Is Chandigarh a perfectly planned city? - Vikramāditya Prakāsh

翻译人员: Jing Quan 校对人员: kate shi

In 1947, India achieved independence from British rule—

1947年， 印度脱离英国统治实现独立，

but this freedom came at a tremendous cost.

但这种自由付出了巨大的代价。

The region had been split in two, displacing over 10 million residents

该地区被一分为二， 超过千万居民流离失所，

and leading to riots that saw the deaths of roughly 1 million people.

并引发骚乱， 造成约100万人死亡。

Jawaharlal Nehru, India’s first prime minister,

印度首任总理贾瓦哈拉尔·尼赫鲁

was eager to usher his country towards a brighter, united future.

渴望带领他的国家 走向更光明、团结的未来。

And one of the projects that would prove most essential to realizing this vision

实现这一愿景最重要的项目之一

was the construction of Chandigarh:

是建设昌迪加尔：

a modern metropolis designed to symbolize “the nation’s faith in the future.”

一座旨在象征 “国家对未来的信心” 的现代化大都市。

But the path to Nehru’s futurist city was far from simple.

但通往尼赫鲁所畅想的 未来主义城市的道路绝非易事。

Since money was tight for the burgeoning nation,

由于这个新兴国家的资金紧张，

the project was only able to secure a budget of 175 million rupees.

该项目只能获得1.75亿卢比的预算。

That’s the modern equivalent of roughly 500 million US dollars—

这相当于现代的大约5亿美元——

which is barely enough to build a pair of skyscrapers today.

这几乎不足以在如今建造两座摩天大楼。

The project also had low public support

该项目得到的公众支持也很少，

because the plans required the further displacement of local villages.

因为这些计划要求当地村庄进一步迁移。

The government compensated protesting residents with funds to buy new homes.

政府用购买新房的资金补偿抗议居民。

But their agricultural lands would still be overtaken by the new city.

但他们的农业用地 仍将被新城市所取代。

Nehru’s plan for unity was off to a rocky start.

尼赫鲁的团结计划起步很艰难。

But the city’s plans were as inspiring as they were innovative.

但这座城市的计划 既令人振奋又别具匠心。

In 1949, Nehru commissioned American architect Albert Mayer,

1949年，尼赫鲁委托 美国建筑师艾伯特·梅耶，

whose initial designs laid out green spaces, sectioned neighborhoods,

他最初的设计规划了绿地、分割社区

and organized traffic systems.

和有组织的交通系统。

When Mayer left the project due to his business partner’s death,

当梅耶因商业伙伴去世而离开该项目时，

his plans were taken even further by renowned French architect Le Corbusier.

法国著名建筑师勒·柯布西耶 进一步推动了他的计划。

Known as one of the fathers of modern architecture,

被誉为现代建筑之父之一的勒·柯布西耶

Le Corbusier prioritized functional designs devoid of ornamentation.

优先考虑没有装饰的功能性设计。

His style championed unornamented concrete for creating efficient structures

他提倡用原始的混凝土 来建造高效的结构，

that prioritized function over decoration.

将功能置于装饰之上。

Building on Mayer’s plans,

在梅耶的计划基础上，

Le Corbusier introduced the metaphor of a human body

勒·柯布西耶引入了人体的隐喻，

to describe and design Chandigarh’s urban environment.

来描述和设计昌迪加尔的城市环境。

The head of the city would comprise the main administrative area.

城市“头部”将构成主要行政区域。

Alongside the State Secretariat, Parliamentary Assembly and High Court,

除了国务秘书处、议会和高等法院外，

the complex included symbolic structures like the Martyr’s Memorial,

建筑群还包括烈士纪念馆等地标建筑，

dedicated to those who perished fighting for Indian independence.

专门纪念为争取印度独立而战的人们。

From the head, residents could travel down the city’s circulatory system:

从头部开始，居民可以 沿着城市的循环系统行驶：

a network of roads and pathways known as the 7Vs.

一个名为7V的道路网络。

These hierarchical roads connected Chandigarh to other cities

这些分层道路将 昌迪加尔与其他城市连接起来，

while seamlessly linking the sectors within

同时也为司机、骑自行车者和行人

for drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians.

无缝连接了内部区域。

Chandigarh’s heart was Sector 17— a commercial district housing large shops,

昌迪加尔的“心脏”是17区， 这是一个商业区，里面有大型商店、

offices, a parade ground, and the main interstate bus terminal.

办公室、阅兵场和主要的州际巴士总站。

And the city’s lungs took the form of a continuous Leisure Valley.

这座城市的“肺部”呈现连续 的休闲山谷的形式。

This series of green belts was modeled after the popular garden city concept,

这一系列绿化带 以流行的花园城市概念为蓝本，

which sought to increase green cover

该概念旨在增加绿色覆盖率，

and guarantee all residents access to fresh air and open space.

并保证所有居民都能 获得新鲜空气和开放空间。

Taken as a whole, these plans were unprecedented, daring, and expensive.

总体而言，这些计划是 史无前例的、大胆的、也是昂贵的。

Fortunately, Le Corbusier’s streamlined modernist aesthetic helped keep costs low.

幸运的是，勒·柯布西耶流线型的 现代主义美学有助于降低成本。

Most structures were built of brick, which was left unpainted and unplastered.

多数建筑物都是用 无涂漆和抹灰的砖建造，

Even the city’s grandest concrete buildings remain naked to this day.

直到今天，即使是这座城市 最宏伟的混凝土建筑也保持如此。

And since the budget couldn’t accommodate mechanical heating and cooling systems,

而且，由于预算不够加入 机械加热和冷却系统，

Chandigarh was designed with passive cooling and ventilation

昌迪加尔的每个建筑物中都

built into every structure.

内置了被动冷却和通风。

Other tropical cities employed similar techniques on a smaller scale,

其他热带城市小规模地 采用了类似的技术，

but in Chandigarh every room had direct access

但在昌迪加尔， 每个房间都可以直接获得

to adequate sunlight and ventilation.

充足的阳光和通风。

Overhangs provided shade during the summer and let in heat during the winter.

悬挑令房间冬暖夏凉。

And today, the energy efficiency of Chandigarh’s many brick buildings

如今，昌迪加尔许多 砖砌建筑的能源效率

has made the city famous for its eco-friendly design.

使这座城市 以其环保设计而闻名。

Of course, neither Chandigarh’s past nor present is perfect.

当然，昌迪加尔的 过去和现在都不是完美的。

The hierarchy of housing types resulted in segregation

住房类型的等级结构导致了富裕的大家庭

between affluent, large households and small, denser plots.

和小而密集的土地之间的隔离。

And the city’s focus on residential and government buildings

而且该市对住宅和政府建筑的关注

prevented the development of other industries.

阻碍了其他行业的发展。

But many other elements of Mayer and Le Corbusier’s plans have aged quite well.

但是梅耶和勒·柯布西耶设计的 许多其他内容历久弥新。

Thousands of trees and open spaces make it one of India’s greenest cities.

成千上万的树木和空地 使其成为印度最绿色的城市之一。

And its high quality of life continues to make Chandigarh

其高生活质量继续使昌迪加尔

one of the most desirable cities to live in the nation.

成为全国最令人向往的城市之一。

Over 60 years after its construction,

建成60多年后，

Chandigarh remains an international exemplar of urban design.

昌迪加尔仍然是城市设计的国际典范。