Le Corbusier planned the city of Chandigarh as one of his most significant urban planning experiments in the 20th century. He formulated a new plan for Chandigarh that kept the orientation of grids from an earlier plan but added features such as a dominant off-centered axis, larger superblocks, a combined government complex, and six to eight linear parks. The city was divided into 30 sectors for residential, commercial, and institutional use that were self-contained and surrounded by roads and green spaces. While pioneering modern architecture and urban planning in India, Chandigarh was also criticized for lacking street culture and excitement of traditional Indian cities.

1. LE CORBUSIER
CITY PLANNING OF CHANDIGARH

2. INTRODUCTION
•Chandigarh is one of the most significant urban planning
experiments of the 20th century.
• It is the only one of the numerous urban planning schemes of
Le Corbusier to have actually been executed.
•It is also the site of some of his greatest architectural
creations.
•The city has had a far-reaching impact, ushering in a modern
idiom of architecture and city planning all over India. It has
become a symbol of planned urbanism.
• It is as famous for its landscaping as for its architectural
ambience.
•Most of the buildings are in pure, cubical form, geometrically
subdivided with emphasis on proportion, scale and detail.

3. About Site Source:
 Mountainous region
 Central location
 Natural drainage
 Sufficient water supply
 Foothills of Shivalik
 Moderate climate
 sub mountainous area of the Ambala district
 150 miles north of New Delhi
 Flatter Area
 gentle sloping plain of agriculture land dotted with
grooves of mango trees
 consisting of 59 villages

5. Head–capitol (place of power) (Sector-1)
Heart –the city centre (Sector 17)
Stomach–the commercial area
Arms–university and Industrial zone
Lungs–leisure valley ,open spaces
Arteries–network of roads

7.  Mayer’s Plan Albert Mayer and Mathew
Nowicky
 Located between two boundary rivers
 fan shaped plan
 Govt. Centre – Northeast Side of the
City
 Super Block - Accommodating some
1500 families.
 3 Superblocks to make a district
 Industrial area planned in southern
corner
 Administration area in north-east
 2 Large parkland zones across city
 Future expansion in the southwest
across the plan 1500 feet 3000 Feet
Sukhna River Patiala Rao
Administration Complex
SUPERBLOCK Neighbourhood Unit
Concept Criticism – Lacks Monumental
Symbolism

8. Le Corbusier’s Intervention
Formulation of new plan
• Kept orientation of grids as it was
• One dominant off centred doglegged axis
• The grid of superblock increased in size to
1200 x 800mts (3900 x 2700 feet)
• Accommodating up to 25000 inhabitants
• Within superblock centralized market was
replaced by continuous bazar street across
the block.
• Capital Complex and high court combined in
one govt. complex
• CBD Area Remained the same
• Shifted Capital complex to higher ground
• Two linear parks were replaced by total of 6
later by 8.
• Each Sector with its own green space around
which houses are designed
• V7 Road Concept Leisure Valley Capitol
Complex V1 Industrial Areas Sukhna River
Patiala Rao River 800m 1200m

9. Sectors
• Total 30 sectors - 24
residential
• 70% building private
• Autonomous unit including
housing, school, shops,
recreational spaces.
• 3000-25000 accommodating
capacity
• Surrounded by high speed
roads
• Bus stops every 400mts
• No pedestrian needs to walk
more than 10 minutes

10. Criticism
• Self contained sectors – All essential
services within walking distance.
• Sectors provide safe space for
children.
• Safe, Yet boring
• Confusing Streets.
• Discouraging Place to go for walk.
• Un-Indian and yet inspiration of
architects.
Lack in Characteristics
• Street Culture.
• Excitement of Indian cities.

13. V-1 Fast roads connecting Chandigarh to other towns; V-2 Arterial roads;
V-3 Fast vehicular roads; V-4 Free Flowing shopping streets; V-5 Sector circulation
roads; V-6 Access roads to houses; V-7 Footpaths and cycle tracks

14. Roads

17. HOUSING
• The residential buildings were governed
by a mechanism known as 'frame control'
created by the municipal administration to
control their facades.
•This fixed the building line and height and
the use of building materials.
•Certain standard sizes of doors and
windows are specified and all the gates
and boundary walls must conform to
standard design.
•The idea was to ensure that the view
from the street, which belonged to the
community, was of same visual order and
discipline to maintain uniformity.

21. COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS
• All buildings located in the City Centre and commercial
or institutional buildings located along V-2 roads were
subjected to controls.
•The system of the City Centre was based on a grid of
columns. fixed 5.26 meters shuttering pattern on
concrete and a system of glazing or screen walls behind
the line of columns.
•The interior planning was left to the owners. and in the
exterior, certain variations are permitted to give variety
to the architectural composition.

24. CAPITOL COMPLEX