Both geographically and symbolically, the Capitol Complex occupies the compositional apex of the Chandigarh Plan. Located at the foot of the Shivalik Hills, together with the “Rajendra Park” stretching away on its western flank and Lake Sukhna to the east, it forms the Capitol Park, extending across the width of the city. 

It is the largest monumental complex designed and built by Le Corbusier. He designed the three main buildings that make it up – the Palace of the Assembly, the Secretariat and the High Court of Justice – but also the furniture, the luminaries, the bas-reliefs moulded in the concrete, as well as works of art like the enamelled door of the Palace of the Assembly and a series of monumental tapestries. 

The Capitol mixes primary forms taken from Purist geometry with Brutalist expression punctuated by a polychromy of bold colours contrasting with the monochrome appearance of the raw concrete.  

1952 - The composition of the site results from the desire to integrate the architecture into the landscape and the desire to reconcile man, nature and the cosmos.  

1952 - The three primary buildings are located on a pedestrian esplanade punctuated by other posthumous Corbusean creations: the Monument of the Open Hand, the Depth of Consideration, the Martyrs’ Memorial, the Tower of Shadows, the Geometrical Hill, as well as the reflecting pools of the High Court and the Assembly. 

1952 - Palace of Assembly  This is a legislative assembly building in Chandigarh, India, and a part of the Capitol Complex. The Palace of Assembly features a circular assembly chamber, a forum for conversation and transactions, and stair-free circulation. The building was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2016.

1953 - Palace of Justice  The High Court building is L-shaped in plan with the long façade facing the capitol plaza. The building has a rectilinear frame with eight nos. courtrooms located on the main façade, separated from the larger ‘Chief Justice’ Court by a monumental, pillared entrance, extending to the full height of the entrance. This massive entrance bears a close resemblance to the Buland Darwaza of Fatehpur Sikri. The small Courts are 8x8x12 meters. The dimensions of the over all design were governed by the Modular combined with triangular regulating lines. The design of the High Court is an embodiment of the climate responsive architecture as conceived by Corbusier for the new city. It was planned that the design should permit the government to function through out the year, furnishing protection from the sun and monsoon rains. Accordingly, double roof was provided, the upper roof placed over the lower roof was provided in the manner of a parasol, shading the lower roof. The space between the two roofs is left open to enable air currents to move. The parasol roof slopes towards the centre in the form of a row of arches. The High Court building, when completed in 1956 proved to be insufficient in space. Therefore, an extension (annex) was proposed and completed in 1962 in which additional courtroom spaces were provided, this is a brick structure consisting of a group of blocks receding to the rear of the High Court block, neither asserting visually, nor disrupting the existing Layout plan.

1965 - The Tower of Shadows  The Tower of the Shadows was planned to go between the Palace of Justice and the Parliament building, in the Capitol area. It is a lofty, open-sided hall providing ample shade. In the subdued atmosphere thus created, one can be free to meditate. The building is aligned precisely on the north-south axis, so that it agreeably interrupts the severe symmetry of the enormous square. The north side is entirely open, and the other three faces are furnished with brise-soleil. A ramp leads from this square into the sunken park (the Trench of Consideration).

1953 - Secretariat Building  The Secretariat building is a long, horizontal concrete slab form, which marks the edge of the Capitol Complex on the left side. The building is composed of six eight storeyed blocks separated by expansion joints and bears close resemblance to the Marseilles apartment block, one of Corbusier's earlier projects.

1964 - The Open Hand Monument  The symbolic structure is located in the Capitol Complex of Chandigarh. It is also the emblem of the Government of Chandigarh and symbolizes Le Corbusier's philosophy, "the hand to give and the hand to take; peace and prosperity, and the unity of mankind". Le Corbusier also stated that it was a recurring idea that conveyed the "Second Machine Age". The largest example of Le Corbusier's many Open Hand sculptures, and was designed to rotate in the wind.