Explore the captivating story of Chandigarh, India’s first planned city. Learn how master architect Le Corbusier was chosen to execute a vision of modernity and progress, crafting a bold new capital with his signature Brutalist style. Uncover the legacy of its Capitol Complex and urban planning that earned it UNESCO World Heritage recognition. This definitive guide reveals the genesis of this architectural beacon.
Le Corbusier was commissioned to design Chandigarh after the initial American architect, Albert Mayer, withdrew following the death of his planning partner, Matthew Nowicki, in a plane crash. India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, sought a new capital for the divided state of Punjab after the 1947 Partition, which saw its former capital, Lahore, go to Pakistan. Nehru wanted a modern city that would symbolise the nation’s forward-looking, post-colonial future, and he specifically chose the renowned Swiss-French modernist architect to realise this ambitious vision.
After India’s independence in 1947, Punjab faced a critical problem: its capital city, Lahore, had become part of Pakistan. India needed a brand new capital for the newly formed Punjab state, and the government decided to build it from scratch rather than renovate an existing city.
In 1950, India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, appointed Le Corbusier, one of the world’s most influential modern architects, to lead the project. Le Corbusier was already famous for revolutionary architectural theories and had completed several important buildings across Europe. His modernist philosophy aligned perfectly with Nehru’s vision of a progressive, scientific, and forward-thinking India that could compete on the world stage.
Le Corbusier didn’t work alone. His cousin and collaborator, Pierre Jeanneret, joined him, along with American town planner Albert Mayer and his associate Matthew Nowicki. This international team brought diverse expertise to create something unprecedented: a city designed according to rational planning principles rather than growing organically over centuries.
The foundation stone of Chandigarh was laid in October 1952, marking the beginning of one of history’s most ambitious urban experiments.