7. The Assembly
In this episode, we explore the Assembly building in Chandigarh. We discuss the evolution of its design, examining how it became the focal point of the Capitol Complex. We also critique the sculptural form of the building and the symbolic significance of the painted enamel door.
TIMESTAMPS:
1:07 - Why does the Assembly building seem to be in the centre of the Capitol? Was this always the case?
3:51 - How did the scrapping of the Governor’s Palace change the design and significance of the Assembly?
5:58 - Hyperbolic paraboloid connection to cooling towers of thermal power stations in Ahmedabad
9:44 - Assembly as self-conscious structure - the ‘bull’ metaphor
11:25 - Relationship to the cosmos in the Assembly building
13:47 - Developing a modernist ethics of living
18:10 - The sense of the sacred and divine in the Assembly chamber
24:32 - The roof of the Assembly with the amphitheater and bridge
26:19 - The painted enamel door and its visual concepts
28:43 - Corbusier’s fascination with the right angle
32:32 - The ‘potato’ cutouts as portholes or eyes
34:13 - The presence of the hand and its connection to arts and crafts
36:29 - Chandigarh, democracy and the embodiment of the Nehruvian state as a counterpoint to Lutyens’ Delhi.
Story of Chandigarh
A podcast about the making of the modernist city of Chandigarh - its origins, ethos, design principles, the people involved, its subsequent growth and possible futures.
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