PORTICO WALLS IN BRIGHT CONTRASTING COLOURS

THE INSIDE WALL TO THE LEFT OF THE PIERS WAS TO BE BLACK THE ADJACENT PILLAR PAINTED GREEN THE CENTER PIER WOULD BE YELLOW THE RIGHT HAND PILLAR IS RED AND THE REMAINING PORTICO WALL IS PRIMARY BLUE THE GRAET ENTRANCE HALL OF THE HIGH COURT IS ALSO BEEN

FOUND IN LACKING PROTECTION DURING THE MONSOON SEASON THE NARROW CURVING RAMP AT THE END OF THE ENTRANCE

HALL,WHICH FORMS THE MAIN VERTICAL CIRCULATION IS EXPOSED THE HORIZONTAL CIRCULATION, CONSISTING OF POEN CORRIDORS

ON THR REAR FACADE ,IS ALSO INEFFECTIVELY SHELTERED

THE ASSEMBLY HALL

THE ASSEMBLY HALL

THE ASSEMBLY WAS CONCEIVED AS A RECTILINEAR STRUCTURE IT IS SQUARE IN PLAN WITH A MONUMENTAL PORTICO FACING THE

MAIN PLAZA ON THE LATERAL FACADES BOTH THE PORTICO AND THE OFFICE

BLOCK WOULD BE DEFINED BY SOLID END WALLS THE LARGE CHAMBER IS IN HYPERBOLIC FORM OF THE COOLING

TOWER WITH AN AVERAGE THICKNESS OF 15 CMS THE SMALL COUNCIL CHAMBER ARE IN RECTILINEAR FRAME THE UPPER PORTION OF THE TOWER IS EXTENDING ABOVE THE ROOF

LINE AN ASSEMBLY CHAMBER IS 128 FT IN DIAMETER AT ITS BASE AND

RISES TO 124 FT AT ITS HIGHEST POINT THIS TOWER WAS DESIGNED TO INSURE THE NATURAL LIGHT,

VENTILATION AND PROPER ACOUSTICS

OF ALL BUILDINGS OF THE CAPITOL COMPLEX , THE ASSEMBLY IS THE MOST INTRICATE IN PLAN

SEPARATE CIRCULATION ACCOMMODATION OF ALL GROUPS IS PROVIDED

EMPLOYING A SYSTEM OF INDIVIDUAL ENTRANCES, STAIRWAYS, LIFTS AND RAMP A COMPLETE SEGREGATION OF MEMBERS IS PROVIDED

THER ARE TWO SEPARATE GALLERIES FOR MEN AND WOMEN IN COUNCIL CHAMBER

INTERIOR VIEW OF A CHAMBER

MUSHROOM COLUMN SUPPORTING ROOF

SECTOR-17,CHANDIGARH

THE CITY CENTER CONSISTS OF DIFFERENT SQUARES TIED TOGETHER BY BROAD AVENUES.

AT THE PRESENT TIME,WHEN THIS CENTER IS STILL DEVOID OF ANY SORT OF VEGETATION,THE UNSHADED OPEN AREAS CAN BE QUITE UNPLEASANT.

THIS SECTOR-17 IS VIRTUALLY UNINHABITED,BUT IT IS ENLIVENED DURING THE DAYTIME BY THE MANY SHOPS,BAZARS, RESTAURANT,CAFES,BANKS AND DEPARTMENT STORES.

THERE IS DOUBT THAT AT PRESENT THE CITY CENTER STILL LOOKS LIKE AN EXPERIMENT .

THE URBAN CIRCULATION HERE IS IN SHARP CONTRAST TO THE ‘ORIENTAL’ BAZAAR STREETS,THE NARROW ALLEYS FUL OF NOISE AND PLUNGED IN SHADOW .

OF ALL THE CITIES OF INDIA , ONLY CHANDIGARH CAN CLAIM TO BE AN ABSOLUTELY MODERN TOWN , ”UNTOUCHED BY THE TRADITION OF THE PAST,” AS JAWAHARLAL NEHRU SO APTLY REMARKED .

THE EXECUTION OF THE BUILDINGS FOR THE CITY CENTRE WAS ASSIGNED TO DIFFERENT ARCHITECTS. PIERRE JEANNERET CONSCIENTIOUSLY SUPERVISED AND ORGANIZED THE SCHEMES

DETERMINED BY LECORBUSIER. THE PLANS CAN VARY AS REQUIRED, BUT MUST RESPECT A SUFFICIENTLY LARGE OPEN SURFACE ALONG THE FACADES AS ANTI-GLARE PROTECTION.

SUKHNA LAKE, CHANDIGARH

THE CLUB HOUSE- NORTH OF THE CAPITOL NO ADDITIONAL STRUCTURES WERE TO BE ERECTED,IN ORDER NOT TO IMPEDE THE VIEW OF THE HIMALAYA.

THIS WAS AN EXPRESS CONDITION LAID DOWN BY LE CORBUSIER.

THE CLUB HOUSE WAS HOWEVER NECESSITY.

LE CORBUSIER DESIGNED A COMPLEX LYING 3 METERS BENEATH ROAD LEVEL,SO THAT THE HOUSE IS SCARSELY VISIBLE FROM THE PROMENADE.

THE CAUSEWAY- CHANDIGARH IS SURROUNDED BY THE RIVERS PATIALI AND MANIMAJRA, WHICH CARRY WATER ONLY DURING THE MONSOON SEASON.

THE REINFORCED CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION IS SIMPLE AND PLAIN, AND ITS SEVERE LINES HARMONIZE ENTIRELY WITH THE NATURAL SETTING.

AT ALL OTHER TIMES OF THE YEAR THEY ARE DRY.

DURING THE HOT MONTHS OF MAY AND JUNE, ENORMOUS AMOUNTS OF DUST USED TO BLOW INTO THE CITY.

TREES AND SHRUBS WERE PLANTED AS A PROTECTIVE ZONE ALONG THESE RIVERS, SO THAT THE CITY IS NOW FREE OF THE INCONVENIENCE OF THIS FLYING SAND.

ONE OF THESE RIVERS HAS BEEN DAMMED. IN 1955 THE WATER BOULEVARD WAS EXTENDED IN THE SHAPE OF A

CAUSEWAY, OR DAM, THE RETAINING WALL BEING MORE THAN

20 METERS HIGH AND 4 KILOMETERS LONG.

THIS DAM,WITH ITS WIDTH ON TOP OF 24METERS, THUS YIELDED A PROMENADE.

THE ARTIFICIAL LAKE CREATED BEHIND THE DAM HAS MODIFIED THE CLIMATE OF THE CITY.