CHANDIGARH CITY

CULTURAL SYMBOLISM
Instead of bringing cultural symbolism in design he brought elements like hand which is related to our culture

 he High Court of Justice: Towers of limestone which got repainted later to make it weather proof, a
radical design covered with high concrete grills and walls with columns allowing the air to circulate
well. The building still stands strong today and is an ingenious design that is used as an example by
many architects.

 Secretariat Building: It is one of the largest buildings that were made for government offices to
function systematically. This gigantic block which is 250 metres long and 8 level high has a roof
terrace, concrete grill covering the windows and has a ramp around which is partly sculptural and
partly practical.

 Palace of Assembly: A remarkable construction that has a 500-metre-long esplanade and is facing the
High Court with a large reflecting pool. The asset of the building is its courtyard and the central
meeting hall. The roof has a pillar with a signature of the architect himself. This also tells us that
Corbusier considered this building a proud ensemble of his creation.

FUNCTIONAL EFFICACY
Chandigarh city is the capital of Punjab Haryana and the administrative head of the union territories

Environmental filters

Due to the wide roads and the transportation network is very active and a very large number of
vehicles moves through these roads and creates loud noises

The most fascinating feature of the city’s landscaping is perhaps the “tree plantation” along avenues,
open spaces, green belts and around building complexes. A number of beautiful avenues with
conspicuous tree species, well wooded forests along the periphery of city, ‘sukhna lake’ against the
backdrop of lake reserve forests, green belts running across the length and breadth of the city and a
beautiful ‘sukhna wildlife sanctuary’ on its periphery, further enhance the ecological, environmental
and aesthetic richness of the city

The galloping increase in population and rapid increase in the number of vehicles have led to a rising
trend in pollution levels in U.T. Chandigarh. The population of the city is about 11.0 lakhs and the
number of vehicles including the floating vehicles is more than 7.5 lakhs (the total registered vehicles
in Chandigarh are more than 6.5 lakhs). The sharp increase in number of vehicles from 2,58,843 in
1991 to about 6.5 lakhs in 2007 is a matter of concern and is responsible for the rising trend in air
pollution as compared to neighbouring cities/towns of Punjab and Haryana, the quality of ‘ambient
air’ today in Chandigarh is better. SO2 and NOX levels are well within permissible limits. However,
SPM (Suspended particulate matter) levels at times cross the permissible limits

Spatial frame
The main element and idea of the planning was division of sectors and this sectors and wide road
encourages the means of vehicular transport the vehicular and pedestrian paths are separated and
the pedestrian paths are not efficient as the vehicular transportation network

The population density of Chandigarh city raised immensely and the planned area is not sufficient for
the floating and migrating population

The road networks are properly classified into different networks and it functions efficiently

Segregation of different sectors like industrial from the city reduces the number of vehicles passing
through the city but the administrative block on the northern part increase the travel distance