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
CORBUSIERS SO CALLED MASTER
HE AS A CHILD PREPARED HIMSELF FOR A MANUAL OCCUPATION
HE LEFT HIS SCHOOL AT THE AGE OF 13 YRS
JOINED AN ART SCHOOL LATER

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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 SOMETHINGTHAT
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 VS ROAD SYSTEM IS USED
THE ROADS ARE CLASSIFIED AS V1 ,V2 ,V3V7
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 ITSHUMAN SCALE
SELF SUFFICIENT SECTORS
ROADS SYSTEM
AREAS OF SPECIAL INTEREST
ARCHITECTURAL CONTROL

THREE DISCIPLINES

THE DISCIPLINE OF MONEY

LE CORBUISER ONCE REMARKED THATINDIA 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 ALLHUMAN 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

OPEN HAND

GOVERNOR,S PALACE
HIGH COURT
ASSEMBLY

SECRETARIAT

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

RAMP ENCLOCURE
SQUARE WINDOWS
ROUGH CONCRETE
FINISH

FREE FACADE

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
HT OF 2
FREE STANDING EXTERIOR
RAMPS ENCLOSED IN ROUGH
STOREYS
CONCRETE WALLS
LEFT OPEN
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 MINISTERS BLOCK THE
BAY SIZE IS INCREASED AND
THE COLUMN IS THICKENED
COLUMNS SUPPORTING
1 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 FAADE 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

FAADE 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 FAADE 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 FAADE THE DEEP FIXED CONCRETE BRISE SOLEIL
GIVES A STRONG AND SCALELESS PATTERN TO THE BUILDING
IT IS THE CONCRETE SCREEN WHICH GIVES THE MAIN FAADE 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 FAADE 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

ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES

PARASOL ROOF
FORMING ARCHES
DOUBLE ROOF
GAP LEFT BETWEEN
TWO ROOFS

COLOURED MASSIVE PILLARS

FULL HT ENTRANCE

REAR VIEW

DOUBLE ROOF

APPROACHED THROUGH ROADS

ROUGH CONCRETE FINISHED RAMP

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.