Chandigarh

While most Indian cities look like populated ruins, Chandigarh looks like a city on its way to ruin. The three capital buildings, or Temples of Democracy, designed by Le Corbusier after India got it's independence are amazing, massive concreted structures of abstract diplomacy. They were built around the same time as Ronchamp Cathedral in France for reference, so the builds are far from Corbusier's earlier strict simplistic designs. Here we have flowing concrete painted pink yellow and green dotted with imprints of fish and wheat. The Assembly Hall (V.S. Parliament hall) was my favorite, described as a Boat of Freedom in the Sea, looked more like a slitted volcano rising out of a 3d concrete planer grid, which keeps the building cool and light with no AC. Three cheers for Corb. Sadly, the numerous offices and security heck points needed to see these buildings were tiresome, and showed how the insides of the buildings were deteriorating. I think we spent more time getting our passports checked than looking at the architecture, but that's ok, it was well worth it.


And no, it does not make me want to be an architect again.



I'm afraid this will be my last post before we get back to the states, it has been quite a trip. We will continue to post through our lectures, which I will post specific dates for when we know them. One will be May 2nd at RISD. I hope to add photos from India when I get back, and stay tuned for the book we will be publishing.
Carpe Diem.