Pierre Jeanneret, ‘Peon’ or Public Bench, model PJ-SI-37-B, designed for the High Court in Chandigarh, India, late 1950s.

140cm wide, 89cm high, 59cm deep.  Seat height 50cm

In 1950, architect Charles Eduard Jeanneret, known as Le Corbusier, and his cousin Pierre were invited by the President Jawaharlal Nehru and the new republican government to present their vision for the city of Chandigarh, the capital of the Northern Punjab region. The aim was to create a utopian metropolis fit for the post-war world. Le Corbusier visited the city only a few times following the signing off the project, however Pierre Jeanneret remained on site to oversee its completion and design many of the fittings and interiors. In light of the enormous size of this project, which included many governmental and educational institutions, furniture had to be produced with great efficiency to meet the deadlines and demands. The result was a time efficient, minimalist range of furniture which utilised local materials such as teak and rattan, which were adaptable to the local climate, ensuring their longevity.

This bench or sofa is an authentic piece from Chandigarh and is in worn condition commensurate with age and use. The black fabric is faded and scuffed in places (see images), with marks to the back where the internal springs have pressed. If required, we would be able to arrange for the sofa to be reupholstered in the purchaser’s choice of fabric, cost to be advised.

SOLD