Sofa
Manufactured by Government Workshops, Chandigarh
India, 1956
Teak, upholstery

Measurements
165 × 56 × 79h cm
65 × 22 × 31,2h in

Provenance
Punjab University, Chandigarh, India
Private Collection

Details
Manufacturer’s Label

Literature
Seguin, P. (2014). Le Corbusier Pierre Jeanneret: Chandigarh, India., pp. 146, 283.
Touchaleaume, E., & Moreau, G. (2010). The Indian Adventure, pp. 565–566.

About
This sofa was designed by Pierre Jeanneret for the interiors of Punjab University in Chandigarh during the early years of the city’s development. Intended for academic and administrative environments, the design reflects the understated elegance and functional clarity characteristic of Jeanneret’s seating furniture.
Constructed in solid teak with upholstered cushions, the sofa combines architectural lines with generous seating proportions. The structure emphasizes the natural beauty of the wood while providing durability suited to institutional settings.
Furniture designed for Punjab University represents an important chapter in the Chandigarh project, illustrating the role of design in shaping the everyday spaces of the new city’s intellectual and cultural life.

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.