Illuminated Library Table
Manufactured by Government Workshops, Chandigarh
India, 1960s
Teak, galvanized steel, frosted glass, enameled steel

Measurements
244 × 122 × 112h cm
96 × 48 × 44h in

Provenance
Punjab University, Chandigarh, India
Private Collection, Paris

Details
Manufacturer’s Label

Literature
Touchaleaume, E., & Moreau, G. Pierre Jeanneret / Le Corbusier: Œuvres en Inde, Mobilier et Architecture. Forthcoming catalogue raisonné.

About
This illuminated library table represents one of the most sophisticated furniture designs created by Pierre Jeanneret for the academic institutions of Chandigarh. Combining lighting and workspace in a single architectural object, the table reflects the integrated design philosophy that defined the city’s modernist program.
Constructed in solid teak, the large reading surface is complemented by a structural lighting element rising above the table. The illumination system incorporates galvanized steel components, frosted glass panels, and enameled steel elements that diffuse light evenly across the work surface, creating optimal conditions for reading and study.
Designed for the libraries of Punjab University, the table demonstrates Jeanneret’s capacity to merge functional necessity with sculptural clarity. The contrast between the warmth of teak and the industrial precision of metal and glass elements highlights the modernist dialogue between craft and technology that characterized Chandigarh’s interiors.
Today, illuminated library tables from this series are among the most sought-after institutional furnishings from Chandigarh, representing a rare synthesis of architecture, furniture design, and lighting within a single object.

Biography
Pierre Jeanneret (1896–1967) was a Swiss architect and designer and a key collaborator of his cousin Le Corbusier. Working mainly in Paris during the early decades of his career, he co-founded an architectural studio with Le Corbusier in 1922, where they developed influential modernist ideas in architecture, urban planning, and furniture design, often collaborating with Charlotte Perriand.
Jeanneret played an important role in the development of modern furniture and architecture associated with their studio, contributing to projects presented at the Salon d'Automne and to many of the architectural works that defined the modern movement.
Later in his career he moved to India, where he worked closely with Le Corbusier on the planning and construction of Chandigarh. There he served as the city’s chief architect for several years, designing numerous public buildings, housing projects, and furniture pieces that became emblematic of the city’s modernist identity.