Art visual np2

House with Balls is a house built outside Ahmedabad (see the previous posts about this city of Gujarat where Corbu, L.Kahn and B.Fuller have built) and designed by Matharoo Associates . Its name refers to the numerous concrete counterweights that open and close the heavy curtains which form the side wall of the house. Counterweights are always interesting to me in the continuous equilibrium they tend to achieve, thus creating a poetic suspension state that allows two heavy forces to acquire lightness. thanks Martin!

Here are three boards from my friend Faiza Khan who did study the history of housing typology in Bombay and made a very vivid synthesis through those boards. It is interesting to establish the relationship between those architectural matters and Indian history in general and how the latter influence the former (actually the other way around may even be more interesting but far more subtle !).

The border between Amritsar (India) and Lahore (Pakistan) is special by the "spectacle" it hosts every evening for the lowering of the flags. In fact, soldiers from the two sides daily starts at the same time a kind of ceremonial of intimidation dramatizing in an almost grotesque way, the conflict between the two countries. Stands have been built for the audience of both nation who compete as well to know who cheers the best his country. This ceremony emphasizes considerably the symbolic and representative aspect of the border and constitutes a daily battle that nobody win, thus perpetuating the war to the infinite.

At the end of september will be celebrated as every year, Durga Puja all over India. This festival celebrating the goddess Durga is particularly important in West Bengal and more specifically in Kolkata (Calcutta). During six days, some temporary structures called Pandals are being built with mostly bamboos and fabric to host all the celebrations. It means that for one week, the city is getting transformed and might be out of control for a short while of urban creation freedom.

Last but not least, here is the Panjab and Harraynah Assembly which host the two regional parliaments (Chandigarh is the only Indian city being capital of two provinces). Inside is accessible but pictures are not allowed...

Second Corbu's Capitole complex building in Chandigarh is the High Court which includes a beautiful ramp giving an access to the different building's storey. Use of color here is quite daring I have to say !

Chandigarh's Secretariat is one of the three administrative buildings Le Corbusier designed in the 50's for Penjab and Harraynah provinces' Capitole. Despite its massive and austere aspect, the roof is amusing to see since it has been appropriated by plants and soldiers' laundry. On the two sides of the buildings (it is so long, we can assume there are only two sides !), two monumental ramps have been constructed and allow one to access any storey.

Chandigarh's Secretariat is one of the three administrative buildings Le Corbusier designed in the 50's for Penjab and Harraynah provinces' Capitole. Despite its massive and austere aspect, the roof is amusing to see since it has been appropriated by plants and soldiers' laundry. On the two sides of the buildings (it is so long, we can assume there are only two sides !), two monumental ramps have been constructed and allow one to access any storey.

Chandigarh is a huge machine to live where every scales have been included in the control of life of its inhabitants. This control may be philanthropic but its denial of impromptus events to happen makes it being more a machine to die (slowly). Actually this control have probably even escape from Corbu's hand since his great esplanade between Panjab and Haryanna's Assembly and Chandigarh's High Court is abandoned and cut in two parts by barbells and military check points. However, within the city and closeby the Capitole complex, there is a little resisting territory to this control called the Rock Garden. Initiated by an hyperactive mad guy (my favorite artists !) called Nek Chand in 1957, this maze garden is built with a lot of recycled products casted into concrete which eventually creates Alice's wonderland or Oz Wizards's kingdom where thousand of trash statues are living.