le Corbusier

ARCHITECTDESIGNER

PAINTER URBAN PLANNERWRITER

ONE OF THE PIONEER OF MODERN ARCHITECTURE

By Pankaj Kumar Mipul Kumar

Life Story•Charles-Edouard jeanneret , better

known as Le Corbusier.•Born in Switzerland• Became a French citizen in 1930.•His master – Charles L’Eplattenier , a teacher at the local art school.•At thirteen, Le Corbusier abandoned matchmaking, and continued his studies in art and decoration, with the intention of becoming a painter.•Insisted by his master to study architecture.•Pioneer in studies of modern high design.

•1907 – travelled to Paris - found work in the office of Augeste perret , The French pioneer of Reinforced Concrete.

•1908 – Studied Architecture.

•Between October 1910 and March 1911- worked for renowned architect , Peter Behrens near berlin.

•Taught at his old school during World War I.

•Began his own architectural practice in 1922 with his cousin, Pierre Jeanneret- partnership lasting 50 years.

Life Story

•Established a new artistic movement , Purism in collaboration with cubist Painter, Amedee Ozenfant.

•Between 1918 and 1922 , no building – concentrating his efforts on Purist theory and painting.

•In switzerland – designed a serious of villas and embarked on a more theoretical study for a structural frmae of reinforced concretes.

•Envisaged it as an affordable , prefabricated system for the construction of new housing – wake of world war I’s destruction.

•At the end of war – moved to paris – worked on concrete structures under government contracts – also ran a small brick manufacturing.

Life Story

Explicitly used the golden ration in his modulor system for the scale of architectural proportion.

The modulor is an anthropometric scale of proportions devised by him..

It is based on the height of an english man with his arm raised.

THE IDEA…..

BUILDING WITH MODULAR SYSTEM

Unite d’Habitaion in marseilles

Church of sainte marie de la tourette

Carpenter Centre for the visual arts

FIVE PRINCIPLES FOR NEW ARCHITECTURE

Pilotis elevating the building

Free plan

Free façade

Long horizontal windows

Roof garden

Foundation of architecture – Dome-ino house (1914-1915) proposed an open floor plan consisting of concrete slabs supported by a minimal number of thin,reinforced concrete columns around the edges , with a stairway providing access to each level on one side of the floor plan.

THE IDEA…..

Carpenter Centre for the visual arts

•It is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

•Building type – University art center.

•It is built with the reinforced cast-in-place concrete masonry.

•It is his only major building in the United States – designed to house classes in architecture, film and other arts.

•It is designed with the collaboration of Chilean architect Guillermo Jullian de la Fuente.

•The building was completed in 1963.

•No architecture style was involved in it.

•It is governed by the Harvard University.

•Its wonderful collection of concrete forms bring together

•Its concrete has a smooth, precise finish; tall, thin columns break up its interior spaces.

•A great curvilinear ramp bisects the structure and connects the main stair and an exhibition space.

From Quincy street there are two possible approaches to the building: up the ramp or down to the main gallery entrance.The ramp was intended to be the centerpiece of the building, taking people directly to its center.

This ramp provides an impressive experience.

Different type of lightings was designed at different times of day.

The use of concrete pilotis elevated the building above the ground.

The pilotis extended the landscape beneath the building..The pilotis vary in diameter throughout the building, depending on the load they are forced to carry.

In many places these pilotis are designed to give the building a feeling of freedom

PLAN

SECTIONS

VILLA SAVOYELOCATION: POISSY , FRANCE

DATE : 1928 – 1929

BUILDING TYPE : HOUSE

CONSTRUCTION SYSTEM : CONCRETE AND PLASTERED UNIT MASONRY

CONTEXT : RURAL OR SUBURBAN

STYLE: MODERN

GROUND LEVEL PLAN UPPER LEVEL PLAN

PLANS

SECTIONS

•Designed addressing his emblematic "Five Points",

• Support of ground-level pilotis, elevating the building from the earth and allowed an extended continuity of the garden beneath.

• Functional roof, serving as a garden and terrace, reclaiming for nature the land occupied by the building.

• Free floor plan, relieved of load-bearing walls, allowing walls to be placed freely and only where aesthetically needed.

• Long horizontal windows, providing illumination and ventilation.

• Freely-designed facades, serving as only as a skin of the wall and windows and unconstrained by load-bearing considerations.

•Unlike his earlier town villas Corbusier was able to carefully design all four sides of the Villa Savoye in response to the view and the orientation of the sun. •On the ground floor he placed the main entrance hall, ramp and stairs, garage, chauffeur and maids rooms. •At first floor the master bedroom, the son's bedroom, guest bedroom, kitchen, salon and external terraces. •The salon was orientated to the north west whilst the terrace faced the south. •The son's bedroom faced the south east and the kitchen and service terrace were on the north east. •At second floor level were a series of sculpted spaces that formed a solarium.

Living room from north

Northwest corner of kitchen from east

CHANDIGARH

Geometry is the means, created by ourselves, where-by we perceive the externalworld and express the world within us. Geometry is the foundation. lt is also thematerial basis on which we build those symbols, which represent us to perfection anddivine. 5

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 executedIt has become a symbol of planned urbanism. It is as famous for its landscaping as for its architecturalambience. Most of the buildings are in pure, cubical form, geometrically subdivided with emphasis on proportion, scale and detail

Edict of Chandigarh set by Le CorbusierThe object of this edict was to enlighten the present and future citizens of Chandigarh about the basic concepts of planning of the city, so that they become its guardians and save it from individualistic ideas. This edict as set by Le Corbusier sets out the following basic ideas underlying the planning of the city:

The city of Chandigarh is planned to human scale. It puts us in touch with the infinitecosmos and nature. It provides us with places and buildings for all human activities bywhich the citizens can Live a full and harmonious Life. Here the radiance of nature andheart are within our reach. (Corbusier, 1950 as quoted from the official website of theMunicipal Administration of Chandigarh)

GENESIS OF THE CITY

India attained independence in 1947, but in the process the territory of British India was partitioned to form India and Pakistan. The large and prosperous Province ofPunjab, was divided and Lahore, its capital, fell within the borders of Pakistan,leaving Indian Punjab without a capital. Those who had been compelled to migrateto India keenly felt the loss of Lahore, a city much loved by its inhabitants.In March 1948, the Government of Punjab in consultation with the Government ofIndia, approved a 114.59 sq. km tract of land at the foot of the Shivalik hills as thesite of the new capital. An existing village gave its name (Chandi = Goddess ofPower + garh = fortress) to the new city. The decision to build a new city seemed like an extravagant decision to some at the time, but there were practical justifications. After partition, the population of all the existing towns in East Punjab had more than doubled on account of the migration of displaced persons from Pakistan. As a government publication pointed out:

"Most of these towns, even before partition, lacked essential amenities such as adequate drainage and water supply and none of them had schools or hospitals which could meet the normal needs of the population according to modern standards for such services." (Kalia 1987)

CORBUSIER DEFINATIONOF CHANDIGARH

Chandigarh is a city offering all amenities of Life to the poorest of the poor of its citizens to lead a dignified life. Chandigarh is a Government city with a precise goal and consequently a precise quality of inhabitants.On this presumption, the city has not to be a big city (metropolis?) - it must not lose its definition. People Say that life must come in the city from other source or activity especially industry. An industrial city is not the same as an administrative city. One must not mix the Mo. It seems that complement of the original definition should be the invitation of forces, which can supplement the forces of the city not opening a conflict or rivalry. We must take care that any temptations do not kill the goal, which was foreseen at the moment of the foundation of the city. Therefore, naturally, old doors must be opened to actually unknown initiatives. It appears that the future of Chandigarh will be opened to al1 the cultural factors in different kinds of manifestation: teaching (school), university, new science of imparting audio-visual training and so on.It is a means to express and to disperse thought (editions: books, magazines and eventually printing of books, magazines, etc.). Means to express and disperse arts (in time and space - history and geography). Al1 kinds of reproduction of art-witnesses (editions: visual means - photographs, diagrarns etc at different scales). Diverse manifestations of exhibitions, shows, theatre, festivals, creations of highest modernity etc. such manifestations reclaiming the organizations and use of travelling, possibilities of hostelry, etc. For the culture of the body there can be created an organism having as disposition any possibilities of meeting for competitions or tournaments- All this will afford the creation of a 'Chandigarh' label, which will be the guarantee of quality and worth emulation- 10

MASTER PLAN IN 1951 IT WAS GIVEN TO LE CORBUSIER IN CHANDIGARH LE CORBUSIER SYTEM OF SELF SUPPORTING NEIGHBORHOOD UNIT KNOWN AS A

SECTOR HAS WORKED VERY WELL SECTOR WHICH IS INTROVERTED IN CHARACTER COMMUNICATES ONLY AT 4 JUNCTIONS WITH THE

ADJOINING NEIGHBOURHOOD UNITS ALL THE HOUSES OPEN UP INSIDE GRID PLANNING IS DONE CHANDIGARH PLANNING WAS DONE IN AN MANNER THAT EVERYTHING WAS EASILY CLEAR ABOUT THE

ROUTES AND SECTORS 7 V’S ROAD SYSTEM IS USED THE ROADS ARE CLASSIFIED AS V1 ,V2 ,V3………V7 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

AS THE MOST ECONOMICAL AND READILY AVAILABLE MATERIAL FOR BUILDING AT CHANDIGARH WAS LOCALLY MADE BRICK. THE FLAT ROOF WAS EMPLOYED THROUGH OUT IN CHANDIGARH HOUSING BECAUSE OF ITS USEFULNESS AS A SLEEPING AREA70% OF THE BUILDING WOULD BE PRIVATE IN ALL THE SECTORS. RESIDENTIAL PLOTS RANGING IN DIMENSIONS FROM 75 SQ. YARDS TO 5000 SQ YARDS.

LE-CORBUISER WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE GENERAL OUTLINES OF THE MASTERPLAN AND THE CREATION OF THE MONUMENTAL BUILDLINGS,WHILE PIERREJEANNERET,MAXWELL FRY AND JANE DREW WERE CHARGED WITH THE TASK OFDEVELOPING THE NEIGHBOURHOOD SECTORS WITH THEIR SCHOOLS,SHOPPINGBAZAARS,AND THE TRACTS OF GOVERNMENT HOUSING

the basic framework of the master plan and its components - the Capitol , City Centre, university, industrial area, and a linear parkland as conceived by Mayer and Nowicki were retained by Le Corbusier.

SECTOR

The dimensions of the 'Sector' and its creation are best explained in Le Corbusier's own words: “Its dimensions are an outcome of studies made between 1929 and 1949 of the Spanish 'Cuadra' of 100 to 1 10 meters

A useful reclassification of the (Cuadras) led Le Corbusier to adopt a ratio of harmonious dimensions and productive combinations: seven to eight 'cuadras' on one side, ten to twelve 'cuadras' on the other, that is to Say 800 meters by 1200 meters

The entrance of cars into the sectors could take place on four points only; namely in the middle of the 1200 m. in the middle of the 800 meters

no house (or building) door opens on the thoroughfare of rapid traffic Each sector had its maintenance organizations, the food provisions,

schools (kindergarten and primary),necessary artisans (repairs, etc) the daily leisure (movies etc.) al1 traversing in the middle of each sector

The V-4 gave the horizontal connection between the contiguous sectors

GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION It was bound by two seasonal choes, or rivulets, the

patiala Rao and the Sukhna in the northwest and the south east respectively.

It extends in the northeast right up to the foothills of the shivaliks.

The region experiences extremes in the climate. The temperature could rise to 45 degrees in summer and drop to freezing point in winter.

The direction of the prevalent winds is southeast to the northwest in summer and northwest to the southeast in winter

OPEN SPACES Some 800 hectares of green open space are spread over the

approximately 114 square kilometers of the Capital Project area. Major open areas include the Leisure Valley, Sukhna Lake, Rock Garden

and many other special gardens. In addition, the sectors are vertically integrated by green

space oriented in the direction of the mountains. LANDSCAPING Landscaping proceeded side by side with the constructionof the city from

the very inception. Three spaces were identified for special plantation: the roadsides, spaces

around important buildings, parks and special features such as Sukhna Lake.

Le Corbusier’s contribution to landscaping was of categorising tree forms. He made a simple analysis of the functional needs and aesthetic suitability

for the various areas, devoting special attention to specific roads. prominent flowering trees are gulmohar (Delonix regia), amaltas (Cassia

fistula), kachnar (Bauhinea variegata), pink cassia (Cassia Javanica) and silver oak (Grevillea robusta).

Among the conspicuous non-flowering trees one finds kusum (Schleicheta trijuga) and pilkhan (Ficus infectoria) along V3 roadsides.

These trees, noted for their vast, thick spreading canopies form great vaulting shelters over many of the city’s roads.

In all, more than 100 different tree species have been planted in (Fieus religosa) Chandigarh .

THE CAPITOL COMPLEX THE AREA OF THE GREATEST

SYMBOLIC SIGNIFICANCE IN CHANDIGARH WAS THE CAPITOL COMPLEX , WHICH IN ITS FINAL FORM WAS BASED ON THE DESIGN OF A GRAET CROSS AXIS THE MOST IMPORTANT GROUP OF THE BUILDINGS CONSTITUTING THE CAPITOL- RIGHT, THE PARLIAMENT, LEFT,IN THE BACKGROUND, THE SECRETARIAT IN THE FOREGROUND, THE POOL OF THE PALACE OF JUSTICE

THE ARTIFICIAL HILLS IN THE FRONT OF THE SECRETARIAT HAVE NOT BEEN CREATED AND LAID OUT IN ACCORDANCE WITH COEBUSIERS CONCEPTIONS

ALTHOUGH THE SCENE IS HARMONIUS IN EFFECT, THERE ARE STILL MISSING

THE BUILDINGS THAT BELONG HERE, SUCH AS , FOR INSTANCE, THE TOWERS OF SHADOWS

THE SECRETARIAT,1958

THE HIGH COURT

COLOURED MASSIVE PILLARSPARASOL ROOFFORMING ARCHESDOUBLE ROOFGAP LEFT BETWEENTWO ROOFSFULL HT ENTRANCE

BIBLIOGRAPHY

gans, d. (1987). the le corbusier guide. In d. gans, the le corbusier guide. new york: princeton architectural press.

hoffman, anna. (2009, 08 10). le-corbusier-modernist-visiona. Retrieved 02 2, 2014, from http://www.apartmenttherapy.com: http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/le-corbusier-modernist-visiona-97845