The planning of Chandigarh began in 1948, resulting in the selection of its site considering factors like central location and water supply. The master plan was initially created by Albert Mayer and Mathew Novicki but was later refined by Le Corbusier, focusing on a garden city concept and a unique sector design. The city features a well-developed traffic system and significant green spaces, emphasizing its architectural significance in urban planning.

1. PLANNING OF
CHANDIGARH
Harish Kumar
Manjul Gambhir
Sumit Dixit
Gopal Gupta
Rhythm Murgai

2. SELECTION OF SITE
To select a suitable site, the Govt. of Punjab appointed a Committee in 1948
under the Chairmanship of P.L Verma, Chief Engineer to assess and
evaluate the existing towns in the State for setting up the proposed capital of
Punjab.
However, none was found suitable on the basis of several reasons, such as
military vulnerability, shortage of drinking water, inaccessibility, inability to
cope in flux of large number of refugees etc.
The present site was selected in 1948 taking into account various attributes
such as its Central location in the state, proximity to the national capital &
availability of sufficient water supply, fertile of soil, gradient of land for natural
drainage, beautiful site with the panorama of blue hills as backdrop &
moderate climate.

3. PLANNER
An American Firm, M/s. Mayer, Whittlessay and Glass was commissioned in
1950 to prepare the Master Plan for the new City.
Albert Mayer and Mathew Novicki evolved a fan shaped Master Plan and
worked out conceptual sketches of the super block.
Novicki was tragically killed in an air accident and Mayer decided to
discontinue. Thereafter, the work was assigned to a team of architect known
as Le Corbusier in 1951.

4. Le Corbusier's Master Plan
The Master plan prepared by Le Corbusier was broadly similar to the one
prepared by the team of planners led by Albert Mayer and Mathew Novicki
except that the shape of the city plan was modified from one with a curving
road network to rectangular shape with a grid iron pattern for the fast traffic
roads, besides reducing its area for reason of economy.
The city plan was conceived as post war ‘Garden City’ wherein vertical and
high rise buildings were ruled out, keeping in view the socio economic-conditions
and living habits of the people.
Due to economic constraints, the master plan was to be realized in two
phases, catering to a total population of half a million.
Phase-I consisting of 30 low density sector spread over an area of 9000
acres (Sector 1 to 30) for 1,50,000 people
Phase-II consisting of 17 considerably high density Sectors ( Sectors 31 to
47) spread over an area of 6000 acres for a population of 3,50,000.

5. THREE DISCIPLINES
The discipline of money - In working up his designs,le corbuiser consulted
the program for each building as given in the budget and then prepared the
initial project.
The discipline of technology Available in quantity, however, was good clay
stone and sand,and,above all’ human labour. The materials of which
chandigarh has been constructed are rough concrete in the capitol complex
and the central business district and for most of the city, especially in
housing,locally produced brick.
The discipline of climate Besides the administrative and financial
regulatons there was a law of the sun in india. The architectural problem
consists;first to make shade,second to make a current of air[to ventilate],
third to control hydraulics.

6. SECTOR- THE BASIS PLANNING UNIT
The primary module of city’s design is a Sector, a neighborhood unit of size
800 meters x 1200 meters.
It is a self-sufficient unit having shops, school, health centers and places of
recreations and worship.
The population of a sector varies between 3000 and 20000 depending upon
the sizes of plots and the topography of the area.
The shops are located along the V4 street (shopping street), which runs
North-West to South-East across the sector.
Every sector permits only 4 vehicular entries into its interior.

7. Circulation
Le Corbusier's traffic system followed Mayer's lines but was more elaborate; he called it Les
Sept Voies de Circulation, or Seven Vs.
The rationale of his planning was the motor car. "From his early studies in urbanism, Le
Corbusier had identified the motor car as the central factor of modern town planning.
The 7 Vs act in the town plan as the bloodstream, the lymph system and the respiratory
system act in biology.
The 7Vs establishes a hierarchy of traffic circulation ranging from : arterial roads (V1), major
boulevards (V2) sector definers (V3), shopping streets (V4), neighbourhood streets (V5),
access lanes (V6) and pedestrian paths and cycle tracks (V7s and V8s).
V1 connects chandigarh to other cities.
The entrance of cars into the sectors, which are exclusively reserved to family life, can take
place on four points only; in the middle of the 1,200 meters; in the middle of the 800 meters.
The bus stops are provided each time at 200 meters from the circus so as to served the
four pedestrian entrances into a sector.
The road system was so designed that "never a door will open on the surrounding V3s:
precisely the four surrounding V3s must be separated from the sector by a blind wall all
along." Buses can ply on the V4s, the horizontal connection between contiguous sectors,
but not within the sector interiors

8. Road Circulation

9. Working
Chandigarh has four main work centers :
The Capitol Complex in the north-east
The Educational institutes in the north-west
The City Centre in the heart
The industrial area in the south-east

10. HIERARCHY of GREEN AREAS
A Hierarchy of Green Spaces can be observed in both
the layout ranging from Public Greens at City Level to
Semi-Private to Private Green Areas.
City Level Public Green Space with Artificial
Water Body
Free- Flowing Green Space, connecting the entire
site
Semi-Private Green Areas for neighborhood
pockets
Private Green Areas for Residential Units

11. CONCEPT
• The 7Vs establishes a hierarchy of traffic circulation
ranging from : arterial roads (V1), major boulevards (V2)
sector definers (V3), shopping streets (V4),
neighbourhood streets (V5), access lanes (V6) and
pedestrian paths and cycle tracks (V7s and V8s). The
essence of his plan for Chandigarh rests on preserving
intact the true functions of these seven types of roads.

12. ROADS
V-1 Roads connecting Chandigarh with other cities like Ambala, Kharar and
Shimla.
V-2 They are the major avenues of Chandigarh, with important institutional and
commercial functions running alongside. In Chandigarh they are identifiable as 'Margs'.
Madhya Marg, DakshinMarg, Jan Marg, Himalaya Marg, UttarMargand PurvMarg are
important examples.
V-3 They are the corridor-streets for fast moving vehicular traffic. A Sector is surrounded
by either V-2 or V-3 roads.
V-4 Roads bisecting the Sectors with shopping complexes located along their southern
edge.
V-5 Roads meandering through the Sector giving access to its inner areas.
V-6 Roads leading off the V-5s and providing access to dwelling.

13. • V-7 They are intended for pedestrian
movement and run through the
middle of the sectors in the green
areas. A few examples are along the
Jan Marg, in Punjab University &
Sector 15.
• V-8 They are intended to run parallel
to V-7s for bi-cycles and are not fully
developed.

14. THE CAPITOL COMPLEX
THE AREA OF THE GREATEST SYMBOLIC SIGNIFICANCE IN
CHANDIGARH WAS THE CAPITOL COMPLEX , WHICH IN ITS FINAL
FORM WAS BASED ON THE DESIGN OF A GRAET CROSS AXIS
THE MOST IMPORTANT GROUP OF THE BUILDINGS CONSTITUTING
THE CAPITOL- RIGHT, THE PARLIAMENT, LEFT,IN THE BACKGROUND,
THE SECRETARIAT
IN THE FOREGROUND, THE POOL OF THE PALACE OF JUSTICE
THE ARTIFICIAL HILLS IN THE FRONT OF THE SECRETARIAT HAVE
NOT BEEN CREATED AND LAID OUT IN ACCORDANCE WITH
COEBUSIER;S CONCEPTIONS
ALTHOUGH THE SCENE IS HARMONIUS IN EFFECT, THERE ARE STILL
MISSING THE BUILDINGS THAT BELONG HERE ,SUCH AS , FOR
INSTANCE, THE TOWERS OF SHADOWS

15. The
Capitol
Complex

16. The City Centre

17. • City Centre DLF is located at Rajeev Gandhi IT Park Chandigarh,close to
Golf range and Sukhna lake. It is hardly 15 minutes drive from sector 17
and very close to the heritage residential areas of Chandigarh. It is built
on 2 lakh square feet at the junction point of Panchkula, Manimajra &
Chandigarh overlooking the beautiful Shivalik Range. The mall welcomes
visitors of Tricity-Chandigarh, Panchkula and Mohali.
• The Mall caters to the taste of discerning shoppers across a broad age
spectrum and offers a unique blend of international and indigenous
brands, a mix of handcrafted Indian designer wear, Fashion Accessories
and yet also the latest international Fashion trends for Men, Women &
Kids. Some of the premium brands at City Centre Chandigarh is Harley
Davidson , United Colors of Benetton, Puma, Nike, Alcott, Arrow,
mothercare, Tommy Hiliger, U S Polo, Madame, Chemistry, Meena
Bazaar and more.
• Shoppers can indulge in their favorite Sports brands, choose from a range
of Fashion Eyewear, Fragrances and Accessories. It also offers various
dining options like Rajdhani and the Tricity’s most Beautiful restobar Black
Magic. Needless to say EAT FOOD LOUNGE, the Food Court is visited
by more than 15,000 food lovers every Weekend. It offers the best of the
international fastfood such as Subway, Baskin Robbins, Dominos,

18. SITE PLAN
OPEN HAND
GOVERNOR,S PALACE
HIGH COURT
ASSEMBLY
SECRETARIAT

19. 19
THE SECTOR
• TAKING CHANDIGARH AS AN EXAMPLE,WE MAY SEE AT ONCE THE DEMOCRATIC IDEA WHICH ALLOWS US
TO DEVOTE AN EQUAL CARE TO HOUSING ALL CLASSES OF SOCIETY TO SEK NEW SOCIAL GROUPINGS,
NEW PATTERNS OF EDUCATION AND PUBLIC WELFARE,AND MADE MORE POSSIBLE BY PRACTICAL
APLICATOIN OF THE SCIENTIFIC IDEA WHICH THROUGH INDUSTRIALISM,GIVES US SUCH BENEFITS AS
PIPED WATER,ELECRICITY AND CHEAP TRANSPORT.
• EACH SECTOR IS DESIGNATED BY NUMBER,THE CAPITAL COMPLEX BEING NUMBER 1,WITH THE
REMAINING SECTORS NUMBERED CONSECUTIVELY BEGINNING AT THE NORTH CORNER OF THE CITY.
• AT PRESENT THERE ARE 30 SECTORS IN CHANDIGARH,OF WHICH 24 ARE RESIDENTIAL.
• THE SECTORS AT THE UPPER EDGE OF THE CITY ARE OF ABBREVIATED SIZE.
• IN ALL TYPE OF HOUSING ,PARTLY BECAUSE OF THE GLAZING EXPENSE,PARTLY TO KEEP OUT SUN.
• AS THE MOST ECONOMICAL AND READILY AVAILABLE MATERIAL FOR BUILDING AT CHANDIGARH WAS
LOCALLY MADE BRICK.
• THIS BECAME THE MATERIAL OF CONSTRUCTION.
• THE FLAT ROOF WAS EMPLOYED THROUGH OUT IN CHANDIGARH HOUSING BECAUSE OF ITS
USEFULNESS AS A SLEEPING AREA
• 70% OF THE BUILDING WOULD BE PRIVATE IN ALL THE SECTORS.
• RESIDENTIAL PLOTS RANGING IN DIMENSIONS FROM 75 SQ. YARDS TO 5000 SQ YARDS.

20. 20
• THIS IS BECAUSE THE CAPITOL COMPLEX IS CONTAINED WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES OF SECTOR 3
EXTENTED TO ITS FULL DIMENSIONS.
• GOVERNMENT HOUSING
• LE-CORBUISER WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE GENERAL OUTLINES OF THE MASTER PLAN AND THE
CREATION OF THE MONUMENTAL BUILDLINGS,WHILE PIERRE JEANNERET,MAXWELL FRY AND JANE
DREW WERE CHARGED WITH THE TASK OF DEVELOPING THE NEIGHBOURHOOD SECTORS WITH
THEIR SCHOOLS,SHOPPING BAZAARS,AND THE TRACTS OF GOVERNMENT HOUSING.
• IN THE PROGRAM PRESENTED TO THE ARCHITECTS,13 CATEGORIES OF HOUSES WERE
SPECIFIED,EACH CORRESPONDING TO A LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT EMPLOYMENT.
• SMALL WINDOWS OPENINGS HAVE BEEN CONSISTENTLY EMPLOYED
• CHANDIGARH UT IS SPREAD OVER AN AREA OF 114SQ KMS INCLUDING MANIMAJRA AND BURAIL
• THE BIRTH OF CHANDIGARH HAS NOT INFLUENCED ONLY THE NORTH WEST REGION BUT THE
WHOLE COUNTRY IN THE MATTERS OF ARCHITECTURE AND URBAN PLANNING
• PROJECTS HE HANDLED WERE CAPITOL COMPLEX, HOUSING, MUSEUM, CITY PLAZA ETC

21. 21
HOUSING
Lower category
residential buildings are
governed by a
mechanism known as
“frame control” to
control their facades.
This fixes the building
line and height and the
use of building materials.
PLAN OF THE CITY

22. OPEN SPACES
Some 800 hectares of green open space are spread over
the approximately 114 square kilometers of the Capital
Project area.
Majoropen areas include the Leisure Valley,
Sukhna Lake, Rock Garden and many other special
gardens.
The sectors are vertically integrated by green space
oriented in the direction of the mountains.

23. LANDSCAPING
Three spaces were identified for special plantation: the
roadsides, spaces around important buildings, parks
and special features such as Sukhna Lake.
Le Corbusier’s Le Corbusier’s contribution to landscaping
was of categorising tree forms.
1. functional needs
2. aesthetic suitability for the various
3. areas, devoting special attention to specific roads.

24. prominent flowering trees are gulmohar (Delonix regia), amaltas
(Cassia fistula), kachnar (Bauhinea variegata), pink cassia
(Cassia Javanica) and silver oak (Grevillea robusta).
Among the conspicuous non-flowering trees one finds kusum
(Schleicheta trijuga) and pilkhan (Ficus infectoria) along V3
roadsides.
These trees, noted for their vast, thick spreading canopies form
great vaulting shelters over many of the city’s roads.
In all, more than 100 different tree species have been planted in
(Fieus religosa) Chandigarh .

25. parks in every
sector