Palace of Assembly

{{Short description|Building by Le Corbusier in Chandigarh, India}}

{{Infobox building

| image = Palace of Assembly Chandigarh 2006.jpg

| image_size = 300px

| architect = Le Corbusier

| completion_date = 1962

| start_date = 1951

| inauguration_date = 15 April 1964

| map_type = India Chandigarh

| native_name =

| native_name_lang =

| location = Chandigarh

| location_country = {{flag|India}}

| coordinates = {{Coord|30|45|40|N|76|48|11|E|display=inline,title}}

| embedded = {{Designation list

|embed = yes

|designation1 = World Heritage Site

|designation1_offname = The Architectural Work of Le Corbusier, an Outstanding Contribution to the Modern Movement

|designation1_date = 17 July 2016

|designation1_number = 1321rev

}}

The Palace of Assembly is a building in Chandigarh, India which houses the Punjab Legislative Assembly and the Haryana Legislative Assembly. It was designed by modernist architect Le Corbusier.{{cite news |first=Jason |last=Burke |url=https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2011/mar/07/chandigarh-le-corbusier-heritage-site |title=Le Corbusier's Indian masterpiece Chandigarh is stripped for parts | Art and design |work=The Guardian |date=7 March 2011 |access-date=2 July 2013 |archive-date=7 November 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171107015622/https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2011/mar/07/chandigarh-le-corbusier-heritage-site |url-status=live }}{{cite news |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chandigarh/Conserving-Le-Corbusiers-heritage-comes-into-focus/articleshow/576101.cms |title=Conserving Le Corbusier's heritage comes into focus |work=The Times Of India |date=23 March 2004 |access-date=16 September 2014 |archive-date=5 September 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180905114329/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chandigarh/Conserving-Le-Corbusiers-heritage-comes-into-focus/articleshow/576101.cms |url-status=live }} It is part of the Capitol Complex, which includes the Legislative Assembly, Secretariat and High Court.{{cite news |first=Khushboo |last=Sandhu |url=http://www.indianexpress.com/news/capitol-complex-as-le-corbusier-wanted-it/635844/ |title=Capitol Complex, as Le Corbusier wanted it, remains incomplete |work=Indian Express |date=19 June 2010 |access-date=2 July 2013 |archive-date=27 November 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131127074822/http://www.indianexpress.com/news/capitol-complex-as-le-corbusier-wanted-it/635844 |url-status=live }} The Palace of Assembly features a circular assembly chamber, a forum for conversation and transactions, and stair-free circulation.{{Cite web |url=http://www.archdaily.com/155922/ad-classics-palace-of-the-assembly-le-corbusier/ |title=AD Classics: Palace of the Assembly / Le Corbusier |date=10 August 2011 |website=ArchDaily |language=en-US |access-date=29 May 2019 |archive-date=26 September 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110926052855/http://www.archdaily.com/155922/ad-classics-palace-of-the-assembly-le-corbusier/ |url-status=live }}

The building was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2016.{{Cite web |url=http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/buddha-bihar-nalanda-mahavihara-unesco-world-heritage-site-chandigarh/1/717209.html |title=Tile: UNESCO approves all 3 Indian nominations for heritage tag, Publisher: India Today news, Published on: 18 July 2016, Accessed on: 18 July 2016 |access-date=18 July 2016 |archive-date=19 July 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160719134259/http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/buddha-bihar-nalanda-mahavihara-unesco-world-heritage-site-chandigarh/1/717209.html |url-status=live }}{{cite news |date=15 July 2016 |agency=UNESCO World Heritage Centre |access-date=15 July 2016 |language=en |url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/news/1524 |title=Four sites inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage List |work=whc.unesco.org |archive-date=16 July 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160716131638/https://whc.unesco.org/en/news/1524 |url-status=live }}

History

File:Palace of Assembly, Chandigarh.jpg

After the partition of Punjab in 1947 following the independence of India, the divided Punjab required a new capital to replace Lahore, which was now in Pakistan. Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru commissioned Le Corbusier to build a new city for the capital of Punjab. This city would become Chandigarh. Nehru desired that the city's design be "unfettered by the traditions of the past, a symbol of the nation's faith in the future". Subsequently, Corbusier and his team designed not just a large assembly and high court building, but all major buildings in the city, down to the door handles in public offices. Construction of the Palace of Assembly began in 1951 and ended 11 years later in 1962. The building was inaugurated on 15 April 1964.{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nmXS12Lo0xMC&dq=palace+of+assembly+le+corbusier&pg=PA233 |title=The Le Corbusier Guide |last1=Gans |first1=Deborah |last2=Corbusier |first2=Le |date=2000 |publisher=Princeton Architectural Press |isbn=9781568981192 |language=en}} After the Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966 separated the new state of Haryana from the state of Punjab, Chandigarh remained capital of both states and both legislative assemblies share the same campus.

Today, many of the buildings in Chandigarh are considered modernist masterpieces, though most are in a state of neglect. In 2010, chairs from the assembly building were auctioned in London. A diplomatic attempt to stop the sale failed, as the items were "condemned" and deemed unfit for use.

Design

= Entrance =

File:Corbu's Door Palace of Assembly.jpg

Le Corbusier wanted to include an assembly door. He consulted with Prime Minister Nehru for symbols that could be depicted on the door to represent the new India and its modern vision. Nehru, in turn, entrusted Le Corbusier to invent them himself.

The door is adorned with vibrant colours and is divided into upper and lower halves. The upper half depicts man's relationship with the cosmos and includes imagery representing solstices, lunar eclipses and the Equinox. The lower half is populated with animals and natural forms. A desert depicts the original order of the Earth, while greenery represents the Garden Of Eden. The door also displays a river, trees, bulls and turtles, and the proverbial Tree of Knowledge in the centre of the door bears fruits of knowledge.{{Cite web |url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/2013/20130609/spectrum/main1.htm |title=The Sunday Tribune – Spectrum |website=www.tribuneindia.com |access-date=29 May 2019 |archive-date=28 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201128115405/https://www.tribuneindia.com/2013/20130609/spectrum/main1.htm |url-status=live }} The nearly 25 square foot door, with its enamelled panels, was airlifted from Paris.{{citation needed|date=May 2020}}

This entrance is opened on certain ceremonial occasions.

= Interior layout =

Le Corbusier believed that "architecture is circulation", and the Palace of Assembly is designed to encourage the movement of people and ideas. High ceilings and narrow columns make the space feel expansive, and ramps replace stairs to provide fluid transitions between levels. The General Assembly itself is circular – a literal interpretation of Le Corbusier's belief – and is off-centre within the space, challenging neoclassical architecture's focus on organization.{{Google books|id=qZV3BgAAQBAJ|title=The Le Corbusier Guide|page=171}}