Idea of Environment and Architectural Form in India by Le Corbusier : On the Creation of Villa Shodhan at Ahmedabad(Architectural History and Theory)

This paper aims to clarify the relationship between the global idea on the environment ("Sun, Space, Green") by Le Corbusier and its realization at the local site, analyzing the change process of architectural form of Villa Shodhan (1951-1956) at Ahmedabad in India. According to the analysis of Le Corbusier Archives and Carnets (Sketchbooks), Le Corbusier studies the problem of the weather condition, especially the glaring sunlight at Ahmedabad, with his own architectural languages from the start of the project. However, in the process of this project, the independent parasol roof is integrated into the main structure of this house. That is to say, the roof as equipment to get shade from the sun, becomes the border space between the sky and the building, like the roof garden of Villa Savoye in 1929, which is open to the sky and joins the inside to the outside of the architectural work at the same time. In short, the main theme of this project realized in Ahmedabad by Le Corbusier is the "space" ("espace" in French), as architectural environment, which can't be measured by the conventional architectural language of "roof" or "wall".