Preamble, Inception and Brief History

About Chandigarh
Academic Ideology
Preamble, Inception and Brief History
Chandigarh the largest and the most daring experiment in modern urbanism has become the
Mecca for architects from all over the orld! Chandigarh"s pre#eminence as an $International City$
rests largely on the orld renoned architect %e Corbusier& ho developed its master plan in
'()', based on his urban planning theories and his masterly architectural or*s!
+hat is not so ell *non is the fact that the ,-th century.s greatest architect also succeeded in
getting Chandigarh College of Architecture /CCA0 established as an integral part of the great
Chandigarh 1xperiment! His conviction as that the creation of built environment, hoever
brilliant and conse2uential, cannot be fully grasped# much less perpetuated if the principles
regulating its concept are not properly understood through study of various components of the
city in use!
CCA aims at developing its uni2ue inherent potential and location and to inspire, support, sustain
and continue academic programs hereby professionals trained in the tradition of modern
urbanism ushered in by the incomparable master# could extend the frontiers of Creativity in the
pursuit of serving the 3amily of Man ## efficiently, comprehensively, beautifully! 4he Chandigarh
College of Architecture /CCA0 as established on 5th August '(6' and as set up as a part of
the great 7Chandigarh 1xperiment8 to impart education in Architecture!
About Chandigarh
Introduction
Conceptuali9ed as a symbol of India .s ne freedom, democracy and its progressive thin*ing,
Chandigarh as to be in :ehru.s ords ;a ne city unlettered by the traditions of the past! !!an
expression of the nation.s faith in the future! Chandigarh one of the most significant urban
planning experiments of the ,-th century, is the only one of the numerous urban planning
schemes of %e Corbusier, the famous 3rench architect# planner, to have actually been executed!
It is also the site of some of his greatest architectural creations! 4he city has had far#reaching
impact, ushering in a modem idiom of architecture and city planning all over India and has
become a symbol of planned urbanism! It is as famous for it"s landscaping as for its architectural
ambience! Most of the buildings are in pure, cubical form, geometrically subdivided ith emphasis
on proportion, scale and detail!
%e Corbusier summed up his or* on the city in an ;edict;, reproduced here in full<
1=IC4 >3 CHA:=I?A@H
4he obAect of this edict is to enlighten the present and future citi9ens of Chandigarh about the
basic concepts of planning of the city so that they become its guardians and save it from hims of
individuals! 4his edict sets out the folloing basic ideas underlying the planning of the city!
HBMA: CCA%1<
4he city of Chandigarh is planned to human scale! It puts us in touch ith the infinite cosmos and
nature! It provides us ith places and buildings for all human activities by hich the citi9ens can
live a full and harmonious life! Here the radiance of nature and heart are ithin our reach!
C1C4>@C<
4his city is composed of sectors! 1ach sector is D-- meters by ',,-- meters, enclosed by roads
allocated to fast mechani9ed transport and sealed to direct access from the houses!
1ach sector caters to the daily needs of its inhabitants, hich vary from ),--- to ,),--- and has
a green strip oriented longitudinally stretching centrally along the sector in the direction of the
mountains! 4he green strip should stay uninterrupted and accommodate schools, sports fields,
al*s and recreational facilities for the sector!
Eehicular traffic is completely forbidden in the green strips, here tran2uility shall reign and the
curse of noise shall not penetrate!
@>A=C<
4he roads of the city are classified into seven categories, Fnon as the system of 5 E s, as
belo<
E #' # 3ast roads connecting Chandigarh to other tons&
E#, #arterial roads!
E#G ##3ast vehicular roads&
E #H #Meandering shopping streets&
E #) #Cector circulation roads&
E #6 #Access roads to houses&
E #5 #footpaths and cycle trac*s
Buses ill ply only on E#I, E#,, E#G and E#H roads! A all shall seal the E#G roads from the sectors!
A@1AC >3 CP1CIA% A@CHI41C4@BA% I:41@1C4<
Certain areas of Chandigarh are of special architectural interest! +here harmoni9ed and unified
construction of buildings is aimed at, absolute architectural and 9oning control should remain
operative!
Along E #, central, dual carriageays Madhya Marg and Bttar Marg, here s*yline, heights,
character and architecture of buildings as planned shall not be altered!
:o building shall be constructed north of the Capitol Complex! Along E #, beyond dual
carriageay areas are reserved for cultural institutions only and shall never have any residential
buildings!
CI4I C1:4@1<
4he centraI pla9a in Cector '5 as designed by %e Corbusier as ;Pedestrian.s Paradise ;! :o
vehicular traffic ill be permitted in the pla9a!
I:=BC4@IA% A@1A<
>nly such industry as is poered by electricity ould be permitted in the Industrial Area, so that
atmosphere is saved from pollution!
4H1 %AF1 <
4he %a*e is a gift of the creators of Chandigarh to the citi9ens to be at one ith me la*e and its
environments and its tran2uility shall be guaranteed by banning noises!
%A:=CCAPI:?<
4he landscaping of this city is based on careful observation of the vegetation of India ! Celected
ornamental trees, shrubs and climbers have been planted according to color schemes to beautify
it! In future planting and replacements, these principles must be *ept in vie! 4here should be no
hapha9ard replacements, so that the avenues retain their harmony and beauty!
4he %eisure E alley, the @aAendra Par* and other par*s shall be developed as par*s only and no
building other than already planned shall be permitted!
:> P1@C>:A% C4A4B1C CHA%% B1 1@1C41=<
4he age of personal statues is gone! :o personal statues shall be erected in the city or par*s of
Chandigarh , 4he city is planned to breathe the ne sublimated spirit of art! Commemoration of
persons shall be confined to suitably placed bron9e pla2ues!
4@B4H3B%:1CC >3 BBI%=I:? MA41@IA%C 4> B1 MAI:4AI:1=<
4he truthfulness of materials of constructions, concrete, bric*s and stone, shall be maintained in
all buildings constructed or to be constructed! 4he seed of Chandigarh is ell son! It is for the
citi9ens to see that the tree flourishes!
4H1 BI>%>?ICA% A:A%>?I
%e Corbusier li*ed to compare the city he planned to a biological entity< the head as the Capitol,
the City Center as the heart and or* areas of the institutional area and the university ere
limbs! Aside from the %eisure Ealley traversing almost the entire city, par*s extended lengthise
through each sector to enable every resident to lift their eyes to the changing panorama of hills
and s*y! %e Corbusier identified four basic functions of a City< living, or*ing, circulation and care
of the body and spirit! If 7circulation; as the dominant function, then of all ;bodily elements;, it
as the ;head; #that is the Capitol## that most completely engaged the master architect.s interest!
%e Corbusier alays loo*ed for a chance to ma*e a dramatic statement< in the context of
Chandigarh , that as the Capitol in this, the priorities of the Indian government and %e
Corbusier.s natural inclination converged!
4H1 3B:C4I>:C >3 4H1 CI4I
4he functions of the city ere broadly classified under the four heads
%iving<# the sector ith its shops, schools, health centers, places for recreation and orship etc!
+or*ing<# the Capitol, the City Center /Cector #'50, the educational 9one, the industrial area and
other axial roads lined ith shop and office bloc*s!
Care of body and spirit<# the lungs of the city, these comprise of the green spaces and par*s of
each sector, the leisure valley running right across the city, the Cu*hna %a*e, the @aAindra Par*
etc!
Circulation<# %es Cept Eoies de Circulation, or Ceven Es! the very basis of the entire city plan& it
consists of the .seven Es. as explained in the 1dict above!
Besides the urban precepts and design ideologies of Corbusier there ere many other
constraints that guided the final shape and texture of tile city<
4he =iscipline of Money</4he financial constraints!0
Corbusier once remar*ed, 7 India has me treasures of a proud culture but her officer are empty,;
and throughout the proAect the desire for grandness as hampered by the need for strict
economy! 1ach design and detail as evolved and sometimes reor*ed to fit into the budget
allotted!
4he =iscipline of 4echnology /4he technical innovations0
At Chandigarh reliance on local materials as essential! 4he scarcity of steel and seasoned ood
resulted in most of the city being constructed in locally produced bric*! Available in 2uantity,
hoever as good clay, stone, sand and above all human labor! Corbusier reported that things
ere done in a typical Indian fashion #ith an innumerable force and very fe machines!
Concrete, ith the patterns of shuttering and formor* retained, as used extensively in *eeping
ith the demand for economy and easy or*ability! 4his has no in fact become tl'e identity of
Chandigarh and a techni2ue used extensively the orld over!
In Corbusier.s ords<
;3or fifty years concrete has been treated as a poor material but here it is treated as noble! Here
e leave it rough! It is li*e the stone of the mountains! It has its on harmony!;
4he =iscipline of Climate<
4he sun has partially governed the orientation of the street pattern of Chandigarh ! :one of the
streets lie in an east#est, north#south line so that traffic is spared having to face the direct
eastern or estern sun!
In the design of houses less attention as paid to the need of cross ventilation hich in the
critically hot periods is of no avail and more to the creation of cool interiors as amply protected
from the south est sun as ingenuity and exiguous funds permitted!
Particularly noticeable through out the city is the use of the brise#soliel /sun brea*er0, a device
introduced by Corbusier for controlling the admission of Cunlight!
4H1 CAPI4>%
4he Capitol is %e Corbusier.s tour de force< he began to s*etch the designs for the Capitol
buildings during his first visit itself in early '()'! 4he complex stands aloof and dominates the city!
Corbusier believed that ; Chandigarh is not a city of lords, princes or *ings confined ithin alls,
croded in by neighbors!; 4hese geometrical concrete buildings are intended to embody the
essential spirit of the ne city , the si9e and solidity of the structures denote poer #the poer of
the people in a democratic state! %e Corbusier devoted great attention to the placement of the
various buildings and other elements to avoid a static balance
=isciplined by a limited budget, a primitive technology and a brutal climate, yet given a sympathy
and freedom unusual in his career, Corbusier has been able to create in India an architectural
expression surpassing in poer any of his previous efforts!
In contrast to the panoramic Chivali* hills that form the most pictures2ue bac*drop for the Capitol
# the small artificial hilloc*s planned by %e Corbusier play a delightful visual game of hiding and
revealing the edifices from the rest of the city! In %e Corbusier"s original concept& the Capitol as
to consist of the edifices consisting of
i0 Cecretariat ii0 Assembly iii0 High Court and iv0 ?overnor.s Palace! Besides these main
buildings there ere also to be a number of monuments based on Corbusier"s personal
philosophy # to adorn the pia99as and the open spaces beteen the edifices! Hoever, the
proposed ?overnor"s Palace as later changed to a more democratic institution called the
Museum of Fnoledge ! Although all other structures of the Capitol have been built #sadly the
pivotal structure of the Museum of Fnoledge has still not been built, leaving %e Corbusier"s great
masterpiece somehat li*e an unfinished symphonyJ
4he Cecretariat
4he first conspicuous building to come into vie is the Cecretariat ## the largest of all from the
buildings in the complex /,)H meters by H, meters0! Positioned at a sharp right angle to the
mountain range it is designed as a vast linear slab#li*e structure a or*place for H--- people!
An endless rhythm of balconies and louvers on its linear facades is punctuated in a subtle ay by
a deliberately asymmetrical composition of brise#soleil /a sun shading device0, evolved by %e
Corbusier! It"s faKade, besides the rhythmic brise#soleil, is also sculpturally punctuated by the
protruding masses of angled ramps and stairays, 4he root line has a playful composition of a
restaurant bloc* a ramp and a terraced garden, to brea* the endless linearity!
4he Assembly
In front of the Cecretariat is located the most sculptural and eye#catching of all the geometrical
forms of the Capitol #4he Assembly! Characteri9ing the roofline of the Assembly is a great
hyperbolic drum connected to a pyramidal by a small bridge, Inside, the legislative chambers are
dramatically illumined ith shafts of light, 4he building has to entrances< one at the basement
level for everyday use an the other from the pia99a level for ceremonial occasions through a
massive entrance, 5!6- meters high and 5!6- meters broad, hose enameled door /a gift to
PunAab from 3rance0 translates a cubist mural painted by %e Corbusier himself! 4he door and
many other elements of the Capitol demonstrate %e Corbusier.s predilection for melding an and
architecture!
4he external faKade of the cuboid base has a rhythmic pattern of the brise#soleil ith its play of
light and shado on three sides, And on the fourth opening toards the large pia99a facing the
High Curt is a huge trough supported on massive pylons!
4he High Court
4he High Court is a linear bloc* ith the main faKade toards the pia99a! It has a rhythmic
arcade created by a parasol#li*e roof, hich shades the entire building! Feeping in vie the
special dignity of the entrance for them through a high portico resting on three giant pylons
painted in bright colors! Eery much in the tradition of the Buland =ara9a of 3atehpur#Ci*ri, this
grand entrance ith its aesome scale is intended to manifest the MaAesty of the %a to all ho
enter!
4he symbolism of providing an 7umbrella of shelter8 of la to the ordinary citi9en is most vividly
manifested here! 4he continuity of the concrete pia99a running into this space establishes a
uni2ue site and structural unity of the structure ith the ground plane! 4he massive concrete
pylons representing again the ;MaAesty. of %a; are painted in bright primary colors and visually
punctuate the otherise rhythmic facade of the High Court!
Colourful tapestries, one to each courtroom, cover the entire rear all in the main and smaller
courtrooms! A number of symbols that encapsulated %e Corbusier"s vie of man, earth, nature,
the emblems of India and the scales of Austice ere depicted in abstract, geometric patterns!
4hey ere also re2uired for acoustical reasons! 4hese tapestry designs referred to the basic
element of architecture, and of order generally! 4he designs are based on %e Corbusier.s
Modular, hich he used to organi9e the entire Capitol Complex and give dimensions to all its
buildings!
4he Modular<
%e Corbusier described the Modular as ;a modest servant offered by mathematics to people
desirous of harmony, a universal tool for all *inds of fabrications destined to be sent to all parts of
the orld! 4he Modular is based on human height!!! it places man at the center of the drama, its
solar plexus being the *ey to the three measures, hich express the occupation of space by its
members,; /cited by Prasad Cun and, '(D50
4H1 M>:BM1:4C
4here are various monuments in the Capitol Complex symboli9ing the basis of the philosophy by
hich %e Corbusier arrived at his understanding of the city design! 4hese are placed on the great
esplanade about H-- yards long hich Aoins the Assembly building to the High Court! 4hese
monuments are the >pen hand, Path of the sun /4he ?eometric hill0, 4he toer of shados and
the Martyrs Memorial!
4he >pen Hand<
4he most thoroughly developed of the Chandigarh monuments as ell as the most important as
a compositional element in the capitol complex is the monument of the open hand! It says ;open
to give, open to receive;! 4he open hand, li*e the museum of *noledge, serves to define the
outer edge of the capitol complex and to uphold a man made sculptural from against the rugged
profile the Himalayas ! 4he hand rises D) feet from an excavated pla9a termed the fosse de la
consideration, the pit of contemplation, hich is provided for debate on public affairs! 4he giant
hand is designed to turn on ball bearings to indicate symbolically the direction of the ind that is
the state of affairs!
4he surface of the hand as to be coated ith ba*ed enamel in orange, hite and green the
colors of the Indian flag!

4he Martyrs Memorials
Proceeding toard the assembly building one finds the martyrs. monument to the right! 4his is a
memorial to the martyrs of PunAab partition and consists of a s2uare enclosure ith one side
elongated into a ramp by hich one mounts the enclosing all, +ithin the enclosure are to be
symbolic figures of a prone man, a sna*e, and a lion set amid ruins, 4he concrete ramp permits
one to see, from above, the Capitol in its entirety and creates a promenade #rising and
descending!
4he ?eometric hill<
Cituated adAacent to the memorial, this as to be a huge earth tilled hill, hich ill have its loer
half in concrete relief or*, and the top covered ith grass turf! 4he relief ill be in the form of
Corbusier"s diagram of daily balance of light and dar*ness, hich in his ords ;rules man.s
activity;,
4he 4oer of shados<
Lust beyond the solar monument is the toer of shados a demonstration of Corbusier.s theories
of sun control, consisting of a series of platforms oriented to the Cardinal points and containing
sun brea*ers on three sides /except north0! 4his concrete structure is a culmination of the in
depth studies of Corbusier on the path of the sun and ays to control its penetration in to the built
up space!

Housing <
%oer category residential building are governed by a mechanism *non as ;frame control; to
control their facades! 4his fixes the building line and the use of building materials! Certain
standard Ci9es of doors and indos are specified and all the gates and boundary alls must
conform to standard design! 4his particularly applies to houses built on small plots of ,)- s2uare
meters or less! +hile they are alloed certain individuality, the idea is to ensure that the vie
from the street, hich belongs to the community, is one of order and discipline! All buildings along
the maAor axes of the city are brought under architectural control! A person building a house in
Chandigarh must employ a 2ualified architect and the design is submitted to the Chief Architect
for approval! Particular scrutiny as .applied to residential buildings constructed along Bttar Marg
/the northernmost avenue of the city at the very foot of the mountains0, those abutting on %eisure
Ealley and along certain E#G roads!
Commercial buildings<
All buildings located In the City Center and commercial or Institutional buildings to architectural
controls! 4he systems of the City Center is based on a grid of columns, fixed )!,6 meters,
shuttering pattern on concrete and a system of gla9ing or screen alls behind the line of column!
4he interior planning is left to the oners, and in the exterior, certain variations are permitted to
give variety to the architectural composition! Along the E#, roads, other types of treatments have
been evolved for facades! All commercial buildings and all buildings constructed along the E#H
roads in other sectors are also under strict control! 3or shops, complete designs have been
provided from the inception of the city!
Academic Ideology
+e believe that architecture, the ?reat Mother Art, is an ambient social art and it see*s to render
comprehensive service to man*ind by meeting the complex challenges of contemporary life!
In the light of the profession.s ne role, e train our students by exposing them to live problems,
situations and circumstances! 4eaching, throughout the course of five years, is based on an inter#
disciplinary approach hich in addition to classroom learning through lectures, slide tal*s,
discussions, assignments, comprehension tests, etc! entails numerous site visits and on#the#spot
studies! Ctudents are encouraged to ma*e their on observations of facts, to analy9e and to
evaluate them so that they may learn to rec*on the relevance and applicability of investigative
studies to the program re2uirements of creative course or* in architectural design!
4he College has a ell 2ualified and experienced faculty duly reinforced by visiting faculty of
eminent professionals dran from the field in the disciplines of architecture, planning, urban
design, engineering, humanities etc!
Main 4hrust
>ur main thrust is on the all encompassing nature and scope of Architectural =esign! 4he
concept and direction of architectural design, hoever ta*es shape gradually through the
development of the '-#semester course! Beginning ith an introduction to the theory and
application of Basic =esign, exercises in critical appreciation and creativity culminate in a
research andMor design thesis in hich a student gets an opportunity to handle all phases of
architectural design! 4his attempt ranges from the choice of the subAect of thesis,
caseMprototypeMlibrary studies, analysis, identificationMstatement of the problem and the obAectives
to the formulation of client"s, architect"s brief and hence to the planning and design solution!
4he Ctates +e Cerve4his college caters to the needs of architectural education largely of the
north#estern region, covering the Ctates of PunAab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Lammu N
Fashmir, @aAasthan and the Bnion 4erritory of Chandigarh! In addition to this there are ) /five0
seats hich are reserved for nominees of states from the northeastern parts of the country hich
are deficient in architectural education! 4his lends a more heterogeneous character to the college
broadening *noledge of diverse cultures and lifestyles!
%ive 1xposure
In the light of the profession"s ne role, CCA trains the students by exposing them to live
problems, situation and circumstances! Peoples, places, obAects and events are thus our maAor
inputs in imparting instruction in architecture! 4eaching throughout the course of five years is
based on an inter disciplinary approach hich entails numerous site visits and on the spot studies
in addition to class room learning through lectures, slide#tal*s, discussions, assignments,
comprehension tests, etc! Ctudents are encouraged to ma*e their on observations of facts to
analyse and to evaluate them so that they may learn to rec*on the relevance and applicability of
investigative studies to the programme re2uirements of creative course or* in architectural
design!
Academic Changes
=uring the course of its chec*ered career, CCA has undergone many changes! 4he semester
system as introduced in '(5,!
+e have no introduced a to#tier scheme ith effect from the academic session '(D)#D6! 4he
'- semester course is to be offered in to tiers< Ctage >ne, from first to sixth semester and Ctage
4o, from seventh to tenth semester! Ctage >ne consists of theoretical subAects, tutorials,
or*shop practice and studio or* for a basic grounding in the *noledge about architecture and
its tools and s*ills! Ctage 4o comprises a six month practical training folloed by a large
number of elective courses and studies of urban problems, professional practice, ton#planning
and a thesis! @ecently, in '((D a comprehensive revie of the syllabi as underta*en to ensure
greater cohesion progression and integration of the various related subAects and their inter#
relationship ith others!