Is Chandigarh a perfectly planned city? - Vikramāditya Prakāsh
In 1947, India achieved independence
from British rule—
but this freedom came
at a tremendous cost.
The region had been split in two,
displacing over 10 million residents
and leading to riots that saw the deaths
of roughly 1 million people.
Jawaharlal Nehru,
India’s first prime minister,
was eager to usher his country
towards a brighter, united future.
And one of the projects that would prove
most essential to realizing this vision
was the construction of Chandigarh:
a modern metropolis designed to symbolize
“the nation’s faith in the future.”
But the path to Nehru’s futurist city
was far from simple.
Since money was tight
for the burgeoning nation,
the project was only able to secure
a budget of 175 million rupees.
That’s the modern equivalent
of roughly 500 million US dollars—
which is barely enough to build
a pair of skyscrapers today.
The project also had low public support
because the plans required the
further displacement of local villages.
The government compensated protesting
residents with funds to buy new homes.
But their agricultural lands would
still be overtaken by the new city.
Nehru’s plan for unity
was off to a rocky start.
But the city’s plans were as inspiring
as they were innovative.
In 1949, Nehru commissioned
American architect Albert Mayer,
whose initial designs laid out
green spaces, sectioned neighborhoods,
and organized traffic systems.
When Mayer left the project
due to his business partner’s death,
his plans were taken even further
by renowned French architect Le Corbusier.
Known as one of the fathers
of modern architecture,
Le Corbusier prioritized functional
designs devoid of ornamentation.
His style championed unornamented concrete
for creating efficient structures
that prioritized function over decoration.
Building on Mayer’s plans,
Le Corbusier introduced the metaphor
of a human body
to describe and design
Chandigarh’s urban environment.
The head of the city would comprise
the main administrative area.
Alongside the State Secretariat,
Parliamentary Assembly and High Court,
the complex included symbolic structures
like the Martyr’s Memorial,
dedicated to those who perished fighting
for Indian independence.
From the head, residents could travel
down the city’s circulatory system:
a network of roads and pathways
known as the 7Vs.
These hierarchical roads connected
Chandigarh to other cities
while seamlessly linking
the sectors within
for drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians.
Chandigarh’s heart was Sector 17—
a commercial district housing large shops,
offices, a parade ground,
and the main interstate bus terminal.
And the city’s lungs took the form
of a continuous Leisure Valley.
This series of green belts was modeled
after the popular garden city concept,
which sought to increase green cover
and guarantee all residents access
to fresh air and open space.
Taken as a whole, these plans were
unprecedented, daring, and expensive.
Fortunately, Le Corbusier’s streamlined
modernist aesthetic helped keep costs low.
Most structures were built of brick,
which was left unpainted and unplastered.
Even the city’s grandest concrete
buildings remain naked to this day.
And since the budget couldn’t accommodate
mechanical heating and cooling systems,
Chandigarh was designed
with passive cooling and ventilation
built into every structure.
Other tropical cities employed
similar techniques on a smaller scale,
but in Chandigarh every room
had direct access
to adequate sunlight and ventilation.
Overhangs provided shade during the summer
and let in heat during the winter.
And today, the energy efficiency
of Chandigarh’s many brick buildings
has made the city famous
for its eco-friendly design.
Of course, neither Chandigarh’s
past nor present is perfect.
The hierarchy of housing types
resulted in segregation
between affluent, large households
and small, denser plots.
And the city’s focus on residential
and government buildings
prevented the development
of other industries.
But many other elements of Mayer and
Le Corbusier’s plans have aged quite well.
Thousands of trees and open spaces
make it one of India’s greenest cities.
And its high quality of life continues
to make Chandigarh
one of the most desirable cities to live
in the nation.
Over 60 years after its construction,
Chandigarh remains an international
exemplar of urban design.
