Chandigarh: The Le Corbusier Centre in Sector 19, one of Chandigarh’s most significant heritage landmarks and a museum dedicated to the city’s founding architect Le Corbusier, is suffering from severe neglect and poor maintenance.A pilgrimage site for architects, heritage experts, and international tourists, the centre now presents a picture of decay. In the main hall — the original workspace where Le Corbusier and his team, including Pierre Jeanneret, Jane Drew, and Maxwell Fry, conceptualised and designed Chandigarh nearly seven decades ago — roof tiles are missing or broken in several places. Historical photographs and letters lie covered in dust, while descriptive plaques haveare worn out.The sides of the building have been turned into garbagerubbish dumps, with heaps of broken furniture, dead vegetation, and other waste accumulating on both flanks. Wooden window panes show signs of disrepair and are coated in dust. Even the ‘experimental’ arches — built to test design compatibility with local conditions — have been reduced to dumping grounds for worn-out furniture.Surinder Bahga, chairman of Saakaar Foundation and author of ‘Le Corbusier and Pierre Jeanneret: Footprints on the Sands of Indian Architecture’,, expressed deep concern. “To say the centre is a pilgrimage centre for international tourists, heritage experts and architects will be an understatement. Its poor upkeep and maintenance is a disservice not only to the city’s heritage but also tarnishes the country’s image on the world stage,” he said.Senior advocate and prominent heritage protectionist Manmohan Lal Sarin emphasised the site’s importance, describing its preservation as a “sacred duty.” “Preserving such a unique building where Corbusier and his team worked for the creation of the city is essential. For future generations, it has to be preserved. A dedicated team should be in place for its upkeep. Any laxity in this should be dealt with strongly,” Sarin said.This is not the first time the centre’s maintenance has come under scrutiny. In the 1990s, the Chandigarh administration had even proposed demolishing the building. The plan faced strong public opposition, leading to judicial intervention — one of the early instances of the judiciary stepping in to protect the city’s heritage. The administration eventually dropped the demolition proposal and converted the structure into the Le Corbusier Centre.“It is very painful that the centre has once again become a victim of the administration’s apathy,” Sarin added.Naveen, director of tourism and culture, declined to comment on the issue.BOX: A Living Manifesto of ChandigarhVisiting the centre offers a glimpse into history, including the exact conference room where Le Corbusier met India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru to discuss the city’s master plan.One of the earliest buildings constructed in Chandigarh alongside the Engineers’ Office and staff residences in Sector 19, the structure was built in 1951 after the Capital Project team moved from the colonial offices in Shimla to the city. Designed by Pierre Jeanneret on a shoestring budget and in record time, the building embodied the spirit of the ‘great Chandigarh experiment’ — innovative, cost-effective, and climate-responsive.
