ADITYA PRAKASH

(1924 2OO8)
S U B M I TT E D BY ,
ASWIN
VISHNU

Aditya Prakash, Architect and Painter (Le Corbusiers associate in

Chandigarh, India.)
An associate of Le Corbusiers in Chandigarh, architect, academic, painter and theatre
enthusiast, Aditya
Prakash died on Aug 12, 2008.
Born on March 10, 1923 in Muzaffarnagar, India, Aditya Prakash was on his way to
Mumbai by train to
perform a play {Life never retires) when he suffered a heart attack. He was cremated on
August 13, 2008
in Chandigarh. His ashes were immersed in the Ganges at Haridwar on August 21, 2008.
He is survived by
his wife Savitri, and his three children Chetna, Vandana and Vikramaditya.

Aditya Prakash studied architecture at the London Polytechnic, becoming an A.R.I.B.A.

in 1951. He joined the team of the Chandigarh Capital Project on 1 st November 1952
where he worked with Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeanneret, Maxwell Fry and Jane Drew.
He worked closely with Le Corbusier on the design of the School of Art, Chandigarh in
the mid-1950s. In 1961-62 he adapted the same design for the Chandigarh College of
Architecture.
Aditya Prakash helped define the characteristic visual identity of Chandigarh as a
modern city by creating the frame controls of the several of the markets and housing
types.

He also designed the petrol pumps and the some of the major cinema theatres of the
city (Jagat, Neelam and KC.) Some of his other projects in Chandigarh are the District
Courts, Central Scientific Instruments Organization Hostels, the Treasury Building, the
Central Bus Stand, Military Rest House,Central Crafts Institute,the Jang Garh, IndoSwiss Training Center and the Cable Factory.
His most significant project in Chandigarh was the Tagore Theater which was
constructed to celebrate Rabindrnath Tagore birth Centenary in 1961.
From 1963-1968, Aditya Prakash was the Architect of the Panjab Agricultural University,
Ludhiana. At this time he also designed the campuses of the Agricultural Universities in
Hissar and Palampur.

From 1968 to 1982, Aditya Prakash served as Principal of the Chandigarh College of
Architecture, Panjab University, Chandigarh.
As an academic, Aditya Prakash was an early advocate of urban ecological design, or
self-sustaining settlements. He described Chandigarhs planning as escapist and
published several papers and three books advocating extensive recycling, mixed use
developments, development of the informal sector, integration of agriculture and animal
husbandry into the urban system, and rigorous separation of motorized and all forms of
non-motorized traffic.
The Indian Institute of Architects awarded Aditya Prakash its Gold Medal in 1996.

Ideas
Frame Control: Aditya Prakash designed the visual character for the city by developing frame
controls. This strategy manifests itself through the 'frame' as the organizing element of the
city, producing an intersection of gridlines that are superimposed onto the various scales that
comprise the public realm. The building frame scale is regulated by Chandigarh's architectural
control. Along the V2 streets and in the commercial city center, a system of architectural and
construction controls were placed on all buildings. Residential and commercial structures
along the V4 market streets are regulated by full architectural controls. Residential plots up to
10 sq m area in size are governed by frame controls concerning the faade. Schematic
controls are applied to special purpose buildings like petrol pumps and cinemas that do not
fall under other categories
Self-Sustaining Urbanism Aditya Prakash described the planning in Chandigarh as escapist
and championed the idea of self-sustaining cities with extensive recycling, mixed-use
developments, stimulation of the informal sector, integration of agriculture and animal
husbandry into the urban system, and rigorous separation of motorised and all forms of nonmotorised traffic.

Linear city The design proposal forHaryanawas one where Prakash sought
to empower the pedestrians by proposing to raise the vehicular transit by
about 10 to 12feet above the main road network. In his opinion, that would
give the pedestrian and the non-motorized vehicles the necessary relief in an
otherwise vehicle intense route. The central part of the sector was important
to him as he envisioned a completely self-sustaining city. He commented: It
is important for a city to be self-sustaining in terms of free air, water and the
basic necessities like food. All the waste materials of the city can come to this
particular area to get recycled, even excess water for that matter. The
informal sector can also be utilized for animal husbandry to a lesser degree.

PAINTER
Aditya Prakash painted for two to three hours every morning.
Though he studied art at the Glasgow School of Art, Aditya Prakash
really began to paint under the influence of Le Corbusier in Chandigarh
in the 1950s. An early interest in intersecting the Modulor with freeflowing curves, evolved into a style exploring Indian birds, animals and
figures within a modernist perspective.
Aditya Prakash served two terms as President of the Chandigarh Lalit
Kala Academy.
He exhibited in several major cities in India. His paintings are in
private collections throughout the world.

Some of his paintings,

Tagore theatre
Tagore Theatre, Chandigarh is a center
for cultural performances located in Sector
18, Chandigarh.
It was designed by architect
Aditya Prakash, who was part of
Chandigarh Capital Project Team, headed
by Le Corbusier, and also the principal of
Chandigarh College of Architecture.
Aditya Prakash has also designed a few
residences in the city, one of which is in
the same sector and is called Kailash
Bhavan.

HISTORY

Named after Rabindranath Tagore, Indias Nobel laureate, Tagore Theatre, being the sole
theatre in Chandigarh for a long time, had become an important hub of cultural activities for
the citizens of Chandigarh.
Now it has been converted into an auditorium

DESIGN

Tagore theater with its blank brick walled cuboid structure, embodied the
straight-line, had, over the years become an integral part of Chandigarhs
Cityscape

Chandigarh College of
Architecture

Chandigarh College of Architecture

(CCA), Chandigarh was established in
1961 and was set up as a part of the great
Chandigarh Experiment to impart
education in Architecture.
It has an international reputation for
excellence in agriculture .
It pioneered the Green Revolution in India
[2]
in the 1960s and is considered as one of
the best agricultural universities in India.

Facilities at Chandigarh College of Architecture Library

Computer Center
Workshops
Museum
Laboratories
Audio-Visual Section

HISTORY

Chandigarh College of Architecture was established on 7 August 1961 in Chandigarh, India,

and was set up to impart education in architecture. Le Corbusier, who developed
Chandigarh's master plan in 1951, got CCA established as a part of the Chandigarh
Experiment.

CAMPUS

The campus is housed inside the PEC University of Technology (formerly

Punjab Engineering College) Campus, Sector 12 in Chandigarh. CCA is widely
spread in 5-acre (20,000 m2) campus with its own cricket ground, basketball
court, volleyball court and a gym.

Punjab Agricultural University

ThePunjab Agricultural
University(PAU) inLudhiana,
Punjabis one of the State Agricultural
Universities inIndia.
It was established in 1962 and is
the nation's oldest agricultural
university.
It pioneered the
Green Revolution in India[2]in the
1960s and is considered as one of
the best agricultural universities in
India.