International treasure: Chandigarh's Capitol Complex joins the UNESCO World Heritage list

The World Heritage Committee – in its 40th session, held at Istanbul, Turkey, earlier this month – has accepted the transnational serial nomination of 17 sites designed by the Swiss-French architect Le Corbusier. A first of its kind global nomination from seven countries spread over three continents, the dossier features sites that were implemented over a period of 50 years.
The Capitol Complex in Chandigarh, India, is considered as one of the most significant pieces of the architect’s realised body of works, commissioned in the course of what Le Corbusier referred to as ‘patient research’. It demonstrates Corbu's ‘five points’ as well as the ideas of the Ville Radieuse and Athens Charter that encapsulate his practice ideology. The Capitol Complex includes three buildings – the Punjab and Haryana High Court, the Palace of Assembly, and the Secretariat, as well as the Open Hand Monument, interspersed with water bodies and few other smaller structures.
Chandigarh was conceived in 1951 as the new capital of the state of Punjab, after the 1947 partition that led to the creation of Pakistan. The coveted UNESCO status should bring with it a renewed energy for the city, to conserve its exposed concrete edifices, as well as to expand and evolve the narrative of its modernist legacy, to resonate with the idea of contemporary India.
The other Corbu-designed sites of the nomination include the National Museum of Western Art, Tokyo; the Curutchet House in La Plata, Argentina; and Marseille's Unité d’habitation, arguably one of the most influential brutalist buildings of all time. There are also sites in Belgium, Germany and Switzerland. ‘These masterpieces of creative genius also attest to the internationalisation of architectural practice across the planet,’ states UNESCO.
The complex comprises three buildings – the Punjab and Haryana High Court, the Palace of Assembly, and the Secretariat, as well as three monuments.
The Assembly building, surrounded by water on one side, is a totemic work in Corbu’s oeuvre. Courtesy of FLC/ADAGP
The Secretariat ’s long and horizontal form spans eight concrete levels. Courtesy of FLC/ADAGP
The High Court is the Complex’s third member, completed in 1956. Courtesy of FLC/ADAGP
INFORMATION
For more information, visit the UNESCO website
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox
-
Wander Hotel in Beijing is an ideal escape for serene moments of introspection
Renovated by Fon Studio, Wander Hotel adds organic symmetry to the adjacent Great Wall of China
By Tianna Williams Published
-
Roksanda creates a perfectly pink Christmas tree for Amsterdam’s Pulitzer hotel
Fashion designer Roksanda Ilinčić unveils a tulle-covered pink Christmas tree, its bold design recalling the colours and textures of her collections
By Jack Moss Published
-
Allday Goods’ nakiri knife is inspired by bao buns
This nakiri knife by Allday Goods features a bun-inspired handle made from London restaurant chain BAO’s plastic waste
By Tianna Williams Published
-
Discover Dyde House, a lesser known Arthur Erickson gem
Dyde House by modernist architect Arthur Erickson is celebrated in a new film, premiered in Canada
By Hadani Ditmars Published
-
Studio Mumbai exhibition at Fondation Cartier explores craft, architecture and ‘making space’
A Studio Mumbai exhibition at Paris’ Fondation Cartier explores the trailblazing Indian practice’s inspired, hands-on approach
By Amy Serafin Published
-
Georgie Wolton’s No. 34 Belsize Lane in Camden gets Grade II listing
No. 34 Belsize Lane in Camden, London, by Georgie Wolton, is recognised as a modernist gem
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
Debris Block House in India’s Bengaluru nestles into its leafy landscape
Debris Block House by Collective Project intertwines contemporary architecture, flora and roof gardens, as it nestles within its native landscape
By Tianna Williams Published
-
The finest brutalist architecture in London and beyond
For some of the world's finest brutalist architecture in London and beyond, scroll below. Can’t get enough of brutalism? Neither can we.
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
Modernist architecture: inspiration from across the globe
Modernist architecture has had a tremendous influence on today’s built environment, making these midcentury marvels some of the most closely studied 20th-century buildings; check back soon for new additions to our list
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
Misa Architects, India: Wallpaper* Architects’ Directory 2023
Misa Architects from Ahmedabad, India, joins the Wallpaper* Architects’ Directory 2023, our annual round-up of exciting emerging architecture studios
By Nana Ama Owusu-Ansah Published
-
Kempegowda International Airport’s Terminal 2 is a celebration of its ‘garden city’, Bengaluru
Kempegowda International Airport in India gets a new terminal by SOM, prioritising sustainability and wellbeing
By Ellie Stathaki Published