THE CAPITOL COMPLEX, CHANDIGARH.

The Capitol Complex is located at the head' of the city against the backdrop of the Shiwalik Hills. Comprising the Capitol group of buildings, flanked by the Rajendra Park' and the Sukhna Lake' on each end, it stretches across the entire width of the city. Symbolizing celebration of democracy in a newly-independent nation-state, the Capitol group of buildings was built to a monumental scale. The group represents Le Corbusier's largest and most significant constructed architectural creation where the architect put in his heart and soul for over 13 years, painstakingly designing and monitoring the realization of its ingenious layout, its major edifices', its monuments' as well as pieces of furniture, lighting fixtures and works of art, including the famed enamel door for the Legislative Assembly, monumental tapestries and low-relief sculptures cast in concrete. Le Corbusier's Capitol for Chandigarh comprises four Edifices' - the High Court, the Legislative Assembly, the Secretariat and the Museum of Knowledge - and six Monuments', all arranged within a profusely landscaped park-like environment.

The layout is based around an invisible geometry of three interlocking squares, their corners and intersection-points marked by Obelisks'. The northern and western edges of the larger 800m-side square define the boundaries of the Capitol, while the two smaller, 400m-side squares determine relative placing of the four Edifices' and proportions of the spaces in between. Harmonious relationship between various structures is further established though the consistent use of exposed reinforced concrete. The most significant aspect of the layout, however, is the facilitation of uninterrupted pedestrian linkages throughout the complex. A vast concrete esplanade between the High Court and the Assembly thus became the central design feature, along which were arrayed the six Monuments' and various pools of water. All vehicular circulation was arranged, and dug out where necessary, at 5m below the esplanade. The large quantities of earth thus obtained were used to create artificial hills', enabling partial enclosure of the Capitol group and emphasizing its careful orientation towards the magnificent view of the hills beyond. THE BUILT EDIFICES: The built Edifices' - the High Court, the Legislative Assembly, and the Secretariat - represent the three major functions of democracy. Considered as Le Corbusier's most mature plastic creations, each of these is a masterpiece in itself, representing the adaptation of European Modernism, use of 20th century materials, and his personal directive principles to local conditions of cost, climate and technology. The fourth edifice', originally the Governor's Palace, but later replaced by the futuristic Museum of Knowledge', is yet to be realized. Though the form and design of each Edifice' is distinctive, their commonalities reinforce their collective role as a group. All designs exhibit the multifarious possibilities of deploying reinforced concrete and, the unique expression that was achieved in this modern

material through application of indigenous techniques and respect for local constraints. Also - in response to the client's brief - all buildings share a concern for controlling climate without aid of mechanical devices. This is evident in the orientation of the buildings, the careful design of the brise-soleil as well as intricate systems devised for trans-aeration. THE HIGH COURT:

The first of the buildings, the High Court housed 9 law courts and their attendant spaces. Le Corbusier's design included furniture, light fittings, and 9 large tapestries, one for each court. Completed by 1955 the building is significant as the first demonstration and a major vehicle for acceptance of exposed reinforced concrete surfaces and modern aesthetics even for buildings of power and prestige in India. In time, a low -rise Extension' in exposed brickwork was also added to the east. The entire structure 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 nine court rooms are identically expressed on the main faade and separated from the larger high court by a monumental columned entrance rising to the height of the building. The 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. It is the concrete screen which gives the main faade its over all unity. THE SECRETARIAT:

The 240m long, 24m deep and 50 m high Secretariat, was seen as a solution to problems of modern offices' such as adequate lighting, ventilation, economy and efficiency. The plan incorporated two ramps for vertical pedestrian movement. These bold vertical elements, along with the elaborately worked out Modulor-based faade, multi-level interior spaces, and the terrace garden are the key design features. 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 building was completed in 1958

 The building is composed of six eight storey blocks separated by expansion joints. The central pavilion, block 4, contains the offices of the ministers. The rough concrete again interposes in the fenestration of the two main facades; more than 2000 units of unique design. Approach 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 storeys. The top of the building is developed as a roof garden containing the service blocks and cafeteria for employees.

THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY:

The most elaborate structure of the group is the Legislative Assembly. The design of its top-lit Forum, the sickle-shaped Portico, and the thin hyperboloid shell of the immense, column-free, circular Assembly Hall, is a landmark achievement that displays the immense plastic and structural potential of concrete. 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 cm. The small council chambers 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. There are two separate galleries for men and women in council chamber.

Le Corbusier's creative genius is also apparent in his use of light and colour in the interior spaces, the tapestries as also the ceremonial Enamel Door. Crowning the group, at the summit of V2 Capitol', the Museum of Knowledge was to serve a dual function as a place for state receptions as well as a research and data centre using the-then futuristic electronic devices. Plans for realization of this edifice are underway, albeit with a changed function.

THE MONUMENTS: Set up around the central axis of the esplanade, Le Corbusier's "Monuments" are sculptural elements symbolic of his strongest design preoccupations as well as the pride and the spirit of the new republic.

The Open Hand stands as the material symbol of the city's ideology- ...open to receive the created riches ...open to distribute them to its people.... The 12.50m wide and 8.86m Hand, is sculpted out of beaten iron sheets. A metal structure, designed to turn gently with wind, holds it 27.80m above the "Trench of Consideration" at its base.

The Modulor represents the all-pervasive visual order of Chandigarh. The monument was designed as a 5.3m high cube containing an iron Modulor, partially enclosed by concrete walls with bas-reliefs showing principles of Le Corbusier's harmonic measure to the human scale'. The Martyrs' Memorial honours all who had laid down their lives in India's long-drawn freedom struggle. The structure comprises a ramp and a group of sculptures - a 5m martyr', a broken column' symbolizing fall of the British

Empire, and mythological figures a lion' and a serpent' symbolizing the rebirth of the spirit of Indian people. The 24 Solar Hours, the Tower of Shadows as well as the Course of the Sun, grouped closely, underscore Le Corbusier's pre-occupation with the sun's influence on man's daily life and the architectural challenges presented by the complex climate of Chandigarh. The 24Solar Hours' was to be inscribed on the 45m wide inclined face of the Geometric Hill'. The Tower of Shadows' occupies a square of 15.5m.Its facades give varying sun-control solutions for the four cardinal directions. The Course of the Sun', the preliminary design sketches for which indicate two tall parabolic arches of steel standing in a pool of water, was to depict the deviation between the summer and winter solstice.

Tower of shadows