Miscellaneous - This Day That Age   

dated April 2, 1953: Corbusier Plan for New City

French architect M. Le Corbusier, whose "Radiant City" at Marseilles had opened amid some controversy, spoke in Paris to the press about his latest task which was to build Chandigarh, a new city to house the capital of East Punjab in India. He said he was working on a plan for the city as Consultant-General for the Indian Government. M. Corbusier described his task as "creation of a civil architecture in a country which hitherto has had none." India was a country of extremes of climate. In designing Chandigarh he had found it necessary to re-think even the most fundamental principles of architecture and to adapt his plan to suit Indian methods of work employing men like innumerable ants, rather than elaborate machinery. Deferring to Indian preference Chandigarh would be a horizontal city, with single-storeyed flat-roofed dwellings, so that the residents could sleep in the open at night, putting their cots outside the house or on the roof. Le Corbusier said that this assignment had given him the first opportunity to apply on full-scale the "rule of the seven V's," by which pedestrians would be kept from getting close to fast or heavy traffic. The main trunk roads, V1 and V2, would be 15 feet below ground level. V3 would be public service roads with bus stops at intervals which would be entirely separate from house and pedestrians. V4 would be commercial streets with shops and offices, but carrying no through traffic. Roads classed as V5 and V6 would lead to individual houses.

V7 ways, planted with grass and trees, would lead pedestrians to schools, parks, and playgrounds. Le Corbusier said that by this kind of road plan, each sector of Chandigarh would be accessible to traffic at the most appropriate speed, while pedestrians would be able to enjoy their proper dignity.

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• dated April 2, 1953: Corbusier Plan for New City
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