Civil Bench
from Cassina
civil bench
Design Hommage à Pierre Jeanneret, 1955
Woven Viennese cane, solid oak or teak
Made in Italy by Cassina
"The seed of Chandigarh is well sown. It is for the citizens to see that the tree flourishes."
- Le Corbusier
Chandigarh is one of the most ambitious urban planning projects of the 20th century. Commissioned by Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru following partition in 1947, the city was conceived as a symbol of modern, independent India. Le Corbusier was appointed lead architect in 1951, alongside his cousin Pierre Jeanneret and a team of Indian architects that included Eulie Chowdhury, who was the only connection between Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeanneret, and the Indian design team and administrators.
The furniture for the Capitol Complex and all of its many buildings was never an afterthought for Le Corbusier. Working alongside his cousin Pierre Jeanneret, who served as resident architect in Chandigarh from 1951 to 1965, and designer Charlotte Perriand, he understood that the interiors of the Capitol Complex needed to reflect the same Modernist principles as the buildings themselves. Pierre Jeanneret took the lead on furniture design for the project, creating pieces that were functional, honest in their use of materials, and deeply rooted in local craft traditions. Readily available materials like teak and rattan became the primary materials, giving the furniture a distinctly Indian character while remaining true to Modernist ideals.
The bench was originally produced between 1955 and 1956 for the lodgings and apartments of the members of the Indian city's Legislature Assembly, consists of three consecutive seat elements supported by a single frontal crossbar and two side supports positioned in the shape of an inverted "V". The seat has the typical weaving that recurs in all the Collection, produced in the company's historic carpentry workshop.
Cassina's reissue honors the integrity of the originals, offering the classic version in natural teak alongside an oak version in a variety of finishes.
52.2" w | 17.7" d | 16.5" h
Woven Viennese cane, solid oak or teak
Made in Italy by Cassina
"The seed of Chandigarh is well sown. It is for the citizens to see that the tree flourishes."
- Le Corbusier
Chandigarh is one of the most ambitious urban planning projects of the 20th century. Commissioned by Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru following partition in 1947, the city was conceived as a symbol of modern, independent India. Le Corbusier was appointed lead architect in 1951, alongside his cousin Pierre Jeanneret and a team of Indian architects that included Eulie Chowdhury, who was the only connection between Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeanneret, and the Indian design team and administrators.
The furniture for the Capitol Complex and all of its many buildings was never an afterthought for Le Corbusier. Working alongside his cousin Pierre Jeanneret, who served as resident architect in Chandigarh from 1951 to 1965, and designer Charlotte Perriand, he understood that the interiors of the Capitol Complex needed to reflect the same Modernist principles as the buildings themselves. Pierre Jeanneret took the lead on furniture design for the project, creating pieces that were functional, honest in their use of materials, and deeply rooted in local craft traditions. Readily available materials like teak and rattan became the primary materials, giving the furniture a distinctly Indian character while remaining true to Modernist ideals.
The bench was originally produced between 1955 and 1956 for the lodgings and apartments of the members of the Indian city's Legislature Assembly, consists of three consecutive seat elements supported by a single frontal crossbar and two side supports positioned in the shape of an inverted "V". The seat has the typical weaving that recurs in all the Collection, produced in the company's historic carpentry workshop.
Cassina's reissue honors the integrity of the originals, offering the classic version in natural teak alongside an oak version in a variety of finishes.
52.2" w | 17.7" d | 16.5" h
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