The Union Territory of Chandigarh has rediscovered an important part of its history with the introduction of first prototype of the paddle boat sailing on the waters of the Sukhna Lake, city’s prime tourist spot. Since city’s architect Le Corbusier clearly prohibited the use of motor boats on the Lake to maintain its peace and tranquility, the first paddle boat for the Sukhna Lake was designed by his cousin designer Pierre Jeanneret in 1954.
The paddle boat showcased the versatility of Jeanneret as a designer and had the same aesthetics as his buildings and furniture. However, a long time back, these boats were removed from the Lake and later disposed off.
Under the project Building Chandigarh, French artist Pierrick Mouton in collaboration with Alliance Française de Chandigarh developed a replica of the same boat which was launched in the Sukhna Lake on Tuesday. The boat was made using drawings on the basis of archival pictures and constructed by a local carpenter. It will be eventually kept at the Pierre Jeanneret’s house here where the first prototype was made in the lawn of this house.
Director Le Corbusier Centre, Deepika Gandhi said that the launch of the boat is a befitting commemoration of the contribution of Jeanneret to the creation of Chandigarh.
Another interesting event on the occasion was the plantation of tree that was brought from Switzerland to Chandigarh. In the garden of the Villa “le lac (house of the lake) in Switzerland, Le Corbusier had planted a Paulownia tomentosa tree which eventually became a defining feature of the house. A cutting of the same tree that grew on the terrace of Villa “le lac” was brought to Chandigarh by Pierrick Mouton.