The recent 125th anniversary of the birth of the "Pope of Modern Architecture" became an impulse to join the worldwide activities aimed at commemorating the personality of the brilliant architect and highlighting his remarkable and unique work. Few creators in any artistic field have shaped their era as profoundly as Le Corbusier, born Charles-Edouard Jeanneret-Gris (1887–1965), did in 20th-century architecture.

The Ostrava exhibition focuses on Chandigarh, the “new” capital of the Indian state of Punjab—a city built from scratch, much like Niemeyer’s Brasília. With this aptly chosen theme and a similar presentation format (photographs and Le Corbusier’s original sketches), the exhibition also marks the fifth anniversary of the Architecture Cabinet’s presence at the House of Art in Ostrava as part of the Gallery of Fine Arts in Ostrava.

Chandigarh belongs among Le Corbusier’s most significant creations. The city’s initial, less convincing master plan was drawn up by American architect Albert Mayer in 1950. The first sketches of the government complex—the Capitol—were created by Matthew Nowicki. Only after his sudden and tragic death was the project entrusted to Le Corbusier. Although its reception has been mixed, the Chandigarh project remains a testament not only to Le Corbusier’s talent and creative fervor but also to his exceptional focus and consistency. This is all the more impressive considering that the architect—whose studio was not a project-producing factory like many contemporary ones—had just five months to complete the city’s master plan.

The exhibition is held as part of the 5th edition of the international festival of architecture, design, and art under its new name: ARCHIKULTURA 2013.

Tadeáš Goryczka and Jaroslav Němec

Translated with the help of GPT chat.

Curators: Tadeáš Goryczka, Jaroslav Němec