Tomorrow was Yesterday: Urban Options for Preserving Historic, Modern Chandigarh

Thesis (Master's)--University of Washington, 2012This paper explores planning options for the preservation of the historic, modern city of Chandigarh, India. As a modern city, Chandigarh was designed and built with an edict that emphasized an intent that the city would evolve to meet the needs and desires of the future. Chandigarh was neither built to represent a static monument to the past, nor was it intended to be frozen in time by oppressive regulation. This city is a unique urban experiment that possesses relevant historic resources on various scales. As the city's anticipated future has now come and gone, action must be taken to protect the invaluable historic resources of its stylistically modern past while allowing the city to evolve in a contemporary urban mode. In response to this seemingly paradoxical issue, an examination of other historic, modern urban areas has suggested the importance of a flexible heritage preservation plan that protects Chandigarh's urban and architectural character while developing strategies that promote contemporary development. A preservation proposal is introduced that outlines goals, obstacles, and methods that may be considered for Chandigarh. This paper was written with hopes that the city will be able to maintain both its experimental, urban foundations and also embrace its evolution as city that plans realistically for the future