| Palace of Assembly | |
|---|---|
 | |
  Location within Chandigarh | |
| General information | |
| Location | Chandigarh, India |
| Coordinates | 30°45′40″N76°48′11″E / 30.76111°N 76.80306°E /30.76111; 76.80306 |
| Construction started | 1951 |
| Completed | 1962 |
| Inaugurated | 15 April 1964 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Le Corbusier |
| Official name | The Architectural Work of Le Corbusier, an Outstanding Contribution to the Modern Movement |
| Designated | 17 July 2016 |
| Reference no. | 1321rev |
ThePalace of Assembly is a building inChandigarh,India which houses thePunjab Legislative Assembly and theHaryana Legislative Assembly. It was designed by modernist architectLe Corbusier.[1][2] It is part of theChandigarh Capitol Complex, which includes the Legislative Assembly,Secretariat andHigh Court.[3] The Palace of Assembly features a circular assembly chamber, a forum for conversation and transactions, and stair-free circulation.[4]
The building was designated as aUNESCOWorld Heritage Site in 2016.[5][6]
After thepartition of Punjab in 1947 following theindependence of India, the dividedPunjab required a new capital to replaceLahore, which was now in Pakistan.Prime MinisterJawaharlal Nehru commissioned Le Corbusier to build a new city for the capital ofPunjab. This city would becomeChandigarh. 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.[1] Construction of the Palace of Assembly began in 1951 and ended 11 years later in 1962. The building was inaugurated on 15 April 1964.[7] After thePunjab Reorganisation Act, 1966 separated the new state ofHaryana 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.[1]
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.[8]
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 representingsolstices,lunar eclipses and theEquinox. The lower half is populated with animals and natural forms. A desert depicts the original order of the Earth, while greenery represents theGarden Of Eden. The door also displays a river, trees, bulls and turtles, and the proverbialTree of Knowledge in the centre of the door bears fruits of knowledge.[8] The nearly 2.3 m2 (25 sq ft) door, with its enamelled panels, was airlifted from Paris.[citation needed]
This entrance is opened on certain ceremonial occasions.[8]
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.[9]
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