Le Corbusier was a Swiss-French architect who helped plan the city of Chandigarh in India. He designed several key buildings in Chandigarh including the Secretariat, High Court, Assembly building, and Museum and Art Gallery. Le Corbusier divided Chandigarh into sectors based on a grid pattern and established a hierarchy of roads. His buildings featured exposed concrete and brick with minimalist designs. The Open Hand monument in Chandigarh symbolizes peace and unity.
2. LE CORBUSIER
Name
Charles-Édouard Jeanneret-Gris
Le Corbusier
Nationality
Swiss / French
Birth date
October 6, 1887(1887-10-06)
Birth place
La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland
Date of death
August 27, 1965 (aged 77)
Place of death
Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, France.
3. •His career spanned 8 decades, with his buildings
constructed throughout central Europe, India, Russia, and
one each in North and South America. He was also an
urban planner, painter, sculptor, writer, and modern
furniture designer.
•Dad was watchmaker
•Grew up seeing the alps – adored cows right from his
childhood (inspiration for chandigarh secratariat)
•Self made architect
•Gave the world one of the STRONGEST proportioning
systems.
•As students understand his straight forward approach
towards any of his projects
•Minimalistic approach.
Died in the Mediterranean
4. MODULAR THEORY
Le Corbusier explicitly used the golden ratio in
his Modular system for the scale of architectural
proportion.
Le Corbusier based the system on human
measurements, Fibonacci numbers, and the double
unit.
He took Leonardo's suggestion of the golden
ratio in human proportions to an extreme: he
sectioned his model human body's height at the
navel with the two sections in golden ratio, then
subdivided those sections in golden ratio at the
knees and throat; he used these golden ratio
proportions in the Modular system.
Le Corbusier placed systems of harmony and
proportion at the centre of his design philosophy,
and his faith in the mathematical order of the
universe was closely bound to the golden section
and the Fibonacci series
Le Corbusier's 1927 Villa Stein in Garches
exemplified the Modular system's application.
The villa's rectangular ground plan, elevation, and
inner structure closely approximate golden
5. CHANDIGARH
HISTORY:
•The idea of building Chandigarh was conceived soon after India's independence in
1947, when the tragedy and chaos of Partition, and the loss of its historic capital
Lahore, had crippled the state of Punjab.
•A new city was needed to house innumerable refugees and to provide an
administrative seat for the newly formed government of re-defined Punjab.
•Chandigarh was regarded as a unique symbol of the progressive aspirations of the
new republic and the ideology of its struggle for independence.
•It aimed to provide a generous cultural and social infrastructure and equitable
opportunities for a dignified, healthy living even to the "poorest of the poor".
•The near vacuum of indigenous expertise needed to realize this dream prompted the
search for Western skill.
• Yet, conscious of the specificities of their situation, the search was narrowed to "...a
good modern architect who was not severely bound by an established style and who
would be capable of developing a new conception originating from the exigencies of the
project itself and suited to the Indian climate, available materials and the functions of
the new capital.
•"The Chandigarh Project was, at first, assigned to the American planner Albert
Mayer, with his associate Matthew Nowicki working out architectural details. Le
Corbusier's association with the city was purely fortuitous, a result of Nowicki's
sudden death .
•Corbusier continued to be associated with the city as the principal ‘architectural and
planning advisor‘ till his death in1965.
6. CORBUSIER’S PLAN FOR MODERN CHANDIGARH
•Taking over from Albert Mayer, Le Corbusier produced a
plan for Chandigarh that conformed to the modernist city
planning principles, in terms of division of urban functions,
an anthropomorphic plan form, and a hierarchy of road and
pedestrian networks.
•This vision of Chandigarh, contained in the innumerable
conceptual maps on the drawing board together with notes
and sketches had to be translated into brick and mortar.
•Le Corbusier retained many of the seminal ideas of Mayer
and Nowicki, like the basic framework of the master plan
and its components: The Capitol, City Centre, besides the
University, Industrial area, and linear parkland.
• Even the neighbourhood unit was retained as the basic
module of planning. However, the curving outline of Mayer
and Nowicki was reorganized into a mesh of rectangles, and
the buildings were characterized by an "honesty of
materials".
• Exposed brick and boulder stone masonry in its rough form
produced unfinished concrete surfaces, in geometrical
structures. This became the architectural form
characteristic of Chandigarh, set amidst landscaped gardens
and parks.
7. The initial plan had two phases: the first for a population of 150,000 and the
second taking the total population to 500,000. Le Corbusier divided the city
into units called "sectors", each representing a theoretically self-sufficient
entity with space for living, working and leisure. The sectors were linked to
each other by a road and path network developed along the line of the 7 Vs, or
a hierarchy of seven types of circulation patterns. At the highest point in this
network was the V1, the highways connecting the city to others, and at the
lowest were the V7s, the streets leading to individual houses. Later a V8 was
added: cycle and pedestrian paths.
8. The roads of the city are classified into seven
categories, known as the system of 7 V's, as below :
V 1 - Fast roads connecting Chandigarh to other
towns.
V 2 - Arterial roads.
V 3 - Fast vehicular roads.
V 4 - Meandering shopping streets.
V 5 - Sector circulation roads.
V 6 - Access roads to houses.
V 7 - Footpaths and cycle tracks.
Buses will ply only on V 1, V 2, V 3, and V 4 roads. A
wall shall seal the V 3 roads from the sectors.
9. •The city plan is laid down in a grid pattern.
•The whole city has been divided into rectangular patterns, forming identical
looking sectors, each sector measures 800 m x 1200 m. The sectors were
to act as self-sufficient neighbourhoods, each with its own market, places
of worship, schools and colleges - all within 10 minutes walking distance
from within the sector.
• The original two phases of the plan delineated sectors from 1 to 47, with
the exception of 13 (Number 13 is considered unlucky).
•The Assembly, the secretariat and the high court, all located in Sector -
1 are the three monumental buildings designed by Le Corbusier in which he
showcased his architectural genius to the maximum.
•The city was to be surrounded by a 16 kilometre wide greenbelt that was
to ensure that no development could take place in the immediate vicinity of
the town, thus checking suburbs and urban sprawl.
•While leaving the bulk of the city's architecture to other members of his
team, Le Corbusier took responsibility for the overall master plan of the
city, and the design of some of the major public buildings including the High
Court, Assembly, Secretariat, the Museum and Art Gallery, School of Art
and the Lake Club.
10. Le Corbusier 's most prominent building, the Court House,
consists of the High court, which is literally higher than the
other, eight lower courts. Most of the other housing was done
by Le Corbusier 's cousin Pierre Jeanerette.
•It continues to be an object of interest for architects,
planners, historians and social scientists.
Chandigarh is the 1st planned modern city of
India designed by the French architect Le
Corbusier. Chandigarh and the area
surrounding it were constituted as a union
territory on 1st November, 1966. It serves
as the joint capital of both, Punjab and
Haryana states. It is bounded on the north
and west by Punjab and east and south by
Haryana. Total area of the union territory is
114Sq.Km.
11. The city was named after the mother goddess of power,
Chandi, whose temple Chandimandu is a feature of the new
city. Le-Corbusier was assisted by his cousin, Pieree
Jeanneret and the English couple E.Mazwell Fry and Jane B.
Druel. These 3 architects are responsible for most of the
public and residential building raised in Chandigarh between
1950 and 1965.
The beautiful city also known as 'city of roses', was planned to
house the capital to the erstwhile Punjab state.
Much of the beauty owes to the planning of the city in sectors with
houses which conform to a modern design and its grand Secretariat and
Assembly buildings were build according to Le-Corbusier's plans and a
picturesque lake was also created along with the Shivaliks.
The genius of Nek Chand led to the creation of one of Chandigarh's landmarks
the 'Rock garden', and a rose garden also came up. It is one of the most
attractive cities of India. It has a large lake i.e. Sukhna lake, with beautiful
picnic spots.
12. OPEN HAND
•Open hand in Chandigarh, India is one of the
most significant monuments of the city.
•The credit for laying down its plan goes to Le
Corbusier.
•It is located in sector 1 in the Capitol Complex.
•Chandigarh open hand monument has been
designed in the form of a giant hand made from
metal sheets that rotates like a weathercock,
indicating the direction of wind.
13. •This giant hand is 14 metres
high and weighs around 50
tonnes.
•The significance of open hand
is that it conveys the social
message of peace and unity that
is "open to give & open to
receive."
•Open hand is the city's official
emblem.
14. CORBUSIER’S WORK IN CHANDIGARH
•Palace assembly
•Secretariat
•High court
•Museum
Palace assembly
The most majestic entrance to the assembly is
reflected in a large pool of water.
The main entrance is fitted with a door made of
enamel steel ,a gift from France to Punjab on which
many of Corbusier’s motifs are depicted.
The circular auditorium is crowned by a frustum
which is said to depict the horn of a cow.
16. Secretariat
•The Secretariat is the largest of these edifices in the Capitol Complex. It is the
headquarter of both Punjab and Haryana governments.
• It is a huge multi-storied linear slab-like structure, intended as a work place for
4000 people.
• The building is 254 meters long and 42 meters high.
•It is composed of 8 storeys.
•The long line of rhythmic sun breakers is relieved by introducing varied heights
and projections, together with a roof containing towers, funnels, pavilions and a
cafeteria jutting out like an art object placed on a pedestal
17. •. In the hands of Corbusier, this basically repetitive
framework has been shaped into a work of art.
•Built during 1953-59, it is shaped like an eight - storey
concrete slab, with its distinctive brise-soleil ( louvered
screen ) of deeply sculptured two-storey porticos in the
centre, housing the offices of ministers.
• The cafeteria rests atop the terrace like an art object,
giving a spectacular view of the city.
18. High Court
•This structure has a double
roof, projecting over the
office block like a parasol or an
inverted umbrella.
• This magnificent outward
sweep of the upper roof is
symbolic of protection &
justice to the people.
•The 3 vertical piers, rising 60
feet from the floor and
painted in bright colours from
the grand entrance of the
building facade. On the rear
walls of the court rooms, hang
the giant wooden tapestries.
19. •Classic example of
cubism.
•Perfectly composed
vertical and horizontal
lines wit solids and voids.
Access to the upper
floors is through a ramp
sheltered by a portico.
The gradual climb
reveals the vast expanse
and the coloured
concrete volumes of the
bldg.
The rooms are shielded
by the sun breakers
from inside.
20. The Government Museum & Art Gallery, Chandigarh :
- The Museum was inaugurated on the 6th May, 1968.
-Situated in the heart of the city planned by Le Corbusier, and very close
to the city center in beautiful view of the Shivalik range of mountains.
-The Museum has four wings of which the largest and the most imposing is
doubtless the building of the Art Gallery. Another wing constitutes the
Natural History Museum, Chandigarh Architecture Museum and National
Gallery of Portraits.
-The museum is designed to provide architectural harmony
in its interior by the use of colour as well as by means of
structure with spaces flowing into one another, allowing long
and deep uninterrupted views.
-The basic plan of the museum building is
based on a grid system of columns and
beams and is a square of 165 feet by 165
feet. The main building is divided vertically
into three levels. Level 1 has the reception
hall, foyer, reserve collection storage,
conservation laboratory, temporary
exhibition hall, and auditorium. The main
galleries are on Level 2.
21. Level 3 has the offices of curatorial staff, research rooms, committee room
and library. Communication is through the centre of square by means of a
ramp, and additional provision has been made for goods lift and service
staircase to carry exhibits to the different levels of the museum. Facilities
for the disposal of rainwater have been made so that it runs into pools
through canals that are laid out on the two sides of the building.
Lighting :
It is a museum in which lighting by daylight has been used to maximum
advantage. Light is admitted from the North East and South West
sides through the sky light openings louvered to prevent the direct sun
rays from penetrating into the galleries.
. In addition to this, a system of
top lighting is provided along the
entire length of the building from
North East to South West.
Handled with thought and
imagination this provides the
right intensity of lighting for the
correct illumination of various
objects of art.