Hopes rekindled for completion of two projects of Le Corbusier

Ramkrishan Upadhyay

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 19

The upcoming visit of French President Francois Hollande to Chandigarh is likely to help the UT Administration complete the Capitol Complex projects. Hollande, who will be the chief guest at the Republic Day function in New Delhi, has evinced interest to see the works of Swiss-born French architect Le Corbusier.

Sources said the French President was expected to spend maximum time at the Capitol Complex, which was a part of transnational dossier prepared with five other countries where Corbusier left his imprint and would be submitted to UNESCO for world heritage status.

Corbusier had led a team of European planners to design Chandigarh. He planned the city on the lines of a human body — the Capitol Complex was to be the head of the body, the commercial centre its heart, the industrial area its hand and the intellectual centre being the parkland.

At present, the Capitol Complex comprises three buildings — Legislative Assembly, Secretariat and Punjab & Haryana High Court — originally conceptualised by Corbusier. The fourth building, Museum of Knowledge, is yet to be constructed.

Sources said the Administration was also keen on completing two pending projects, Museum of Knowledge and Martyrs’ Memorial.

A senior UT official said there were many sketches and original drawings, which have been kept at the Le Corbusier Foundation in France.

There are various monuments in the Capitol Complex symbolising the basis of the philosophy by which Corbusier arrived at his understanding of the city design.

Martyrs’ Memorial is dedicated to the martyrs of the country and consists of a square enclosure with a side elongated into a ramp by which one mounts the enclosing wall. The Geometric Hill is situated adjacent to the memorial.

Sources said original drawing of the memorial was lying at the foundation and with the help of the experts of the foundation, the project would be completed.

The Museum of Knowledge will be set up as per the original design plan of the French architect. Based on the four postulates laid down by Le Corbusier — ethics, sociology, economics, technology — the museum would be a state-of-the-art building with discussion rooms, seminar rooms, research facilities and a library-cum-research centre. It will also house an exhibition/display room with all related facilities.

Adviser reviews arrangements

UT Adviser Vijay Kumar Dev reviewed the arrangements for the upcoming visit of French President Francois Hollande and Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a meeting today. The meeting was attended by all senior UT and police officials. The officials later visited the Capitol Complex.