Urmila Eulie Chowdhury, the grand dame of modern architecture in India, was an important part of Le Corbusier's team that planned, designed and constructed Chandigarh in 1951-63. On her 24th death anniversary on September 20, Deepika Gandhi assesses her contribution to architecture and Chandigarh.

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Chowdhury worked on many projects in association with Corbusier and Jeanneret and also independently. With Corbusier she worked on the extension of the high court and the proposals for the Museum of Knowledge. Her association with Jeanneret was wider and longer having worked on many types of housing and a school with him. She is known mainly for high-cost housing for government officials but her projects of the home science college and hostel, women's polytechnic and later schools are equally worth mentioning. These projects showcase her strong sense of aesthetics, wherein functional elements like staircases become sculptural elements in the buildings.

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