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Collection by Diana Budds

Pierre Jeanneret's Modern Furniture for Chandigarh

Architect Pierre Jeanneret masterminded furniture to embody India’s progressive architecture.

When India’s government commissioned Le Corbusier to design its new capital city in 1951, the project brief went beyond architecture. His cousin Pierre Jeanneret developed a collection composed of chairs, tables, desks, bookshelves, and room dividers that shared the city’s visionary symbolism. “Pierre Jeanneret’s furniture was conceived like an architect—minimalist and non-decorative,” says French gallerist François Laffanour. Jeanneret married modern sensibilities with traditional carpentry techniques to produce the pieces. Objects in the family, like the Managing Committee table and Cinema armchair, share a geometric language, and their dimensions correspond to Le Corbusier’s Modulor theory. Jeanneret's furniture will be on view at Design Miami/Basel in June.

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In 1951, Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru entrusted Le Corbusier with the design of the city of Chandigarh, a new modern capital for the state of Punjab. When Le Corbusier opted out of the Chandigarh project halfway through its execution, Pierre Jeanneret became the project's chief architect and urban designer. Photo courtesy of Galerie Downtown.
In 1951, Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru entrusted Le Corbusier with the design of the city of Chandigarh, a new modern capital for the state of Punjab. When Le Corbusier opted out of the Chandigarh project halfway through its execution, Pierre Jeanneret became the project's chief architect and urban designer. Photo courtesy of Galerie Downtown.
The Chandigarh furniture designed by Jeanneret combines a distinctly modernist esthetic with India's long-standing tradition of craftsmanship. Photo courtesy of Galerie Downtown.
The Chandigarh furniture designed by Jeanneret combines a distinctly modernist esthetic with India's long-standing tradition of craftsmanship. Photo courtesy of Galerie Downtown.
This teak desk is an excellent example of Jeanneret's style, which became broadly popular in India after it was realized in Chandigarh. Photo courtesy of Galerie Downtown.
This teak desk is an excellent example of Jeanneret's style, which became broadly popular in India after it was realized in Chandigarh. Photo courtesy of Galerie Downtown.
The strict geometry of Jeanneret's furniture matches the rational layout of Le Corbusier's urban program. For more infomation on Jeanneret's work in Chandigarh, visit
The strict geometry of Jeanneret's furniture matches the rational layout of Le Corbusier's urban program. For more infomation on Jeanneret's work in Chandigarh, visit