Le Corbusier, the world renowned urban planner and architect, prepared the master plan for the city of Chandigarh in India and contributed specific designs for important buildings. This year-as a tribute to the legendry architect on his 50th death anniversary, the Department of Tourism, in partnership with Dainik Bhaskar, in collaboration with Chandigarh College of Architecture (CCA) and Department of Urban Planning is celebrating his legacy with a series of lectures, seminars and other events from July to October and an International 3 day event in October 2015. The aim of the celebrations is to showcase the heritage of Chandigarh and the contribution of Le Corbusier to the development of a modern way of living in India. The target group is not just the architectural fraternity but also the layman- the citizen of Chandigarh who needs to be made aware of the uniqueness of this modern heritage and why it needs to be protected.

The Symposium will be the culminating event of the series of activities starting from 27 August 2015 to commemorate Le Corbusier 50th death anniversary, to go on to celebrate his birth anniversary falling on the 6 October as well as Chandigarh's official inauguration on 7 October 1953. 

The objectives of the Symposium are to reflect on Le Corbusier contribution to Modernism, as an overview -- his myriad talents as an artist, architect, theorist and writer; and the synthesis of all these as manifested through his projects globally. There will though be a special and detailed focus on his work in Chandigarh and Ahmedabad in India. This will weave together the varied strands of the multi-faceted genius's creativity: his inventive, bold and imaginative architectural and urban planning responses to the diverse cultural, geographical milieus he worked in and the adaptations made there, to meet the challenges posed. 

This will also be a forum to seek expert advice regarding the multiple challenges/issues that Chandigarh faces today in conserving it's precious modern architectural heritage ( for which it is seeking UNESCO Transnational inscription) on one hand and to balance the same with the city's burgeoning growth as an aspirational, vibrant, 'Smart City' of the future.

SYMPOSIUM SPEAKERS/PANELISTS

B V Doshi, Jacques Sbriglio, Jagan Shah, John Bass, Kapil Setia, Martino Stierli, Michel Richard, Rahul Mehrotra, Raj Rewal, Rajnish Wattas, S D Sharma, Sumit Kaur, William JR Curtis

9th – 12th October 2015

OUTLINE STRUCTURE OF SYMPOSIUM 

Day One, 9th October, Venue: OPEN HAND; 06:00pm - 8:30pm

Inaugural function

Day Two, 10th October, Venue :Tagore Theatre; 9.30am- 5.30pm 

  • Technical Session-1 Le Corbusier: The Timeless in Modern 
  • Technical Session-2 Le Corbusier in India: Architect of Modernism 
  • Panel discussion and interaction.