IA&B August 2012 by Indian Architect & Builder Magazine

MUMBAI ` 200 AUG 2012 VOL 25 (12) ARCHITECTURE The Authorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Residence in Lavasa & Goa Institute of Management: Dr. Brinda Somaya Kadju House: Pradeep Kodikara Architecture INTERNATIONAL Cutty Sark: Grimshaw Architects LLP URBANISM The Mumbai Esplanade Project: Apostrophe A + uD & Somaya & Kalappa Consultants

Indian Architect & Builder - Aug 2012

let’s partner

‘Embedded Intelligence’ In conversation with IA&B, Sir Nicholas Grimshaw of GRIMSHAW ARCHITECTS LLP discusses his fears about the direction in which contemporary architecture is headed, and his hopes of what architecture should be like, through a glimpse into his personal journey within the field. Image: courtesy Ben Johnson

Sir Nicholas Grimshaw graduated with Honours from the Architectural Association in 1965. He immediately started his own practice and won many architectural awards for his buildings in the 1960s and 1970s. These buildings were noted for their innovative approach to construction and detailing. In 1980, Nicholas Grimshaw and Partners Ltd was formed continuing this tradition, winning much acclaim for its architecture and civic design. The practice is now recognised as GRIMSHAW ARCHITECTS LLP and operates internationally with offices in London, New York, Melbourne and Sydney. Sir Nicholas was elected a Royal Academician in 1994 and in the same year, he was elected an Honorary Fellow of the AIA. He was knighted by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in 2002 and in December 2004 was elected President of the Royal Academy of Arts. In 2008, he was conferred as Visiting Professor at the University of the Arts London. Sir Nicholas Grimshaw continues to actively lead GRIMSHAW ARCHITECTS LLP as the Chairman of the Board. IA&B: An interest in architecture came to you as a legacy from your great-grandfathers. What, according to you, are your roots in architecture? NG: My great-grandfathers - one built dams on the Nile and the other put sewers in Dublin - so they were more civil engineers than architects. But I think the interest in construction and the way things went together was somewhere in my genes. I did, even as a kid, build a lot of tree-houses and things like that; I was always constructing things. But it was when I went to Edinburgh and visited the Art College there that I walked into the architecture studio and saw students building models, drawing using their hands, it seemed clear to me that this was it; this was my future. That was really the moment of revelation. I didn’t know much about architecture then. My school certainly hadn’t encouraged interest in many creative activities. So that was the point where, I suppose, my great interest in architecture began. IA&B: In ‘Architecture, Industry and Innovation: the early work of Nicholas Grimshaw & Partners’, Colin Amery recounts

an episode from your student days when the use of grids in Greek town planning earned you a warning against being too ‘mechanistic at the expense of architectural factors’ (from tutor Maxwell Fry). Can you tell us more about your personal journey? NG: I was extremely rebellious as a student. For some reason, I always seemed to manage to object to the programme put forward and tried to rewrite it or reinvent it myself. I wrote my own programme for my final thesis in 1965 at the Architectural Association. It was for an Urban University in the middle of London, which, in those days, was a fairly run-down area of 135 acres ready to be pulled down for redevelopment. People weren’t so worried about conservation in those days. As a student, I saw this site as being an incredible, potentially exciting, focal point in London. I designed the university like an organic system where the buildings could grow and shrink and the routes between them could grow and shrink depending on the intensity of use and so on, all with the background of the public domain flowing across the site. I put all this on a film. I think I was Indian Architect & Builder - Aug 2012

the first person to do a film for my diploma at the Architectural Association. I evolved a building model on the ground shooting a few frames of the film and then moving everything fractionally to shoot a few more frames. If I recall correctly, this took about 36 hours to do. I had a few back-up drawings, but the film was the central feature of the thesis. Going back to the question, in a sense it was mechanistic, but it was more an organic humane machine which responded to the influences on it. When I did my history thesis on the Greek towns, on Hippodamus of Miletos, I traced the grid from that town right through to New York. What I thought was interesting, and wished to explore, was the use of a grid as a background or framework for living, and that wasn’t mechanistic, it neither determined the way people lived nor forced them particularly to do anything. As a contrast to other romantic approaches to higgledy-piggledy towns and rebuilding of London, you could have order but use it organically. IA&B: Your architecture is known for its structure, order, details and flexibility. If you had to distil your decades of practice down to a tangible philosophy, how would you describe the idea of your practice? NG: I believe that this practice is very much based on thinking, on an intellectual approach to problem-solving. We ask a lot of questions of our clients and the people we work with, probably annoy them quite often, but certainly get into great dialogues about why they want to do what they are doing and what we can contribute. Usually, it builds in some way re-writing the brief and sorting issues out till a point where you are really working together, participating together. Good buildings and really good buildings grow out of participation and involvement with the clients, the users and the consultants involved. Buildings should not be approached as pieces of sculpture as some architects do. They want to do what they want to do with no regard to its users and I think our practice is completely the reverse of that. It gives me huge satisfaction to think of all the people who use our buildings. We have done a lot of buildings that you could consider as public, like the Eden Project, the International Terminal at London’s Waterloo Station, National Space Centre at Leicester, and most recently the Cutty Sark, which hundreds of thousands of people flow through every year. So, many of our works are ‘people’ buildings, if you like. I think, if we can be considered to be, ever, a strong technological base, it is ‘technology in service of man, in service of people’ and not ‘technology for its own sake’. IA&B: You have previously written that your buildings must be able to shed their skin. Can you elaborate? NG: I have always observed the structure in buildings and I feel that if you get the structure right, it is possible to re-configure a building, to re-fit it and to re-skin it. The extreme of that thought was the idea I put forward for Indian Architect & Builder - Aug 2012

the Eden Project. The framework could actually support a skin which was alive, perhaps some genetically modified plant-type with a transparent leaf or something could be developed, and could engulf the building providing filtered light to the diverse jungle atmosphere underneath. It is not totally impossible a thought, that you could grow the skin of a building or use organic or natural materials for skinning it. I would like to see, more than anything else, a building that can respond to its environment. The skin of the building should be able to react to the context that it finds itself in or around the world, in terms of light and shade, in terms of shelter and in terms of dealing with extreme weather conditions. I think it would be really inspiring to see more buildings going up, where you can simply look and say “I can see why that building is like that”. I think the climate can and should very much control the look of a building. And there are other things also, like sustainability, like the issues in sunlight-deprived climates. These things should be done and should be evident to the public when they look at the building, so they are not just seeing a perky image; they are seeing something which means something. IA&B: The architectural balance today tilts unabashedly towards representation and highly stylised expression. Do you think this is how architecture should progress? What are your views on contemporary architecture? NG: This question of style is, I think, confusing people quite a lot in contemporary architecture. I think that even if you were building in the Royal Crescent of Bath, infilling damage from the World War II, you shouldn’t ape the past. You should be able to build a contemporary building, which mirrors the wonderful rhythm, materials, the light and shade, the scale, the humanity of those wonderful honey-coloured buildings in Bath, without copying the previous style. For the Thermae Spa in Bath, we have especially tried to develop a contemporary building amongst the historic stone buildings and it really works. This really does prove a point. As far as contemporary styles are concerned, I feel extremely critical of buildings which take geometry and sloping planes to create sculptural form which does not reflect the climate or the influences on the site and can be done anywhere in the world. IA&B: Whose aspirations do your built environments represent? Do you find a middle ground between what you want as an architect and what your clients/users want? NG: I think it is absolutely essential that a client and an architect agree on what they are trying to do. I think if they are in opposition to each other, you can see it in the building. The whole ‘raison d’être’ of a building should emerge out of a dialogue with the client and to satisfy that dialogue. Cutting of costs is an area where sometimes things get difficult. The answer is to try

and agree on the budget in the first place. You can design a good building with any budget, right down to the absolute bare minimum, if you know what you have to do in the first place. You can do it with incredibly cut-price recycled materials and still always get a significant element of contribution from design. I think the most trying thing for an architect is agreeing with a client-brief and setting about to achieve it only to find that the client has changed his mind and does not feel that those parameters are what the design really ought to be based on anymore. So what we do is, agree on the brief with the client and write it down. I have been known in the past even to get a client to sign on the brief! Because people forget, even why they are doing a building sometimes, and that can be very frustrating for an architect. IA&B: You have served as the President of the Royal Academy of Arts in the UK for seven years. What would you say is the relevance of art in architecture? Do you see a profound connection between art and architecture? NG: Whatever else it is, architecture is always to be considered as an art; in fact, some people call it the ‘mother of the arts’. Architecture incorporates so many aspects of art that it is difficult to separate it off really. However, I personally feel that if it comes down to a piece of sculpture or a painting, it is very difficult to work in collaboration with art. I think in many ways, it is much better for one thing or the other to come first and, in principle, I think the most successful collaborations have been, say, where an artist sees a building, understands what is intended and makes something complementary to it. Or you simply choose something of a particular artist’s work because it seems empathetic to the building. I think most other collaborations are very difficult and often fail or end up in disaster. There have, of course, been some wonderful examples, for instance, Mies Van der Rohe’s Barcelona Pavilion with the lovely sculpted figure against the marble wall or Corbusier’s use of colour in Chandigarh. Maybe things are drifting away from that now, which is a great pity. If you look at the recent infusion of people building art galleries or art buildings, I think, a vast majority of them are almost disastrous because the architect is so insistent on his work being seen as a piece of art in its own right that the things you put in it, often cannot hold their own against it at all. Contemporary times have produced art galleries which the curators actually cannot even use because they have no real flat surfaces to put paintings on! So, I think the relationship between art and architecture is quite complicated, but there is absolutely no doubt that architecture should only be a background for art in an art gallery, retiring and modest so that the art within can be seen in its own right and not in conflict with the architecture. IA&B: Your practice is considered as a prolific landmark at the junction between architecture and engineering. What,

as a veteran architect, would you like to see as the future of Grimshaw Architects? NG: I am not very keen on the idea of being seen as a veteran architect yet (laughs). Architecture is like one of those things. Being an architect is like being a writer or a painter. You keep going till you drop. You do not stop. I think the issue of the future for our firm is very fascinating because we have a very diverse portfolio and I think that is what sustains us in many ways; from the Miami Science Museum in the fierce climate of Florida and the Cutty Sark Museum to railway stations, university campus buildings, the Eden Project and practically everything in between. We have recently completed a big housing project in New York which breaks a lot of new ground, in the sense that it is a very sustainable scheme, incredibly cheap, uses recycled materials and has a wonderful green contribution to the city. I hope that this might lead to all kinds of interesting housing work which reflects the country it is done in. We really do cover pretty well all the aspects of architecture around the world and what I hope will continue through all this is our intellectual drive and our questioning of why we are doing things, what we are doing them for, are we using the right materials, are we asking the right questions, are we dealing with people we like? So as a future thought, I think the first criteria should be that we get on well with the people we work with and the questions we work on and it is a human, decent and fair relationship. IA&B: Your architecture has always displayed certain sensitivity to the planet’s resources. In the context of sustainable architecture then, what is your major hope and prime concern for the future? NG: I think, very slowly, people are coming around to the idea that we cannot waste money on energy and on building materials the way we have done up to now. We know that we have advanced technology, we know very good ways of building cheaply and using recycled materials, we know good ways of saving energy either in heating or in cooling, we know how expensive it is to build high-density tall buildings compared to low, ground-hugging buildings. We know all these things, incidentally many of which were put forward by Buckminster Fuller about 50 years ago. The point is, we know all these things and I really hope that since we have this knowledge, we will utilise it in a bigger and bigger way. A lot of firms, like ours, feel that we can contribute, because of our knowledge or what a critic called our ‘embedded intelligence’, bringing it to a situation and trying to solve it rather than seeing it as a commercial opportunity. I am hopeful that we will be playing quite a big role in the sustainable future of the planet. The work of GRIMSHAW ARCHITECTS LLP is chronicled in this issue in the article titled ‘Rise of the Phoenix’ on page 88. Indian Architect & Builder - Aug 2012

INDIAN ARCHITECT AND BUILDER

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LET’S PARTNER ‘Embedded Intelligence’ In conversation with IA&B, Sir Nicholas Grimshaw of GRIMSHAW ARCHITECTS LLP elaborates on his idea of practice, contemporary architecture and hopes for an

VOL 25 (12) | AUG 2012 | ` 200 | MUMBAI RNI Registration No. 46976/87, ISSN 0971-5509 Chairman: Jasu Shah Printer, Publisher & Editor: Maulik Jasubhai Shah Chief Executive Officer: Hemant Shetty

effective utilisation of knowledge & resources.

CURRENT Au Courant updates on events, exhibitions, competitions and news.

EDITORIAL

Assistant Editors: Maanasi Hattangadi, Ruturaj Parikh Writers: Rashmi Naicker (Online), Sharmila Chakravorty, Shalmali Wagle Design Team: Mansi Chikani, Prasenjit Bhowmick Event Management Team: Abhay Dalvi, Abhijeet Mirashi Subscription: Dilip Parab Production Team: V Raj Misquitta (Head), Prakash Nerkar, Arun Madye

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Ahuja Towers, Mumbai Weaving in a form inspired by soundless sail-boats docked along the chaotic

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coastline of the city, Singapore-based Palmer & Turner Architects use technological prowess to shape the Ahuja Towers in Mumbai.

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Gestures in a Landscape

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projects by Brinda Somaya are characterised by the elements, a sense of time

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An author’s residence in Lavasa and an institutional campus in Goa – two and context.

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of materiality.

Printed & Published by Maulik Jasubhai Shah on behalf of Jasubhai Media Pvt. Ltd (JMPL), 26, Maker Chamber VI, Nariman Point, Mumbai 400 021 Printed at M.B.Graphics, B-28 Shri Ram Industrial Estate, ZG.D.Ambekar Marg, Wadala, Mumbai 400031and Published from Mumbai - 3rd Floor, Taj Building, , 210, Dr. D. N. Road, Fort, Mumbai 400 001. Editor: Maulik Jasubhai Shah, 26, Maker Chamber VI, Nariman Point, Mumbai 400 021 Indian Architect & Builder: (ISSN 0971-5509), RNI No 46976/87, is a JMPL monthly publication. Reproduction in any manner, in whole or part, in English or any other language is strictly prohibited. We welcome articles, but do not accept responsibility for contributions lost in the mail.

has conceived the Kadju House to be embedded in simplicity and eloquence

INTERNATIONAL Rise of the Phoenix Elemental and cohesive, the restoration of the 143-year-old Cutty Sark in Greenwich, London by GRIMSHAW ARCHITECTS LLP transforms the material vestiges of the world’s only-remaining tea-clipper into a bold memento of British seafaring supremacy.

URBANISM

INDIAN ARCHITECT AND BUILDER

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Resolving Conflicts The Mumbai Esplanade Project is an attempt by Apostrophe A + uD with Somaya & Kalappa Consultants to insert a continuous pedestrian realm in the extremely sensitive Fort precinct of Mumbai connecting the two major terminals (Churchgate and Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus) with prime business and cultural districts.

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YOUNG DESIGNERS ‘12 ARCHITECTURE Blurring Boundaries A statement built around an interplay of materials, its inhabitants’ aspirations and elegant details, the J-19 Residence designed by Shradha Bhandari is a residential paradigm in Gurgaon.

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INTERIORS Oriental Odyssey DA Design’s interior design for China 1 restaurant in Andheri, Mumbai explores oriental imagery and contrasts to form coherence and contrive a reflection of the ancient ‘yin and yang’ understanding of the universe.

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COMMENT Smart Growth: A Modern Urban Principle Ritu Shrivastava & Anubhav Aggarwal chart the concepts of Smart Growth and outline the components that will contribute to a ‘Liveable Community’.

124

SPACE FRAMES Surfaces with Memories In this column curated by Dr. Deepak John Mathew, Nikhil Patel tries to understand signs of lost things to re-interpret the traces we leave as we interact with our surroundings to create architecture.

Erratum: In the July 2012 issue of IA&B, the feature ‘Govardhan Eco Village’ by Biome Environmental Solutions carried the wrong caption, ‘Arches reduce the need for RCC Lintels’. The correct caption is ‘Arches reduce the need for RCC Slabs’. We regret the error and any inconvenience caused therein. Printed & Published by Maulik Jasubhai Shah on behalf of Jasubhai Media Pvt. Ltd (JMPL), 26, Maker Chamber VI, Nariman Point, Mumbai 400 021. Printed at M.B.Graphics, B-28, Shri Ram Industrial Estate, ZG.D.Ambekar Marg, Wadala, Mumbai 400031and Published from Mumbai - 3rd Floor, Taj Building, 210, Dr. D. N. Road, Fort, Mumbai 400 001. Editor: Maulik Jasubhai Shah, 26, Maker Chamber VI, Nariman Point, Mumbai 400 021. Indian Architect & Builder: (ISSN 0971-5509), RNI No 46976/87, is a JMPL monthly publication. Reproduction in any manner, in whole or part, in English or any other language is strictly prohibited. We welcome articles, but do not accept responsibility for contributions lost in the mail.

Co v

rikh; Builder a P j & a u t u r rc h i t e c t R © age: Indian A m I r e

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Archtober 2012 Date Venue

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October 1-31, 2012 New York

Archtober is an architectural festival that celebrates architecture and design for a complete month. In this architectural festival, one can expect month-long architectural activities, programmes and exhibitions. The month-long architectural festival is expected to host a wide range of special tours, lectures, films and exhibitions that focus on architecture and design in everyday life. The event aims to raise awareness and the importance of design in New York City to build a lasting civic and international recognition of the richness of New York’s built environment. Along with the main event, Archtober also celebrates contemporary iconic structures in New York City with free daily site tours led by the architect of that particular project. Titled as the ‘Building of the day,’ this activity is expected to be quite a favourite among architects. For further information, log on to: Web: www.archtober.org

City Modern Date Venue

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October 1-7, 2012 New York, USA

City Modern is an event celebrating architectural design organised between Dwell and New York editorial teams. City Modern aims to take attendees behind the doors of ten custom-made modern homes in Manhattan and Brooklyn. The architects behind the design and ideation of these custom-made houses will present their thoughts behind these works of art at the ‘Meet the Architects’ event on October 5th at the Arhaus Showroom. The event also focusses on celebrating the New York format of design in the field of architecture. The competition will also be hosting an exhibition titled ‘Design through the ages’, sponsored by New York Design Center. There will also be a number of panel discussion sessions titled under various categories like women in design, new face of affluence, leading lights and designing for retail spaces. For further information, log on to: Web: www.dht.dwell.com/about-new-york-city-home-tours

World Architecture Festival

EVENTS

Date Venue

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October 3-5, 2012 Singapore

The WAF is the world’s largest architectural festival and live awards competition dedicated to celebrating the various forms of architecture and their representatives from around the globe. In its fifth year since its beginning, the World Architecture Festival aims to be packed with seminars, keynotes, crit presentations, learning and networking opportunities. The World Architecture Festival aims to debate and generate opinion about architecture by the leading members of the community to generate a general awareness for the architects who might face the same design challenges in the future. Architects from almost 66 countries are expected to attend this event. Keynote talks from today’s most innovative and influential thinkers like Thomas Heatherwick, Moshe Safdie, Wolf D. Prix and Peter Buchanan are some of the WAF’s highlights. For further information, log on to: Web: www.worldarchitecturefestival.com Indian Architect & Builder - Aug 2012

Design Matters: An Exceptional Portland Homes Tour Date Venue

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October 13, 2012 Portland, USA

The American Institute of Architects Portland and Center for Architecture organise the annual Architecture + Design Festival out of which the most popular event is the Design Matters: Tour of Homes, the only tour of architect-designed residences. This tour provides an exclusive chance to understand and take a look at seven of the finest designs among the Portland Residences. The event will be covering local architectural heroes and will also include the renovation of Donald Blair’s 1960 futuristic “Home of Tomorrow”, as well as several other outstanding examples of modern, efficient living architectural designs in the Portland area. A day-long self-guided tour of these extraordinary residences aims to be the highlight of the highly attended Architecture + Design Festival. For further information, log on to: Web: www.aiaportland.org

Construction Building Expo Date Venue

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October 25-28, 2012 Pune, India

Construction Build Expo is one of the few trade expos which focusses on machinery, materials, technologies and projects. Apart from construction, it also focusses on building collaterals like materials, products, interior design, home décor, furniture, furnishing, electrical and electronics for residential complexes. The event will bring together people who conceptualise, to the people who execute these concepts from the foundation to its final product. This event aims to have an attendance of people from ground level contributors of a project to the people who are the real game-changers of any project. Construction has the history which crosses all barriers of design because without construction design is just a idea on paper. For further information, contact: E-mail: cbx2012.pune@gmail.com

Acetech 2012 Date Venue

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November 2, 2012- February 3, 2013 Chennai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad

Acetech 2012 is an event organised for the fast growing and ever-popular architecture, construction and engineering industry. A major section of our nation’s economy is generated by the construction industry due to our infinite requirement of building suitable infrastructure. Being one of the fastest growing sectors in a nation of social and economic diversity, it becomes a non-negligible force to draw income. After strategic study of this growing trend, one is able to see the signs of multiplying opportunities in the field of architecture, construction and engineering. Acetech 2012 aims to provide that platform to display such growing trends in the form of products, services, equipment and new technologies. The event is slated to happen across India, in several cities and towns, starting from the beginning of November. For further information, log on to: Web: www.etacetech.com/index.html

OCO - Ocean and Coastline Observatory wins [UN] Restricted Access 2011

University of Cincinnati Student Wins 2012 SOM Prize

The Portugese architects behind the Ocean and Coastline Observatory project have won the Habitat for Humanity Open Architecture Challenge: [UN] Restricted Access 2011. Scrutinising projects that cover the rehabilitation of dysfunctional and abandoned military sites of over 500 different architectural teams from 74 countries led to the OCO Observatory winning the title. The Lisbon-based architects of OCO Observatory won the grand prize by rehabilitating the desolate military site that once defended the coast of Trafaria in Portugal, that now post-rehabilitation provides civic space for coastal preservation. The site which was redeveloped was a complete naval fortress with heavy navy cannons, hidden bunkers, and thick concrete slabs reinforced with iron slabs. This iron fortress was completely covered with over-grown vegetation. After calculating the space, this naval hilltop site that hosted it was transformed into a bustling civic space that would continue to protect the coast through structural preservation. The space will be shared by many communities who share the same concerns regarding the surrounding oceans and coastline problems. This proposal will join other finalists of the [UN] Restricted Access 2011 at the 2012 Venice Biennale exhibition.

Pavlo Kryvozub, a student of the University of Cincinnati, has been announced from the SOM foundation as the winner of 2012 SOM prize. The money won will be used to facilitate Kryvozub’s travel in Europe as well as Asia to continue his research of his selected topic, “Synthesis of Art & Architecture”. The synthesis of art in architecture has been present for the longest duration, almost spanning human history. The Jury for this competition comprised of Chicago-based architects Ronald Krueck from Krueck & Sexton Architects, John Ronan from John Ronan Architects and Brian Lee from Skidmore, Owings & Merril who served as the Jury chair for the competition.

Aquatics Center gets Public Approval Critics claimed bad design to be responsible for the ticket-refund inconvenience during this Olympics. In spite of these critical accusations, Zaha Hadid’s Aquatic Center received and overwhelming public approval. The spectators attending events at the Aquatics Center were not only impressed by the experience provided by the venue, but also believed that the venue captured the true essence of an Olympic event. A UK-based university claimed after conducting a survey that a majority of attendees were satisfied with the venue. The other Olympic venue like the Greenwich Park and Wimbledon shared equal amount of praises as the Aquatics Center. The survey also indicated that the Aquatics Center shared a massive amount of popularity when it came to experience and the spirit of the venue overall, scoring 95 per cent and 85 percent respectively. Iraq-born architect Zaha Hadid captured the spirit of the game in the form of a world-class Aquatics Center which created much buzz during the London Olympics 2012.

Archipelago Cinema: 2012 Venice Biennale

NEWS

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Architect Ole Schereen will be reconstructing the Archipelago Cinema within the old harbour basin Darsena Grande of the Arsenale, a historic shipyard in Venice for the 2012 Venice Biennale. The German-born Beijing architect will be designing this unique floating architectural experience which has been gaining quite a bit of momentum when it first conceived the film on the Rocks Festival in Thailand. This mobile stage for public events will be hosting the world premiere of the film ‘Against all rules’. Ironically, the movie is also based on the architect who will be designing the venue, Ole Schereen. The venue has limited number of seating and one can attend this screening by invitation only. This modular theatre is a perfect mobile venue for outdoor screenings reliving the typical drive-in theaters of the 70s. Indian Architect & Builder - Aug 2012

Habitat for Humanity Appeals to Help Typhoon Victims in Philippines Habitat for Humanity has appealed to the masses to help raise funds for the people who have been affected by the floods and mudslides in Luzon, considered to be one of the largest islands of the Philippines. The areas are badly affected and have a total death toll of 90, due to southwestern monsoon rains and the tropical storm Haikui and typhoon Saola. Over three million people have been affected by this natural calamity; over 9000 homes have been damaged and 500,000 people have been left homeless and living in evacuation centres. Habitat for Humanity has taken up the challenge of restoring these destroyed homes by distributing repair material, tools and cleaning kits. These repair kits consists of tools, lumber, corrugated galvanised iron sheets, nails, hammers and hand saws. Now that the rain has reduced and the water is receding, people have started returning home with the repairing kits provided by Habitat for Humanity to rebuild their destroyed houses. Habitat for Humanity is an organisation founded by Millard and Linda Fuller in 1976 which started off as a small organisation at Koinonia Farm, a small inter-racial christian community outside Americus, Georgia in the United States of America. The organisation today enjoys a celebrated world-wide status, and overwhelming participation.

LDA Design Launches Mumbai Project LDA Design has been appointed to execute multi-stage landscape design for a major residential scheme in Mumbai, India worth USD two billion. The site is situated in the premium location of the west Worli district of Mumbai, and being delevoped by Indian developers, Omkar. Situated exactly in the heart of the city, this premium project marks LDA Design’s first large-scale landscape project. This premium projects boasts of three individual towers, grossing over 300 metres high, with large triplex penthouses at the very top, complete with outdoor gardens. According to the proposed scheme, it includes a 4-acre lush landscaped podium above a 12-storeyed car park with a swimming pool, amphitheatre, cricket nets and innovative skywalk through the canopy. This lavish billion-dollar project will hope to attract elite residents. LDA Design is working closely with architecture firm Foster & Partners and interior designer HBA London to design and deliver the scheme. It is due for completion in October 2016.

SUMMARY Behind the advanced technology, Building Information Modelling (BIM) is basically a simple process that allows all the design team information, in the form of drawings and 3D models, to be explored and refined. As each design team member has a different way of working depending on their role, sometimes a visual environment is the only way to fully communicate ideas and information with each other. BIM can also include the client’s requirements, architectural concepts and finishes, the structural scheme and services layouts, together with all pricing, programme and procurement information.

dopting the same philosophy for the structural content of the BIM methodology, this technology can then be used for any form of construction including bridges, stadiums, petrochemical and plant structures even though it is currently more commonly adopted just for commercial projects. Keywords: Building Information Modelling; interoperability; high rise buildings; structures; API; multi-material. 1. Overview of the way of working Over recent years the Architectural, Engineering and Construction (AEC) industry has made a rapid shift from 2D drawings; first to 3D product modelling and then to Building Information Modelling (BIM). This new way of working has the major advantage that BIM allows multi-discipline information to be shared through a visual interface, allowing the project design information to be explored by various design-team members, even if the players do not understand how other designers refine their information. For example, in a plant structure, the structural engineer may not appreciate the design refinements for the service designers piping solution, or their valve placing requirements. However, by importing the plant design systems, as a reference model, the various schemes can be coordinated, refined and interface comments made. No longer is any design team member’s scheme an island of interoperability, the drawing coordination process is simplified and clash checking can be automatically carried out at any point in the design process. Structural BIM (Building Information Modelling) process in practice 1.1 Design team collaboration The adoption of 3D modelling technology started in the mid 1980s, in the structural steelwork sector, has progressed so far, that today the vast majority of steel-framed structures produced globally, are designed and drawn with 3D systems. This is due to the automatic drawing production and NC file creation functionalities and the facility of being able to construct the structure in the computer memory before any physical materials are involved. The architectural BIM started to become a viable solution during the last few years and behind ‘the three pillars of sustainability’ (environmental, Indian Architect & Builder - Aug 2012

economic and social), is probably the most important construction development area during recent years. Information dissemination is therefore possible between all design team members, together with being able to produce value engineering schemes for any project. Technology and ways of working are changing so fast that the norm now is to go beyond the 3D object information to deliver schemes with 4D information (time), and really an ‘nD’ solution for pricing or any other measurement, or workflow requirement. 2. BIM technology There are two available modelling technologies within BIM which can be classified as ‘bottom-up’ and ‘top-down systems’. ‘Bottom-up’ technology was originally driven by the mechanical and plant design industries to create models of fully detailed individual objects and tightly integrated them together in a linked relationship. Problems can arise when thousands of objects are linked together, which is the actual condition in a construction project. It can be seen that technology, where the basic objects are first modelled without finite detail, and the objects are refined during the design and value engineering stage, would be a more complete process. This is the principle behind a parametric ‘top-down’ approach. In essence using this approach, a structural element (beam, column, etc.) can be defined between two points, at a time when the material it is made from and its size is not known. During the design stage the material and size can be refined and connections applied, which defines the member finite details as parametrically each object knows how it has to interact with each other and itself. One of the most important areas for structural engineers, and their immediate supply chain, is the Structural BIM. This multi-material (steel, concrete, timber, masonry, etc.) subset, which can include the A&D (analysis & design) information, can then be used for drawing and report production. 3. Interoperability The interoperability between various software systems, is achieved through industrial standards and protocols, such as ifc(1), cis/2(2), SDNF, dwg, dxf, dgn, DSTV or through software vendors strategic

advertorial partnerships using either COM or the modern Application Program Interfaces technologies. 3.1 Industry standards and protocols 3.1.1 IFC Industry Foundation Classes is the integration standard developed by the International Alliance for Interoperability (IAI), for improving the communication, productivity, delivery time, cost and quality throughout the whole building life-cycle, based upon model-based construction objects and activities. The principle advantage of the IFC is that the format supports multi-material objects at all stages of the building and construction process and the latest version is 2x3. 3.1.2 cis/2 The CIS (CIMsteel Integration Standards) are one of the results of the Eureka CIMsteel project. The current version ‘cis/2’ is an extended and enhanced second-generation release of the CIS. Developed to facilitate a more integrated method of working through the sharing and management of information within, and between, companies involved in the planning, design, analysis and construction of steel framed buildings and structures. 3.1.3 SDNF Steel Detailing Neutral File (SDNF) was originally defined by Intergraph®, for electronic data exchange between structural engineer’s analysis and design systems to steelwork modelling systems. Version 3.0 is the current version supported by the software industry and this format is now also used for transferring modelling information between 3D systems. 3.1.4 dwg The dwg format is Autodesk’s® standard file transfer vehicle mainly between 2D applications. It is also possible to create 3D files and both formats can be used as reference files within modelling applications. 3.1.5 dxf The Drawing eXchange Format (dxf ) is mainly used to transfer 2D information between users or as reference objects within 3D modelling systems. 3.1.6 dgn MicroStation’s® native file format, which can either be used to exchange information with other systems or used as a reference object with modelling applications. 3.1.7 DSTV (Deutscher STahlbau-Verband) manufacturing format is the standard format used for manufacturing steel components on numerically control (NC) machines. It also has an A&D format that is used for transferring the A&D model to the physical 3D model. 3.1.8 COM Where a strategic partnership is created between a modelling software application and perhaps an A&D vendor, in the past a Common Object Model (COM) would have been written. This COM link was normally an

agreed simplified list of object variables, as it is rare that all the model information is required to be transferred. A member, such as a beam or a column, can be defined as a structural object where its physical location is defined and then its variables (material; size; loading; reactions; connections; fittings etc.) are continually enhanced during the modelling operation. The biggest single problem with COM technology is that the agreed format has to map itself, as the COM’s view of the world is extremely limited, and appears to be reliant on some form of lookup table or information wrapper to complete the information. 3.2 Application Program Interfaces (API) API’s act as vehicles, fundamentally to transfer 3D geometry or object variables and information between applications, allowing for bespoke internal, client and third-party development, which are normally written adopting Microsoft’s® Visual Studio .NET development platform. Before API’s were available, COM technology was used to link applications, each component was connected with a form of plumbing which was easily broken and always application version dependant. .NET applications are built directly on top of the computers operating system so multiple platforms and devices are supported allowing a more flexible approach. 3.3 API examples Many examples of API developments can be made. For example, with Tekla Structures(3), many links to A&D systems have been made where the geometry, loading and results can flow between applications for information enhancement. Links have also been made to normal office tools used in the construction industry, such as Interface example the Microsoft’s Project and Excel applications to pass any information from and to the model. The example to the left is a standalone program that has been written in the Visual Basic programming language, which creates various objects within Tekla Structures, allowing standard buildings, or components to be quickly constructed. Using API technology, third-party developments can be written to link the remote application either to the model objects or to the core of the program. Another example of this would be Ficep, an international steelwork machinery manufacturer, who developed a scribing tool on their NC machines. This is a special milling head that scribes a line into .NET is a flexible programming platform for connecting applications; systems; devices; information and people together using a modern programming environment and tools. There are approximately thirty programming languages that are available from various vendors which are .NET compliant. The main difference is that at the program run-time (when the code is compiled), the resulting machine code is the same, even if produced from different programming languages. This was never the case before .NET, where each application was a total separate entity. For example power application, written in C# or C++ can connect directly with an application written in Visual Basic or even an Excel VBA script. the steel members, during the cutting and drilling process, which defines the position of all the fittings including Indian Architect & Builder - Aug 2012

the element marks, angle of inclination and additional information. This saves the laborious workshop marking-out time which is an error prone operation, and was achieved by linking the model information of the steel members to ‘Steel Projects WinSteel’ application. A similar link could be made for any material to pass the finite geometry for manufacture or design enhancement. In fact links to any other .NET enabled systems are possible, to transfer full object information between modelling, design, manufacturing and information applications. 4. Case studies Many iconic projects have been completed globally over the last fifteen years with Tekla Structures, the multi-material BIM application which evolved from Tekla Xsteel. Some sample projects are as follows: 4.1 Swansea Sail Bridge, UK The ‘Swansea Sail Bridge’ is in the UK and connects the Swansea city marina with the new Waterfront Development. The bridge, which is part of a larger scheme comprising of two bridges spanning the River Tawe, is part of a publicly funded redevelopment project on the east side of Swansea city on the site of the old Swansea Docks. The funding requirements lead to the redevelopment Swansea Sail Bridge units being pre-let, with all the necessary infrastructure in place, which resulted in a fast-track 15 month programme, from conceptual design to completion. The 140 metre span bridge was required by the Client, the Welsh Development Agency, and the Swansea City Council, to be an iconic structure to form a statement for the regeneration of the Port of Swansea. The scheme was designed by Wilkinson Eyre Architects and the structural engineer being the Flint & Neill Partnership. Fig. 3 Swansea Sail BIM The bridge is centred with a 42-metre-high mast, of reducing section, and is fabricated from a series of flat and rolled steel plates of decreasing thicknesses from 45mm at the base to 10mm Swansea Sail Bim at the tip. The cross section profile changes from a chamfered square, to a foursided polygon at mid-height, and a triangle at the tip. The steel deck box sections and cantilever ribs support the pedestrian walkway. In theory this would be a classic symmetrical cablesupported design except the bridge is only supported on one edge by 70mm diameter spiral strand stay cables connected to the mast. Due to the eccentric support system the deck is formed from a trapezoidal closed steel box to resist the resulting torsional forces. The longitudinally stiffened deck plate is formed from 20mm thick plates. However, the 15mm webs and the 20 to 30mm thick bottom plate are unstiffened to simply fabrication and assembly. Fig. 4 Fabrication drawing The project was modelled, fabricated and erected by Rowecord Indian Architect & Builder - Aug 2012

Fabrication Drawing

Engineering Limited, who were appointed as a specialist contractor early on during the design process. They were in close contact with the design team to advise on how the structural form could be simplified without changing the aesthetics and on the value engineering process, fabrication and welding methodologies. BIM was used to ensure the correct geometry was defined, for the production of arrangement and fabrication drawing and NC data and to ensure the correct alignment and assembly, could be obtained. There are a wide variety of structural forms available to the bridge designer but each essentially falls into one of four groups - beam bridges (including beam and box girders); arch bridges; suspension bridges with orthotropic decks; and stayed girder bridges. All forms can be modelled, providing a multi-material solution is adopted. 4.2 Shanghai World Financial Centre, Shanghai, China This development will become one of the tallest buildings in the world when it is completed this year, and is situated in the Lujiazui Finance and Trade Zone of Shanghai, which is the largest international finance and trade centre Shanghai World Financial Centre in Asia. Due to planning requirements, the total height of the building was restricted to 492 metres which is just over 1.5 times the height of the Eiffel Tower in Paris. The Shanghai World Financial Centre was officially ‘topped out’ on 14 September 2007, and is formed from 101 floors and three basement levels, comprises of office accommodation; a fifteen floor, 300 roomed, five-star luxury hotel; a six floor 700m2 observatory tower, together with conference facilities, restaurants, shopping and 1,100m2 of car parking, with a total floor space of over 377,000m2 and including over 30 elevators and escalators. The foundation stone on this project was laid on 27 August 1997, and the project was then temporarily stopped after the foundations were completed, due to the Asian financial crisis of that year. The project has had many changes including limiting the total height from 510 metres of the original scheme, to 492 metres and changing the aperture opening on the upper levels of the building from a ‘circular

moon gate’ to the trapezoidal ‘sky portal’. The project team on this 1.1 billion US dollar project was China State Construction Engineering Corporation (general contractor), Kohn Pedersen Fox (architect), Leslie Robertson Associates RLLP (structural engineer), with Shanghai Grandtower, Jinggong, Scksteel, and Yokomori Steel Structure the structural steelwork contractors who were responsible for the fabrication of the 60,000 tonnes of structural steelwork. The BIM model was created by Shanghai Tongqing Technology Co. Ltd and Shanghai Rightfly Building Technology Co., Ltd. and was produced for the steelwork contractors design coordination, drawing creation and the production of fabrication information and NC data. 4.3 Wembley Stadium, UK In this case Tekla Structure was used for planning and design development through manufacture and construction resulting in an ‘as-built’ model of the Wembley stadium, which is the largest football stadium in the world with a seating capacity for 90,000 spectators and with every seat under cover. The physical model for the approximate 23,000 tonne project was split into four main categories Wembley Stadium Arch being the Arch; Bowl; Parametric Perimeter Truss (PPT) and Roof, which were subsequently split into 160 phase models before being brought back again to a single model at the end of the project. The main grid has approximately 2,500 intersection points, accurately calculated to eight Wembley Stadium decimal places of a millimetre. The 3D coordinates of which were then distributed to other contractors for their setting-out purposes. The fully welded arch weighs 1,700 tonnes, having 41 steel diaphragms and generally being 7.4 metres in diameter and with a span of 315 metres. The arch supports the whole of the north roof and 60% of the south roof and is the longest single span roof structure in the world. The bowl consists of 15,000 tonnes of structural steelwork where no vertical supports were allowed over the main terracing to allow unobstructed views for the spectators. The PPT acts as the main diaphragm at the top of the bowl and weighs 1,400 tonnes and is used to transfer the loads from the roof and arch into the bowl structure. The north roof is tied to the arch with cables and the east, south and west roofs have retractable edge panels to allow sunlight to shine onto the pitch. The total roof structure weighs 4,500 tonnes, covers 50,000m2 and two forms of the roof had to be produced to model in the dead loading and member preset positions. The roof was erected onto 6,000 tonnes of temporary towers which were removed when the supporting tensile loads were applied to the arch cables. After the modelling, drawing, report and CNC production, which was all completed by Oakwood Engineering Limited, Tekla Structures was used as an analysis tool, examining different stages of the project utilizing data imported from Excel and then visually indicating the progress of different activities. 5. Conclusions Due to the vast amounts of information involved, the structural BIM solution

needs to a totally flexible open solution, allowing modern computer architecture to support the engineering design platform requirements. BIM technology is already becoming more available to the design team and all the construction project participants, with many applications having model viewers or even API plug-in’s to change, for example, the Microsoft’s Internet Explorer application from a textual browser to a graphical viewer, allowing the model to be explored. This will allow the BIM model and experience to be available during the design, manufacturing and construction stage at any time and available on any desk. 6. References [1] Full information on the ifc format together with the specification can be obtained from http://www.iai-international.org/ [2] Background on the cis/2 format can be found on the following website http://www.cis2.org/index-bak.htm [3] For further information on Tekla Structures refer to www.tekla.com The author extended courtesy to Mr. Clive Robinson for sharing the knowledge content in this article. +91 022 61387777

About the author: Nirmalya Chatterjee graduated in Engineering & Management. A young, dynamic people-oriented person who has worked with various business houses in India, involved in different stages of engineering construction projects & offered many high-end technology solutions to different project players, he is a known person in the Indian AEC market for the last 18 years. Presently he is associated with TEKLA India as their Chief Operating Officer, responsible for promoting the BIM solution to India and its neighbouring countries. Email: nirmalya.chatterjee@tekla.com Indian Architect & Builder - Aug 2012

Architect Rohit Sharma takes a little bit from history and transforms it into the ultra cool dining ware must-have, The Khan Chair. Indian Architect & Builder - Aug 2012

products

THE KHAN CHAIR Text compiled by: Parikshit Vivekanand Drawings & Images: courtesy Rohit Sharma

eing an architect by profession, Rohit Sharma too has a love affair with fluid characteristics of surfaces; just as any other architect. All architects try to strike a balance between straight lines and curves and architect Rohit Sharma did exactly that with the ‘Khan Chair’. The design of the Khan Chair has enabled Rohit to retain identity in harmony. Quite often a piece of furniture is designed to be more than just a piece of furniture; it crosses all barriers to become a piece of art. The Khan Chair has done exactly that with its humble curvaceous frame. ‘Strong yet gentle, smooth yet coarse’ are the overall characteristics of this piece of furniture; a strong resemblance to one of the greatest and the most successful conquerors in the history of mankind, Genghis Khan. Apart from the visual style, the material and technique are strongly absorbed from the Mongolian-style short bow. The Mongolian short bow was one of the most essential war weapons for the great Genghis Khan’s expeditions. The reclining chair forms a perfect instrument for initiating that nerve-soothing drinking session in the evening between family and friends. The Khan Chair brings a new era of royal reclining seats with its traditional roots in the Mongolian dynasty.

Designer: Rohit Sharma Contact: Tel: +91 8800506539 Email: rohit.sharma.vijay@gmail.com Web: www.cargocollective.com/dheenkla www.coroflot.com/dheenkla

Indian Architect & Builder - Aug 2012

European contemporary furniture manufacturer Mattiazzi introduces the ultra-sharp Medici Chair designed by Konstantin Grcic. Indian Architect & Builder - Aug 2012

MEDICI CHAIR Images: courtesy Gerhardt Kellermann, Konstantin Grcic

mong contemporary furniture manufacturers, a family-owned producer of wooden furniture in Udine, Italy is very rare. In spite of the backlog in work culture compared to the other designers around, Mattiazzi still manages to use its own machines, and hands, with a healthy inclination towards woodworking. It is because of this work nature that designer Konstantin Grcic feels a bit of nostalgia while working. It influences the thought of going down memory lanes in relation to professional roots. A trained cabinet-maker at the very initial part of his career, product designer Konstantin Grcic learnt the art of woodwork from scratch. Mattiazzi is the kind of manufacturer that is deeply rooted in traditional means of designing and manufacturing, as well as incorporating new technologies in the process. The Medici Chair is the outcome of this old and new collaboration. The chair was inspired by the material, the machinery and the skill and craftsmanship of the people who worked on its design. It defines a unique characteristic of wood. The designer explains and defends the idea of working with planks as it signifies the very beginning of any process. The procedure of making a piece of furniture from raw wooden planks generates certain euphoria. The designer believes that such a system of construction remains visible and easier to read, resulting in the structure turning into form. Medici Chair is a low chair with a comfortable, reclined position. Its generous dimensions give it an embracing confidence. The chair can be used as a solitary piece of furniture or in small groups, in private or public, both indoors and out. It is produced in three different types of wood, namely American Walnut, Douglas-fir and thermo-treated ash, a wood suitable for outdoors. Designer: Konstantin Grcic Project Assistant: Sami Ayadi Contact: Konstantin Grcic Industrial Design Schillerstr. 40c, D-80336 M端nchen, Germany Tel: +49 (0)89 55079995 Fax: +49 (0)89 55079996 Email: office@konstantin-grcic.co Indian Architect & Builder - Aug 2012

The campus expresses the local culture without imitation of the existing structures.

‘Teaching Gardens’: J.P. Sahu Institute Transforming ‘Tea Gardens’ into ‘Teaching Gardens’, the J.P. Sahu Institute in Siliguri by Research Design Office (REDO) is a sustainable learning campus with an environment capable of adapting to changes in methods of teaching. Text compiled by: Shalmali Wagle Images: courtesy REDO (Research Design Office)

Architectural unity and the importance of the spaces in between the buildings governs the design.

Indian Architect & Builder - Aug 2012

construction brief

rchitectural quality and education standards are a tightly linked pair. From Mies van der Rohe’s IIT-Chicago to Louis Kahn’s IIM-Ahmedabad, an institution’s values and philosophy are significantly influenced by its campus layout, building aesthetics and space quality. Pronounced campuses are not defined by specific styles of architecture or playful forms, but by the layers that engage the users who interact with and within their spaces. As a rapidly growing city, Siliguri is uniquely positioned, geographically and culturally, almost functioning as a gateway to the north-east and a nexus of its cultural influences. With industries besides tea and tourism beginning to flourish in its heart, the city has now begun to stabilise and capitalise on its natural resources. The ‘Teaching Gardens’: J.P. Sahu Institute in Siliguri by REDO (Research Design Office) expresses the local culture through a study of existing opportunities without an imitation of the existing structures. Harmonious with the environment, the design anticipates future expansion and accounts for flexible growth patterns. Architectural unity, the use of low-maintenance materials, and the importance of the spaces in between the buildings are some of the important features employed. Maintaining a unity between the spirit of the institution and the architecture, the design follows an honest approach, creating a consistent environment that moves beyond tradition and embraces the new: technology.

Phase 1 construction on-site: The excavation for the foundation.

A drainage canal separates the 5-acre site from an adjacent residential development at the feet of the mighty Himalayas. A former tea field, the area has been neglected, but continues to radiate a sublime aura. The access to the site is via a secondary road, its location being poised for future development. The 120,000sqft campus is divided into four parts: Administration, Academic, Amenities and Commercial, while its construction is segregated into two major phases; the first consisting of the administrative areas, half of the academic space and crucial amenities, and the second doubling the academic space, furthering the amenities and integrating a commercial component to dovetail with the academic process. The sustainable strategies proposed intend to minimise the ecological impact both in construction and in the lifespan of the building. The Green Roof Gardens function as outdoor areas, reduce air-conditioning needs, manage stormwater, purify the air and restore the natural eco-systems. The use of local material celebrates the inherent qualities of the region while minimising on costs and transportation-related pollution impacts. The design responds to the unique climate of Siliguri, capturing and controlling the sunlight to minimise the overall energy consumption. The relationship between open and contained spaces and the study of the sun-path over the year informs the design, location and sizes of the openings, courtyards and gardens, allowing better natural lighting and ventilation, while preventing overheating and glare. The campus captures the beauty of the surrounding area, providing focussed views, integrating the surroundings with the building and creating dynamic flexible spaces. As a localised gesture towards environmental awareness, it is proposed that each graduating batch selects a local tree species to plant on the day of graduation, thereby creating a ‘slow forest’ over decades. The project is currently under construction and is expected to reach its completion by June 2014.

The completed plinth.

The erection of the columns.

FACT FILE: Project Location Architect Associate Architect Design Team

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Client Civil Contractor

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‘Teaching Gardens’: J.P. Sahu Institute Siliguri, West Bengal REDO (Research Design Office) MNC-ONE Brook Louis Meier, Sweta Khilani Meier, Jeremy Spurgin, Josh Her, Anirban Bakshi Kaushik Kundu J.P. Sahu Foundation Trust Sri Ram Deo Sah Indian Architect & Builder - Aug 2012

Ahuja Towers Inspired by the soundless sail-boats docked along the chaotic coastline of the city, Ahuja Towers in Mumbai by Singapore-based Palmer & Turner Architects employs cutting-edge technology to erect an iconic landmark in the city. Images: courtesy Ahuja Constructions

oaring 250 metres high in the skyline of Mumbai, Ahuja Towers by Palmer & Turner Architects is a 53-storey residential tower that derives its aesthetic inspiration from the sail-boats docked along Mumbaiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s coast. The outline of the tower and its crown emulate the wind-filled sails to present the city with a piece of iconic architecture, its tall and sleek structure supplemented with well-appointed finishes. Completely clad in a special low-e glass, its convex shape ensures maximum entry of light and spectacular views of the sea to each individual unit. A cleft pierces the tower centrally along its stature which combines with the ample clear height provided on each floor to facilitate unhindered 270-degree vision from each unit. With exotic stone and marble finishes, the building flaunts a double-height lobby with 72 4-BHK apartments and six lavish 6-BHK duplexes towering

The double height lobby space.

The tall and sleek tower with a cleft piercing the structure centrally.

Indian Architect & Builder - Aug 2012

The infinity pool at an intermediate level.

The 53-storey residential tower erected as an iconic landmark.

above. The elevators open directly into the living rooms and the elevator doors can be locked from inside the unit as well, a feature of its kind employed for the first time in India. The towers also include a separate service entrance in the rear of the building for deliveries and domestic staff. In addition to this, to further enhance the living experience within, the tower will also include a snooker room, a yoga room, a salon and spa, kids’ play areas, a gym, a swimming pool, a mini-theatre, a sky café, and business centre facilities in a dedicated 60,000sqft of common space. Besides being earthquake resistant, in order to mitigate the impact of wind pressures that exist at higher altitudes, a wind tunnel test was conducted as a part of its structural design and the building reinforced appropriately to ensure stability. While sufficient boom-barriers and bollards in planning ensure tight security, biometric access along with state-of-the-art security and fire safety systems ensure internal safety. Apart from this, the building also offers high-speed elevators, centralised VRV (Variable Refrigerant Volume) air-conditioning systems, a Home Automation System that enables user-control of the internal temperatures, security activation, mood-lighting control and even home-theatre operation with the help of an iPad. Ahuja Towers has already been pre-certified for a Gold Rating from the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) for its energy modelling, indoor-environment quality, site orientation, water efficiency and innovation design. It has also received a 5-Star Rating from the Credit Rating Information Service of India (CRISIL) in the ‘under-construction project’ category for two years in a row. The building is currently under construction and expected to reach its completion by October 2013.

A service entrance at the rear of the building caters to deliveries and domestic staff.

FACT FILE: Project Location Architect Developer Interior Design Structural Consultant MEP Consultant Façade Consultant Wind Tunnel Testing Green Building Consultant

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Ahuja Towers Mumbai, Maharashtra Palmer & Turner Architects, Singapore Ahuja Constructions Wilson Associates, New York J+W Consultants, India John Mech-El Technologies (P) Ltd., India ARUP, Singapore BMT Fluid Mechanics, UK Spectral Services, India Indian Architect & Builder - Aug 2012

Gestures in a

Landscape

Spaces of delight and a sense of time frame the architecture for two projects by Brinda Somaya â&#x20AC;&#x201C; an Authorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Residence in Lavasa and an Institutional Campus in Goa.

Text: Ruturaj Parikh Images: Residence in Lavasa: Ruturaj Parikh, IA&B | Goa Institute of Management: courtesy Somaya & Kalappa Consultants Pvt. Ltd.

An enclosure of hills - the house in Lavasa. Indian Architect & Builder - Aug 2012

architecture

Two projects â&#x20AC;&#x201C; both in the neighbourhood of the Western Ghats â&#x20AC;&#x201C; develop from basic interventions in the landscape, while the built environment is perceived as a set of constantly changing elements. A residence in Lavasa on a particularly steep hillside and an Institute amidst the tropical landscape of Goa are designed as environments that reveal only the essential as the architecture diminishes boundaries of functionality, enclosure and privacy. The projects, though diverse and distinct in scale and functionality, reflect some parallels in the way elements are orchestrated, forms relate to each other, spaces open and close at variable degrees, and the way in which architecture is instrumental to create experiences that justify the site and context.

Indian Architect & Builder - Aug 2012

SITE PLAN WITH APPROACH RAMP Indian Architect & Builder - Aug 2012

A rendered image of the house as seen from the hill - one gradually descends the slope.

The Author’s Residence in Lavasa

he hills of the Western Ghats form a secure enclosure in Lavasa. The lake with the check-dam and the reservoir in the valley along with the hills and the sky form an ever-changing natural landscape that reflects the moods of time and seasons. The house is designed on a steep hillside overlooking the valley and its panoramic views. The levels on the inclined site, completely accessible by many ramps owing to the need of a wheelchair to negotiate the spaces of the house, open up to the valley. The house has an atrium that connects a continuous living and dining space to the kitchen, the resting and private areas and a guest room. Being accessed from the highest level, the spaces for the guests and the domestic helpers are accessed by descending to a second level. A ramp built for a car breaks down the steep slope for access. As one enters the atrium-like space, the house unfolds as a pavilion for living. A sense of complete openness is rendered by full-length windows that frame the spectacular views of the many hills and the water-basin. The living-cum-dining is a rectilinear L-shaped space that becomes one, terminating end of the pavilion. The house is custom-built for the family of an author and a respected political commentator. Owing to the special needs of a wheelchair to be able to move around within the house, all major living spaces – semi-private, private and intimate are organised on the pavilion as there are no level differences in the continuous floor. A basic palette of materials composes the architecture of the house. There is an emphasis on the tactile features of the surfaces and many contrasts compose the general scheme of materials: the transparency of glass against

the porosity of partitions, the simple elegance of kotah floor against polished dark wood and the green of the landscape against the ochre of the walls. There is a balance between generosities of space against economy of materials. All internal spaces open up to the landscape – curated and natural. The use of ample glass ensures that an element of time is not lost within the house. The natural changes of light outside are registered in the interior spaces. The quality of light inside changes with the natural light in the valley. The private areas of the bedroom, and a small study within the bedroom, open towards a green court. The principal study is a disjoint space accessed from the gallery outside the façade or from the court with a ‘champa’ tree. The master bedroom opens to the courtyard, creating a positive outdoor space for the private spaces. The courtyard offers an outdoor space to the bedroom and the study while the walls that surround it ensure a maintained-intimacy and privacy. The study, a personal space with many books and little furniture, connects visually and physically to the house through the court. Meanwhile, the fenestrations and combinations of openings ensure that a variable control over privacy, light and vision is enabled and the users can choose the permeability of the façades. A simple structure is thus resolved into two levels of complex spaces. There is a certain simplicity in the selection of materials and objects for the house as the house is built for selective wealth. Many personal artefacts – collected over the years by the family – occupy important places in the house and on the walls. The furniture is made-to-taste from warm, dark woods and tapestries as many carpets and ‘kaleems’ are spread on the polished kotah-stone floor. Selected antiques and works of art with a very personal history occupy the house. The spaces within are multi-functional and there is no rigid formality in the way the house is designed. Indian Architect & Builder - Aug 2012

PAVILION LEVEL PLAN (UPPER)

2 LOWER LEVEL PLAN

WEST ELEVATION FROM THE VALLEY Indian Architect & Builder - Aug 2012

Informal yet organised, the landscape follows the non-assuming nature of the house.

The valley from the gallery. Indian Architect & Builder - Aug 2012

The Authorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s residence on the site overlooking the valley.

A panaroma from the approach ramp captures rich landscape and a metal horse that marks the corner.

View of the hills from the gallery with the west wing of the house in the extreme left. Indian Architect & Builder - Aug 2012

Indian Architect & Builder - Aug 2012

SECTION 1

SECTION 2

SECTION 3

SECTION 4 Indian Architect & Builder - Aug 2012

A sense of complete openness is rendered by full-length windows that frame the spectacular views of the many hills and the water-basin.

The Private Court - a positive outdoor space connecting the study and living spaces.

A Robin on the roof.

As all the major living areas occupy the top level of the pavilion, the second and the descending level of the house has a guest room below the living space and quarters for the domestic helpers below the study. The quarters open up to a small and an intimate court. An easy ramp treads the slope of the site and terminates into a small patio connecting seamlessly to the gallery of the house. The patio overlooks the valley and its enthralling views. Surrounded by fruit trees and vegetation, the site does not have any physical boundaries. The house captures time well. Simply designed and detailed, the architecture reveals its character eventually as one moves around the house. A basic palette of materials is exploited to create many permutations and combinations in design and control of spaces. The architectural and material composition of the house ensures luxury of selection, and not of accumulation.

FACT FILE:

View of the valley, the hills and the sky from the pavilion in the landscape.

Project : Location : Architect : Client : Design Team : Site Area : Built Area : Civil Contractor : Initiation of Project : Completion of project :

House at Dasve Lavasa Somaya and Kalappa Consultants Private Limited Mr. Arun Shourie Homeyar Goiporia, Nishith Kothari 1.2 acre 6500sqft Lavasa Corporation 2009 2010 Indian Architect & Builder - Aug 2012

The court from the studio - a semi-private outdoor space for spill-overs.

Apertures in the wall frame the landscape of the hills.

Textures of the walls that enclose a private garden.

View of the house from the west: the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;pavilionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; for living. Indian Architect & Builder - Aug 2012

A basic palette of materials composes the architecture of the house. There is an emphasis on the tactile features of the surfaces and many contrasts feature in the general scheme of materials.

Full-glass walls frame views of the valley: the hills of Western Ghats as ample light is allowed inside.

The Authorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s study overlooks the valley from the pavilion. Indian Architect & Builder - Aug 2012

Indian Architect & Builder - Aug 2012

Goa Institute of Management in Sanquelim Spread on 50 acres of land, the (GIM) is a closed-campus institutional facility. The site opens up to panoramic vistas of the Western Ghats and has many levels â&#x20AC;&#x201C; gradual and sudden. The programme for the institutional facility with the residences for students and faculty is fragmented in four sets of buildings. Spread over the site and connected by many pathways, these sets are organised along two perpendicular axes. The academic and the administration areas are clustered in the centre of the site at the intersection of the axes, while the library and canteen blocks are located on the highest point of the site. The student hostels are placed at the northern-most corner, and the lowest point of the site is occupied by recreational facilities for the students. The campus is environmentally planned to harvest rainwater from recharge pits and swales, while the laterite extracted from the site is used in construction.

A sketch by Goan artist Mario Miranda on a wall at GIM. Indian Architect & Builder - Aug 2012

Gradual steps and an enveloping plane demarcate the entrance to the Academic Plaza.

The clusters are composed in dynamic intersections of spaces, volumes, surfaces and colours. Planes that assume many forms and alignments bind the sets of enclosures into logical wholes.

Indian Architect & Builder - Aug 2012

The academic and administration plaza - walls, textures and patterns define spaces.

Transparency and opacity: variations of the theme. Indian Architect & Builder - Aug 2012

MASTER PLAN

The clusters of built forms on the site respond to the organisation in the master plan and the lay of the land. The zoning follows the contours of the site and the clusters of built spaces form a cohesive environment on the site. Resisting being â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;buildingsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, the architecture of the campus assumes the form of built and environmental interventions on a continuous natural landscape. Built forms are concentrated at nodes where there is concentration of activity. The clusters are composed in dynamic intersections of spaces, volumes, surfaces and colours. Planes that assume many forms and alignments bind the sets of enclosures into logical wholes. Differences of levels and changes in textures distinguish spaces while vertical planes with voids define them. The fenestrations and punctures in the walls frame vistas. Rectilinear forms and spaces intersect to define the plaza and the enclosures of the central administration and academic block. Surfaces with varied permeability of vision and access enclose functional areas within. Textures in floor patterns and flooring materials change in accordance with alignment, Indian Architect & Builder - Aug 2012

composition and relationship between built and open. Complex formal organisations dissolve into simple organisational patterns. Walls intersect and overlap to create interesting spaces. The centrally placed academic block is organised around a large, paved plaza; the first place of access of the formal campus. Spaces organised around the plaza respond internally to the open space and externally to the panoramas of the Ghats. Depending on the privacy and purpose of the internal spaces, the materials of the enclosures change in transparency, lightness and permeability. A glass wall overlooks the axis with pergolas, while thin vertical apertures in the enveloping walls restrict excess light and visibility in more internal spaces. The quality, proportion and material of fenestration vary throughout the built form in reference to the immediate and distant context. Repetition ensures harmony. The set of the spaces for cafeteria and library are planned at a vantage point â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the highest on the site and have an advantage of unrestricted

Rendered view of the set of spaces that form the administration and academic block.

ADMINISTRATION AND ACADEMIC

▲

COMMON AREAS (LIBRARY AND CAFETERIA)

AMPHITHEATRE

▲

RESIDENTIAL (STUDENTS)

RECREATION

▲

ADMINISTRATION & ACADEMIC CORE. CAFETERIA AND LIBRARY AT THE HIGHEST POINT. HOSTEL BLOCKS FOR STUDENTS. RECREATIONAL AREAS WITH SPORT FACILITIES. STAFF QUARTERS. AUXILIARY SERVICE AREAS.

RESIDENTIAL (FACULTY)

SERVICES

Indian Architect & Builder - Aug 2012

A sketch view of the plaza with its set of elements.

Solids and voids define functional spaces within. Indian Architect & Builder - Aug 2012

The laterite walls that intersect and overlap. Indian Architect & Builder - Aug 2012

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A view of the campus from the studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; housing - the academic and library blocks.

The amphitheatre - an informal congregation space with the library block in the background. Indian Architect & Builder - Aug 2012

views of the site and the landscape. Designed as enclosures with a multi-level open space in the centre, the orientation and rectilinear plans of the spaces spill over in the semi-open and open spaces of the plaza. On the northern end of the site, the residences for the students are designed as linear strips on either side of an arcade-like space. Regular and uniform in plan, the built masses have rhythmic fenestrations and are open on either side. The multi-level arcade in the centre forms many informal and intimate spaces for small and accidental gatherings. In the general scheme of things, a set of defined architectural elements is employed in a variety of permutations and combinations rendering each space unique and responsive to its situation. Colours, textures, night-lights, vegetation and a palette of related materials regulate and orchestrate experiences within and outside. The campus is thought as a landscape with architectural elements and gestures.

Light permeates in a semi-enclosed space within the academic court. Indian Architect & Builder - Aug 2012

From the library block - the highest point on the site.

A staircase negotiates a variety of openings. Indian Architect & Builder - Aug 2012

Significant light brightens the cafeteria as glass walls frame the hills in the context.

The wall at the entrance.

Conceptual view of the Library plaza with a set of enclosed spaces.

In the general scheme of things, a set of defined architectural elements is employed in a variety of permutations and combinations rendering each space unique and responsive to its situation. Indian Architect & Builder - Aug 2012

Sketch views (top and above) of the hostel blocks with an arcade-like space within. Indian Architect & Builder - Aug 2012

The ‘arcade’ of the hostel blocks.

FACT FILE: Project Location Architect Design Team Client Site Area Built Area Civil Contractors Carpentry contractors Project Estimate Initiation of Project Completion of project

The hostel block.

: : : : : : : : : : : :

Goa Institute of Management Sanquelim, Goa Somaya and Kalappa Consultants Swati Ray, Shilpa Sawant The Goa Institute of Management 25 acres 19,900sqm M/s Vascon M/s Vascon `50 Crore May 2009 March 2011

Quaint and silent as their surroundings are, the built environments of the Author’s Residence and Goa Institute of Management intervene sensitively and establish strong relationships with the immediate and distant surroundings. As buildings located within rich vegetation and fertile land, the landscape – both natural and planned – envelopes and is allowed to intrude on the environment. Colours, textures of surfaces and a set of solids and voids define spaces. The experience of architecture changes with time as natural and designed light changes around the enclosures. One powerful idea central to both the projects, and perhaps central to most of Brinda Somaya’s work, is the understanding and interpretation of architecture as a choreographed environment rather than a design object. Indian Architect & Builder - Aug 2012

The villa is a composition of stark concrete, planar forms and openness with the nature.

Indian Architect & Builder - Aug 2012

architecture

Element : Form Architecture of the Kadju House by Sri Lankan architect Pradeep Kodikara of Pradeep Kodikara Architecture fundamentally shapes an experiential quietness, an expressive material character and a dialogue with the context. Text: Maanasi Hattangadi Images & Drawings: courtesy Pradeep Kodikara Architecture

way from the well-trodden tourist trails, Tangalle is a small town on one of the escapist southern beaches of Sri Lanka. Slightly shy of where the palm-fringed land meets the sea here, sits the Kadju House atop a sloping idyllic strip of land. Designed by Pradeep Kodikara of Pradeep Kodikara Architecture, the two-storey house spanning 3400sqft overlooks the gentle lapping of the Indian Ocean at Seenimodera Bay. Set enticingly, it is purposed as a retreat villa wherein the architect elaborates on the conceptual ideations that were “to use simple local materials, and be environmentally friendly, cost-conscious and easy to maintain (all rooms are naturally cross ventilated), and to make one ‘feel’ one is next to the beach, despite the landlocked nature of the site. “

A grove of thick foliage envelops the stepped path making its way from the southerly entry at the bottom of the slope to the house atop. It enfolds the landlocked site in its green shadows reminiscent of the cashew plantation that earlier occupied the slope. The trail of steps leads in and out in its zig-zag way, striking sharply against the stark concrete planar walls of the Kadju House in the upper part of the site. Simple and effective, it revels in its own exclusivity. The planning uncomplicates and amplifies the strong sense of integration and respect for its surroundings. Across 1 acre, it unites the main house, an ‘ayurvedic’ spa room, staff quarters, vegetable garden, parking, and an infinity pool.

1. DINING 2. BEDROOM 3. BATH 4. KITCHEN 5. UTILITY 6. SPA 7. PARKING 8. STAFF 9. VEGETABLE GARDEN

LAYOUT PLAN Indian Architect & Builder - Aug 2012

The planning uncomplicates and amplifies the strong sense of integration and respect for its surroundings.

SECTION THROUGH THE SITE

SECTION THROUGH THE VILLA Indian Architect & Builder - Aug 2012

TOILET

BEDROOM

DINING

BEDROOM PANTRY

TOILET

KITCHEN

UTILITY

BEDROOM

TOILET

GROUND FLOOR

The design emerges as an elementary rectangle with a centred void which defines the entrance and dining. Tiny details bind the entrance to the building; lights and textures are niched in the walls and flooring. A flight of stairs leading to a double-height volume shapes the simplicity of the entry. Graceful concrete planes and tones of blue in the sky beckon as one ascends up to the villa. The lofty scale amasses solidity in comparison to the sparsely laden trees around. Tucked one level above, the design reveals a thoughtfully curated dining area, elegantly finished with designed furniture and an entire sweep of wall space framing the depth of the green site beyond. The continuation of the plan flows uninterruptedly with gradual distinctions to effectuate the functionality. On the right, the stairs take off again to the Living Pavilion, occupying the upper floor. In one overpowering moment, the house bares it all - giving itself up to nature and oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s eye. A sense of drama seeps in with a 36-foot-long infinity pool, brooding against the stirring sea beyond. A textured wooden deck slips out from under the clay-tiled roof to walk alongside its edge. The lounge adjacent in the shaded Pavilion interacts with the scenic views of the sea, gardens and the transparency of the house. Bursts of orange hues enriching the vibrancy of the walls and furniture punctuate the muted materiality of the space. Indian Architect & Builder - Aug 2012

The entrance is marked with a flight of steps leading upto the double-heighted dining space.

Indian Architect & Builder - Aug 2012

The dining space is framed by the depth of the sloping green site beyond.

In an orchestrated arrangement of interior spaces, the design contains a lot of pauses for contemplation. At the ground level, it silently explores a minimalist approach. The architect elaborates that the attachment of 12m cement protrusion on one side encompasses the infinity edge pool above and the bedroom and kitchen below. Seemingly, in the kitchen and one bedroom, the dormant instinct is for the spaces to interact with openness. A lone chair idles by on the wooden deck â&#x20AC;&#x201C; relaxed and intimate. The outlook of repose manifested in the furnishings in the bedroom blurs the transition from exterior to the interior. Effusive details and huge paintings complete the sanctity of the space. The remaining en-suite bedrooms are enclosed in two solid blocks of the structure. The bedrooms are resolved in an understated luxury; the lightness of the colours and soft shades of light expand on the visual line of the space. The detailing in the bathrooms like scant accessories, a tiny pool next to the bathtub contrasting with the greyness of cement Indian Architect & Builder - Aug 2012

A clay-tiled roof shades the lounge pavilion.

The 36m infinity edge pool seemingly merges with ocean and sky - a tranquil connect to the nature. Indian Architect & Builder - Aug 2012

The sensitivity is like the retelling of the site – reciprocal of the peace that the visitors seek.

The element of openness continues in the lounge area which is infused with vibrant colours and warm light.

lends to the sense of cohesion within the design. The details are rare but impactful. The coldness of concrete turns to warm timber shades in the flooring and furniture. As the architect reflects, “The material palette is simple; internally the walls are exposed-brickwork painted, externally it’s smooth cement rendered, deliberately encouraging weathering from the harsh elements.” The house is also ventilated naturally wherein the architect has eliminated the necessity of air-conditioning. In choice of furniture and finishes, the aesthetic blends in native and natural textures. Half the doors and windows were recycled from old demolished houses; art work was sourced from local artists. The palette of materials layered in the design ranged from clay brick, teak timber, galvanised iron, tempered glass and a clay-tile roof. It elusively captures the serenity in moments – the play of stone, wood and cement, the complementary colour accents that are used sparingly to enhance the spatial effect and the enveloping warmth of light that streams in throughout the house. Lightly, it treads. Lightly, it falls. The sensitivity is like the retelling of the site – reciprocal of the peace that the visitors seek. Prosaically picturesque, it is designed as eloquent sequences of spaces with subtle formal moves that continually connect to elements that unfold beyond the edge of the site. The Kadju House is a revelation that reinforces the idea of Leonardo Da Vinci – “The ultimate luxury is simplicity”. Solid and void, open and shut, opaque and transparent, public and private, warm and cold, light and dark – it intuitively balances the elements, compositions and senses to sustain a timeless experience. Indian Architect & Builder - Aug 2012

The interiors of the lounge area overlooking the scenic views of the bay.

The bedroom under the pool is characterised with muted colour sensibility and simple furnishings. Indian Architect & Builder - Aug 2012

A pool adds silently to the aesthetic harmony of the restroom.

The ground floor bedroom.

Thoughtfully placed accessories enhance the restroom details.

FACT FILE:

The bedrooms open out to the ambient surroundings and offer spaces of contemplation and relaxation.

Project Location Architect Client Project Area Civil & Carpentry Contractor Project Estimate Initiation of Project Completion of project

: : : : : : : : :

Kadju House Tangalle, Sri Lanka Pradeep Kodikara Champa Holdings One Acre Mr. Kalyanaratna SLR 11 Million July 2006 December 2007 Indian Architect & Builder - Aug 2012

Rise of the Phoenix Meticulously conserved and presented, the restoration of the 143-year-old Cutty Sark in Greenwich, London by Grimshaw Architects LLP transforms the material vestiges of the world’s only remaining tea-clipper into a bold memento of British seafaring supremacy. Text: Shalmali Wagle Sketches & Images: courtesy Grimshaw Architects LLP

he Cutty Sark epitomises the great age of sail. She is the last surviving tea-clipper, the fastest and greatest of her time, marking the culmination of a long period of design development which halted abruptly as sailing ships gave way to steam propulsion. Her remarkable story is tangible evidence of the centuries of sea-trade to England and the country’s growth as the world’s dominant sea-port and commercial centre. The Cutty Sark is a masterpiece, the pinnacle of nautical design in her time. In the 1950s, when the Cutty Sark was brought to Greenwich from Shadwell Basin, she was housed in a purpose built mass concrete berth in a dry dock. She was proudly floated down the Thames and manoeuvred in as the water drained out allowing her to rest on the berth floor, where she stood in noiseless inactivity for decades. In 2004, a comprehensive programme of restoration was initiated on the Cutty Sark by London-based Grimshaw Architects LLP, with the ship’s reopening planned for 2009. The need for a conservation solution, within the constraints of the dry berth, demanded that all interventions respect, repair and adapt the original fabric of the vessel. In 2007, the Cutty Sark, which was closed and partly dismantled for conservation, caught fire. Though aerial video footage showed extensive damage, the ship had not been destroyed in its entirety. The bow section was relatively unscathed and the stern had survived without major damage; the loss was concentrated in the centre of the hull. The disaster caught public interest and initiated major fund-raising campaigns, enabling the project not only to be resumed at the end of 2009 but to an enhanced design brief. Injured by colossal storms, pounding oceans, vicious wars and an unexpected fire, the Cutty Sark was now to experience an elaborate resurrection as a testimony to Britain’s heritage of nautical ‘greatness’, to its bitter-sweet relationship with the sea that had stomached illustrious accounts of conquest and expansion, and to the preservation of the now fragile remnants of its glorious past.

Indian Architect & Builder - Aug 2012

international

Indian Architect & Builder - Aug 2012

The hoisted sail of the 963-tonne ship majestically towers in the horizon, the museum forms an ocean of glass below, almost as if portraying its return to the waves.

The structure and copper shell of the 19th-century Cutty Sark is hauled and a museum is erected to its glory.

Indian Architect & Builder - Aug 2012

A unique attempt at the conservation of a small fragment of Britain’s maritime history, the design of the Cutty Sark hauls the structure and copper shell of the 19 th-century ship and erects a museum to its glory. The Cutty Sark is positioned within the freshly landscaped Cutty Sark Gardens, the riverfront gateway to the Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site. While the hoisted sail of the 963-tonne ship majestically towers in the horizon, the museum forms an ocean of glass below, almost as if portraying its return to the waves. The glass bed supported by a triangulated canopy structure provides a new entrance at the northern end of the site and shelters an underground museum space. Docking in water being impracticable owing to the extent of corrosion, the Cutty Sark itself is suspended 3m off the ground and balanced as if sailing on this bed of glass. A series of steel armatures on either side of the ship hold it airborne, as the mighty vessel hangs still, confident, frozen in a limbo between ground and flight. Two portal doors within the canopy mark the main entrance and reveal a double-height reception area directly beneath the stern of the ship. The rudder of the vessel divides the space longitudinally with the entry bridge to the right and the main staircase into the dry berth to the left. Revival from the ashes… Eliminating the salt-induced corrosion of the iron-frame of the ship, the

original conserved iron-work identifies itself with white painted vertical ribs, horizontal keelsons, deck beams and supporting posts. In contrast, all freshly introduced strengthening steel-work is distinguished with a coat of grey. The inner faces of her massive hardwood hull planks are fixed to the ribs; all 540 of them being individually removed, cautiously treated for decay and damage and reattached to the ship. Substantial timber lining the hull is salvaged from rotting and the rusting iron-frame is recovered where possible to maintain utmost authenticity. A ship’s weight is supported uniformly by the water, when at sea. However, having stood on its keel in a dry dock for years, Cutty Sark’s hull, sagging and deforming due to the weakening of the iron-ribs, is treated via a dual approach. The corroded iron-frame is replaced with new sections of steel ribs. The redistribution of the weight of the ship is done by lifting the vessel at regular intervals along its length with 12 new triangulated steel frames. These frames take the form of an inverted coat hanger, with two tie rods from the ship’s keel running diagonally to each end of a horizontal strut that spans the width of the ship immediately beneath the Tween Deck. This inverted-hanger frame carries the dead load from the ship’s keel and masts to the new external support points, affixed immediately below the uppermost waterline.

The Cutty Sark is suspended, hanging still and confident, frozen in a limbo between ground and flight.

Indian Architect & Builder - Aug 2012

The glass bed supported by a triangulated canopy structure provides an entrance and shelters the underground museum.

The Bridge is designed without vertical supports, but with four raking posts instead.

Indian Architect & Builder - Aug 2012

Lacing the vessel at the water-line, the supporting cradles tie the ship together and hold it aloft.

SECTION SHOWING THE COMPLEX BUT ELEGANT PRE-STRESSED SYSTEM THAT STABILISES THE SHIP IN ITS POSITION

A Bridge to the Past… The journey of discovery of the historic Cutty Sark begins with the entrance bridge at the stern of the ship that leads to the interior at the lower Hold Deck level. To exhibit the structural concept of the ship and the dry berth with utmost visual clarity, the bridge is designed without any vertical supports. Four raking posts spring up from the lowest of the dry berth steps to meet the curved steel section which spans from the reception to the ship. As the bridge approaches the ship, it reaches the first of the supports spanning from the dry berth wall to the stern of the ship through an upper step bridge. As the visitor approaches the hull, the doorway into the ship becomes visible. This single entry point minimises the removal of existing iron-work, and the sliced timber planks are left exposed to reveal the composite structure of the hull. For intuitive way-finding, stainless steel hand-railings, web-net balustrading and pale blue rubber flooring run as constant elements throughout the interior of the museum. Re-living History… One enters the historic seafaring titan at the Hold Deck Level, the storage space used for Cutty Sark’s cargo. A new steel deck is provided to act as both, a passageway and a viewing point for the interior of the hull. An extremely complex but elegant pre-stressed system hangs and stabilises

the ship in its new position. The steel structure not only preserves the shape of the ship’s iconic hull, but also enables an additional public space to be created in the dry berth below, allowing visitors to walk underneath and admire the ship’s form. Lacing the Hold Deck are the supporting cradles, which simultaneously tie the ship together and hold it aloft. New metal plates along the perimeter hold the iron ribs together, passing around the ship below the Tween Deck and encased beneath the reinstated hull planks. The twelve sets of horizontal beams and diagonal ties form a triangle between the metal plates and new box keelson which encases the ship’s original keel, fixing its vertical position and preserving the ship’s iconic shape from within. A thirteenth cradle completes the system by connecting the stern of the ship to the keel. To cause as little visual distraction as possible from the ship’s original structure, the new steel cradles have been integrated with the existing fabric of the ship wherever possible. The bases of the ship’s three masts also pass through the space to rest on the keel below. The three cargo hatches remain, two of which are used for vertical circulation within the ship by means of a new stair and platform lift. All new circulation routes are kept within existing openings in the ironwork skeleton of the ship, to minimise interventions in the existing fabric and ensure that all alterations are reversible. Indian Architect & Builder - Aug 2012

Ascending from the lowermost Hold Deck, the visitor reaches the Tween Deck. Historically a secondary cargo storage area, the deck now functions as the main exhibition space within the ship. At either end of the space are the solid iron walls which separated the ends of the ship from the cargo areas in case of damage at sea. The uppermost Weather Deck is open-to-sky and provides stability to the hull and a weather-tight enclosure for the decks below.

SECTION THROUGH THE HOLD DECK

SECTION THROUGH THE TWEEN DECK

The main exhibition space within the body of the vessel.

Indian Architect & Builder - Aug 2012

The route continues from the Weather Deck across a suspended bridge to the Access Tower, a new ancillary structure on the right side of the ship. The bridge is supported from the tower, and is structurally separate from the ship. The main function of the tower is to provide a secondary accessible route for all to the ship and dry berth, as well as housing fully accessible restrooms, vertical circulation cores and a secondary ticketing and security kiosk. The steel components of the tower and bridge are exposed, reminiscent of the functional elements of a working dockside with internal black-stained timber cladding echoing shipyard and maritime coastal structures. The faรงade is single-glazed to maintain views to the ship. The route then descends the tower stairs to reach the level of the dry berth floor, below the hull of the ship. It passes through the new basement, constructed adjacent to the dry berth to house essential services, restroom facilities for the public and a new preparation kitchen for events. Passing through a short corridor, one reaches the opening to the dry berth, arriving below the lifted colossal hull of Cutty Sark for the very first time.

The uppermost Weather Deck is open-to-sky and provides a weather-tight enclosure for the decks below.

The canopy structure and the vessel with its 100ft-high masts and their rigging.

A bridge spans from the Weather Deck to the Access Tower, structurally separate from the ship.

The bowsprit of the ship and Cutty Sark’s figurehead: ‘Nannie’.

Indian Architect & Builder - Aug 2012

The inclined compression struts from the new strike plates in the hull.

The canopy structure is completely separated from the hull to avoid unnecessary intrusions into the vessel.

Resting 3m above the ground, the contours of the Muntz metal-clad hull are visible as if the ship is suspended in water, with the glass canopy enveloping the space to meet the hull at its highest waterline. The canopy structure is completely separated from the hull, to allow movement of the ship under wind loads, and avoid unnecessary intrusions into the fabric of the vessel. The 24 struts additionally resist substantial wind loads created by the 100ft-high masts and their rigging. This array of vertical angles, formed as they lean over to follow the contours of a waterline, stabilises the ship and prevents it from swaying, or oscillating in the wind or to the rhythm of visitor movement. The glazing is solar-coated, to provide maximum energy efficiency within the space below, and protection from heat. The walls of the dry berth, purposefully left exposed, narrate an important event of the ship’s story. Formerly housed within the confines of the Tween Deck, the largest collection of merchant navy figureheads in the world owned by the Cutty Sark Trust is displayed beneath the bowsprit of the ship and Cutty Sark’s own figurehead ‘Nannie’. Accessed by the existing concrete steps of the dry berth and located above the figureheads is the viewing gallery, which positions one directly below the bowsprit of the ship, with a full view of the bow of the hull and the cradle supports beyond. Springing from the new strike plates in the hull of the ship, the 12 pairs of massive inclined compression struts rest upon the existing dry berth wall, ensuring safety and stability. The cradle system is entirely adjustable via giant turnbuckles set within the primary ties and struts, which carry the weight of the ship and its visitors down to the mass concrete of the original dry dock. A café at the southern end offers Indian Architect & Builder - Aug 2012

The triangulated canopy and the solar-coated glazing.

a chance for refreshments and the dry berth functions as a unique event space, able to cater for up to 300 guests seated directly below the ship’s hull. Ascending the main stair, the visitor returns to the reception and retail area, before exiting to Cutty Sark Gardens. History helps provide identity. Though we live in a time of rapid change and progress, where we prefer to define ourselves in terms of where we are going and not where we have come from, history is an extremely important element in for our identity; so is its conservation. The restoration of the Cutty Sark tea-clipper, a small element of Britain’s history and its transformation into an assertive relic of Britain’s pride, secures its future as an inspiration for adventurers to come. It ensures that the understanding, respect and value linked with human achievements and their significance to the history of the world remain unscathed.

FACT FILE: Project Location Architect Principal Architect Design Team

: : : : :

Client Engineering Consultant Photographs Completion

: : : :

Cutty Sark London, England Grimshaw Architects LLP Sir Nicholas Grimshaw Chris Nash, Diane Metcalfe, Jorrin Ten-Have, Den Farnworth, Joe Laslett The Cutty Sark Trust Buro Happold Jim Stephenson 2012

The 12 pairs of inclined compression struts from the new strike plates in the hull to the dry berth wall support the ship aloft.

The cafĂŠ at the southern end.

The berth functions as an event space directly below the shipâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hull. Indian Architect & Builder - Aug 2012

Indian Architect & Builder - Aug 2012

urbanism

Indian Architect & Builder - Aug 2012

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The Mumbai Esplanade Project is an attempt by Apostrophe A + uD with Somaya & Kalappa Consultants to insert a continuous pedestrian realm in the extremely sensitive Fort precinct of Mumbai, connecting the two major terminals (Churchgate and Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus) with prime business and cultural districts. Text: Ruturaj Parikh Images & drawings: courtesy Apostrophe A + uD and Somaya & Kalappa Consultants

he historic Fort precinct of Mumbai is a multi-layered, multi-faceted place. Two major suburban terminals, the Churchgate Station and the CST, bring 6.9 million commuters each day to this area for business and exchange. There is an equally intense influx of vehicles from the entire city such as cars, buses and two-wheelers rushing to Fort during office hours. The Flora Fountain plaza, the BSE precinct, D.N. Road, the Museum Area, Colaba Causeway, Business Plazas at Nariman Point and many other areas of the Central Business District (CBD) of Mumbai absorb a rush of thousands of citizens pulsating with life between morning and evening peak-hours. Many activities follow and respond to this daily to-and-fro movement. The street vendors and hawkers that provide food and services, the bus ferries that circulate people internally, the shared-cabs, the shops and markets, and many periodic activities support businesses profiting directly or indirectly through the exchange of economy. Owing to the simultaneous commencement and wrapping up of these activities, the Fort precinct experiences unprecedented overlaps and thus, conflicts between parallel and inter-related movements. One of the constant conflicts is the occurrence of daily crossovers between several million pedestrians and several thousand vehicles. This is the point of departure of the Mumbai Esplanade Project. The Fort precinct, a predominantly colonial fabric, was not designed to absorb such an influx of movement. The pressure on its major streets and arterial roads is diluted by a complex network of one-ways, roundabouts, intersections and re-directions. A confusing yet effective implementation by the authorities, this idea of controlled movement combined with the designersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; idea of grade separations between the pedestrian and the vehicle forms the basis of the urban design proposal.

Indian Architect & Builder - Aug 2012

Proposed plan: the stretch from Churchgate to Horniman Circle; the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Veer Nariman Plazaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;.

101

Montages (top, middle and bottom) render a quick visual or experiential image of the proposed development.

Indian Architect & Builder - Aug 2012

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The â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Veer Nariman Plazaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;: present condition.

The overlay of the pedestrian realm.

Visual montage for the proposed plaza.

Traffic circulation with grade separation.

The proposed development.

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Aerial view: the colonial heritage structures in the foreground with grade separation between pedestrian and vehicular realm.

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Pedestrian Zones – Inserts in the Fabric The Fort precinct has some of the most functional, vibrant and relevant public open spaces in the form of ‘maidans’, colonnades, marketplaces, shopping streets and cultural institutions. The set of ‘maidans’ – the Oval, the Cross, the Cooperage and the Azad Maidan, combined with the secondary open spaces of Horniman Circle, Flora Fountain, the Chhatrapati Shivaji Museum (formerly the Prince of Wales Museum) and the Gateway of India form a disjunct but vital collection of open spaces in the CBD. The urban design report based on research proposes a re-organisation of traffic movement through the entire area – from Crawford Market to Colaba Causeway creating many one-ways and loops that simplify and ease the present bottlenecks. Secondarily, zones of major conflict between the pedestrian and traffic movements are re-designed to create a grade separation where unlike tedious and un-imaginative underpasses for pedestrians, the Mumbai Esplanade Project plans new urban plazas elevated, sunk and levelled with existing and planned urban public spaces. This intervention will not only connect 102 acres of presently separate open spaces, but also add 63 acres of newly built public spaces through interventions. These ‘plazas’ consist of new gardens, walkways, promenades, water bodies, seating and resting areas, small congregation places and public amenities for safe and easy movement. By keeping the plazas completely accessible by the differently able and the elderly, the plan ensures that the 165 acres of envisioned public space is connected, safe and accessible to all. Principally, there are seven major junctions or areas of conflict: (1) The Veer Nariman plaza outside Churchgate Station, (2) The Azad Maidan-Cross Maidan intersection, (3) The Chhatrapati Shivaji Plaza at CST, (4) The Flora Fountain-Horniman Circle Axis, (5) The Museum Quarter and Plaza connecting Kala Ghoda and, (7) the Cooperage Plaza between Oval Maidan and Cooperage Greens. 2.5 lakh square feet of cultural spaces that will include street theatres, museums and sport facilities will complement 2400 newly planned parking spaces and eight public toilets adding substantially to the existing public infrastructure in a city that faces critical dearth of the same. With an estimated cost of `472 crore, the Esplanade Project will generate a projected fund of `1239 crore through direct revenue and appreciated values.

Uninterrupted thoroughfare with distinct movements.

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Proposed public realm that will connect the Museum Quarter to the Cooperage Plaza.

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Plazas – Designed Public Spaces Many months of consistent research and planning with interaction between planners, architects, civic authorities and citizen groups have initiated a democratic dialogue for this project. The Mumbai Esplanade Project encompasses two of the largest suburban railway stations, two major cricket grounds, a set of the most important museums, three vital business districts and four of Mumbai’s largest public maidans. A public project that connects such diverse and presently dispersed facilities needs a democratic process. The proposed plaza from Churchgate station to the Horniman Circle through Flora Fountain (the Veer Nariman Plaza) will create a pedestrian spine with water bodies, green spaces and grade separations. This will enable thousands of commuters from the Churchgate station to reach business districts of the D.N. Road and the BSE (Bombay Stock Exchange). The crossover at Flora Fountain will have retail spaces and amenities that can generate revenue and activity. Planned in Phase 1 with implementation in Phase 3, this spine will be a key to connect two maidans and two major junctions that enable thoroughfare to the internal districts of Fort. A designed injunction between the presently disorganised connection between the Regal Plaza and Cooperage Ground will enable vehicular and pedestrian movement to resolve into an open, green and accessible crossover. This will effectively connect the museums (City Museum and National Gallery of Modern Art) to the Cross Maidan and Cooperage Ground. The heritage buildings flanking the maidans and the plazas will render remarkable vistas from these spaces. Planned in Phase 2, this intervention will complete the continuity between the priceless, linear green from Cooperage to the Cross Maidan grounds. By resolving movements at the Flora Fountain, the Phase 3 of the project will complete the spine extending an uninterrupted pedestrian realm from Churchgate to ‘Bombay Green’ with public amenities and retail. Major streets connecting the CST plaza with colleges, institutions, government organisations and business districts cut through intense flow of pedestrian traffic. Two crucial junctions - the CST junction and the cross between Azad and Cross Maidans - see maximum conflict between intersecting movements. It is crucial to resolve these movements to make this passage safe for pedestrians. The Phase 4 of the Mumbai Esplanade Project will create a vast public space connecting CST station with Flora Fountain through D. N. Road. The transverse connections will establish safe thoroughfare from CST through Azad and Cross Maidans to the Veer Nariman Plaza outside Churchgate, thus completing the envisioned plan. Beyond the master plan are details of small and site-specific inserts in each of the discussed space. Addition of retail and cultural infrastructure will ensure that the resultant public plazas sustain activity and vibrancy. The Project is planned in 4 phases over duration of three years which will involve periodic interventions and easing traffic flow throughout the Fort precinct. With a detailed traffic management plan, the movements will be resolved over the execution of the project wherein major and key intersections between pedestrian and traffic thoroughfare will be separated by grade.

Views of the Museum Plaza with an architectural insert - a new cultural facility.

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The insert in the fabric: a public facility that supports and complements the overall nature of the surrounding buildings.

Visual of the proposed Museum Quarter and its cultural spill-overs.

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Montages on the possible scenarios at the Flora Fountain development.

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The public space that connects the Azad Maidan and CST with the fabric of the Fort area.

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A cross-over from the Azad to the Cross Maidan with the CST and Bombay Corporation buildings in the background.

The Pedestrian Realm The Mumbai Esplanade Project is a key intervention in the saturated Fort precinct of Mumbai. If built as proposed, it will change the ‘perception’ of the core Fort area in Mumbai. In an otherwise space-starved metropolis, this proposed intervention will add to the existing Maidans and open spaces of Fort, in turn creating a continuous, uninterrupted pedestrian domain stretching from Colaba to CST. To be executed in many phases and in stages that will enable the citizens to assimilate change and adapt to the new inserts and overlays, the Mumbai Esplanade Project is bound to enhance the heritage architecture of Fort and encourage tourism, over and above adding value to the real estate. It is essential that - as in many historic cities - the Fort precinct of Mumbai is safe and friendly to saunter as it invites a picture-postcard idea of the city to form. The Mumbai Esplanade Project might help one realise the ‘beauty’ of the old city but it surely will make the Fort more democratic.

FACT FILE: Project Location Architects

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Project Team

Estimated Cost

Estimated Duration : Area of Intervention (acres) : Total Project Area :

The Mumbai Esplanade Project Fort Historic District, Mumbai Somaya & Kalappa Consultants and Apostrophe A + uD Brinda Somaya, Shivjit Sidhu, Priyanka Vasudevan, Amit Rane `35 Crore (Phase 1) `472 Crore (Total Cost- Non Taxpayer Funds from project-generated income) 6 Months (Phase 1) 3 Years Total 165 acres Maidans/Plazas 432 acres Indian Architect & Builder - Aug 2012

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BLURRING BOUNDARIES Shradha Bhandari, New Delhi

Fresh after graduation, Shradha Bhandari independently designed and developed the J-19 Residence, Gurgaon in 2009 as her first endeavour in the practical field of architecture and holistic design. At present, she is the founding partner of Hive, an interdisciplinary design studio based in New Delhi.

J-19, a distinctive, rustic yet incredibly elegant residence in Gurgaon, designed by Shradha Bhandari translates the outlook and way of life of its residents into a tangible reality. Text: Sharmila Chakravorty Images & Drawings: courtesy Shradha Bhandari & S. Thiru

View of the J-19 residence from the road.

f the many problems one faces in relation to ‘urban life’, limitation of spaciousness and interaction with nature rank up high. Almost as an answer, Shradha Bhandari’s J-19 Residence in a congested residential area of Gurgaon presents itself as a fresh zephyr in design as well as the recycle-reuse philosophy. On approach from the main road, one comes across a rather rustic yet chic wooden gate, adjoining a wall clad with green creepers, with the glass

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and wood façade of the main house showing itself in glimpses; with such a preview, one knows instinctively that what lies ahead would not be a usual, mundane structure. Such is the presence of the house – it introduces anticipation on first glance, and surprises with gradual discovery. Designed and built for the architect’s family, the design reflects the family’s outlook and way of life. The building is conceived as a single-family unit, with each floor connected to the green landscaped areas, as well as the

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Overall, the house is a unique, tangible experience for the senses.

PLAN - LOWER GROUND FLOOR

common spaces within the floors; smoothly blending a sense of privacy with the option of family interactions and gatherings. The design is largely influenced by its site’s location with its adjoining green pockets, site orientation and the micro-macro climatic conditions. The plot is flanked by landscaped green on two sides, playing a vital role in evolving the design of the building.

PLAN - GROUND FLOOR

The landscaping extends to the green roofs of the living rooms as well as the terraces, dissolving the distinction between the indoors and the outdoors; extending the indoor living areas into the outdoors. The architect feels, “The language of landscape has been explored to merge and extend the built form into the surrounding landscape, as well as continue the language of flow and soft lines within the interior space to the outdoors.” Within the building, the four floors - lower ground, ground, first and second - house the various living spaces, gym and a studio. With the rear setback sunk, the lower ground floor opens into an open-to-sky pool with inlay detailing, merging into a rustic stone and log waterwall. As the architect puts it, “The ambient landscape provides a surreal environment for the studio space designed at the pool’s edge.”

PLAN - FIRST FLOOR

PLAN - SECOND FLOOR

The interior spaces of the house are clearly demarcated, yet seem to open up into each other through collapsible partition walls. The double-heighted central core adds to the grandeur and openness of the design. Vertical glazing wraps onto the ceiling to let in the vistas of the sky, and transform into waterwalls in the monsoons. The architect says, “Flow and continuity in the interior spaces is accentuated by the inlayed floor and sculpted ceiling patterns inspired by the various seasons, weaving the interior spaces together.” One is drawn to admire the ingenious use of reclaimed sleeper wood for vertical members, exterior cladding, and the entrance gate. Similarly, locally available natural sandstone, teak stone, jaisalmer stone, makrana marble etc. have been used extensively. Elements from indigenous arts and crafts are seamlessly adapted into the building details, such as door design, floor and ceiling patterns, door and wardrobe handles, wall panels and screens, handcrafted wash basins etc., which are characteristic of the design and construction of the residence. Indian Architect & Builder - Aug 2012

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Spread across a total built-up area of over 9000sqft, the living spaces extend into the green outdoors, while bringing in the outdoors into the living spaces at the same time; cantilevered decks, green creeper curtains and landscaped niches in the living areas adding to the endeavour. Keeping in mind solar orientation and inclination over the year, the design efficiently responds to combat the near-extreme climatic conditions in order to maintain a high degree of thermal efficiency. Optimising the use of natural lighting and ventilation, in addition to the uninterrupted views of the landscaped areas, the building exudes a sense of openness and serenity, while in fact being located in a rather high-density residential area.

Local materials, slate and reclaimed railway sleepers used for cladding adorn the faรงade.

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Reclaimed wood adds a rustic, quirky edge to the design.

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Merging surfaces, interflowing terraces and green roofs are key elements of the design.

Full-height glass doors connecting to the exterior spaces bring in ample natural light, ventilation and views.

A huge piece of rock marks the corner of the boundary wall.

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The gentle cream and beige colour scheme of the residence.

Recycled wine bottles used as cabinet shutter.

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Large windows bringing in natural light and ventilation to one of the bedrooms.

The quirky yet artistic teak stone-crafted wash basins, recycled printing hand blocks used as door handles, recycled wine bottles as cabinet shutter, bamboo rain-sticks as wardrobe handles, woven bamboo boards for cabinetry, coconut shell panels for cladding, slate and logs of timber for the waterwall and fireplace add an interesting, thoughtfully rustic charm to the interior design. Overall, the house is a tangible experience for the senses. The large windows allow unobstructed views and ventilation - capturing the dynamically changing seasons that bring in their own moods to the living rooms - while the landscaped greens merging into the living areas blur the distinction between interiors and exteriors. The water bodies and waterwalls add to the tranquillity, furthering the experience for the senses. The design is instinctive in its approach and motivation to commune with the nature around, crafted with a clear, rustic yet trendy artistic sensibility while not alienating itself with environmental sensitivity.

FACT FILE:

Double-height spaces with glass doors further the feeling of openness within the house.

Project Location Architect Project Estimate Initiation of Project Completion of project

: : : : : :

J-19 Residence Gurgaon, Haryana Shradha Bhandari `2.25 Cr Jan 2007 April 2009 Indian Architect & Builder - Aug 2012

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oriental odyssey DA DESIGNS, MUMBAI DA Designs provides design consultancy for architectural and interior design projects within the hospitality, commercial, retail and residential realm in India, and abroad.

Using oriental imagery, DA Design’s interior design for China 1 restaurant in Andheri, Mumbai speaks of opposites that form coherence, mirroring the ancient ‘yin and yang’ understanding of the universe. Text: Sharmila Chakravorty Images & drawings: courtesy DA Designs

Outdoor dining area at the China 1 restaurant.

nterior design can make or break a space; more so if the space is a restaurant, intended to please a vast demography of customers with varying design sensibilities. One may argue that in a restaurant, function (the food) would assume a greater emphasis over the form (décor). However, it is increasingly being accepted that form assumes just as much importance as function, if not more, especially in settings such as elite restaurants - the décor is the first point of contact for the potential customer; the actual dining experience happens later.

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China 1 can boast of one such ambience; of vibrantly opposite sections, yet very much in tune with the ‘yin and yang’ theme, forming a coherent whole. China 1’s décor tries to cut away from a host of oriental cuisine restaurants across the city, while staying true to the oriental theme. The ‘yin and yang’ concept is translated into a black, white and grey contemporary setting, highlighting contrasts and dualities that only exist in relation to each other. The dining accessories starkly contrast, yet do not seem to overpower; there is still a balance within the elements.

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PLAN

Situated on a quaint lane in the suburban Andheri area, China 1 eases one into the thoughtfully landscaped waiting area with the soothing sound of water and dim red lights as a prelude to the experience that awaits inside. A walkway flanked with oriental artefacts leads one inside, to the restaurant, the banquet or the outdoor dining area. The outdoor area is textured in green and grey, with a translucent tensile structure washed in warm diffused light. The high, frameless glass railing with bamboo motif ensures a sense of privacy without disconnection from the outdoors. A large black velvet

China 1 reveals itself in parts - parts that gradually introduce one to what lies within for them; parts that offer a stark visual contrast; parts which break the monotony of probably having a single design strategy across the sprawling space.

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The bright visual contrast of the red and black elements of the island seating area.

The personal dining room, blending privacy and plush furniture with oriental motifs on the walls.

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door, with white screens on either side, opens into a large space with white flooring, dark grey ceiling, backlit black glass panelling with bamboo motif and accessories in black and white. Demarcated zones are intended to provide for various functions within the entirety, breaking the monotony while also adding a sense of visual and perceptual discovery. The private dining room, a live cooking counter, a buffet and the usual restaurant-style dining arrangements form the different zones in question. The interior space is huge; a 3000sqft restaurant, with opens into another 3000sqft outdoor Mongolian grill with a 1000sqft banquet adjoining it, along with the 600sqft waiting area. The interiors are planned in a way to offer diverse dining experiences within the same space. A mix of booth seating, sofas and loose seating enables the interiors to provide variations, flexibility and the potential of a variety of user experiences. “The highlight and the most requested seating is the booth seating on a raised platform with a water body flowing around it, creating an island,” say the designers. The furniture has been custom-designed to blend with the concept and scheme of the space, placed on the dark, solid wood flooring. The washrooms too have are dressed in black and white slabs, in keeping with the essence of the restaurant. The scheme of colours is mostly black, grey and white, washed in dim yet complementing light. A play of textures and moods is created by using screens, mirrors, wallpapers, motifs and back-painted glass panels. Here, the lighting plays the most important part in creating the ambience, and setting the mood for the place. The lighting is dimly adequate; dark enough to seem cosy and private, but not to make one squint and reach for the mobile phone to look at what they are eating. The black of the chairs

and tables is softly illuminated, and appropriately complemented, by the shimmering golden of baubles that hang from the ceiling. Within settings such as restaurants, the ambience and the precipitous ‘feel’ that the place exudes become a prelude to the actual experience of dining, and take on the role of the instantaneous, decisive factor of whether or not the experience will be pleasant. China 1 reveals itself in parts - parts that gradually introduce one to what lies within for them; parts that offer a stark visual contrast; parts which break the monotony of probably having a single design strategy across the sprawling space. However, these very parts form the cohesive whole of China 1, their difference complementing the underlying ‘yin and yang’ theme.

FACT FILE: Project Location Architect Client

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China 1 Andheri, Mumbai DA Designs Balaji Hospitality

The oriental imagery used in China 1 aptly brings out the yin and yang concept.

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Smart Growth: A Modern Urban Principle The concept of Smart Growth proponents’ compact, transit-oriented, walkable surroundings that incorporates mixed land use pattern, including neighbourhood schools, retail and commercial spaces, community institutions, and a wide variety of housing types and styles, within close proximity of one another. It has been bestowed in various urban and suburban areas throughout the United States and has been found to beneficially affect natural habitats, air and water pollution, and the preservation of land. The ideas and principles of Smart Growth are to gain a particular function of community and place; expand the range of transportation, employment, and housing choices; equally distributing the costs and benefits of development; preserve and enhance natural and cultural resources; and promote public health. Introduction

mart Growth is a wide urban-generated planning and transportation theory that imparts growth in the centre of a city to decrease urban sprawl; and creates compact, transit-oriented, walkable, bicycle-friendly land use, including neighbourhood schools, complete streets, and mixed-use development with a huge range of housing choices. Smart Growth recognises connections between development and quality of life. It leverages new growth to improve the community. The features and idea of Smart Growth in a community differ from place to place. In a general scenario, Smart Growth invests time, attention, and resources in the community and provides new life to city centres and older deteriorated areas. New Smart Growth is more influenced towards a town-centred policy, transit and pedestrian-oriented, and has a greater mix of housing, commercial and retail uses. It also preserves open space and many other environmental amenities. Why is Smart Growth Needed? These days, cities are facing new challenges in accomplishing economic growth, increasing wealth, and improving quality of life for residents. Growth and development both are very necessary for developing communities. They enhance a new life and impart vitality to the complete scenario. Growth and development, if managed improperly, can negatively affect a community’s quality of life, leading to congestion, pollution, pedestrian-hostile neighbourhoods, and sprawl. To accommodate an increasing population and demand for housing, services and infrastructure, there is an urge for a complete revolutionised Smart Growth technique without upsetting the qualities that make their communities pleasant places to live and work. “Smart Growth” is a very broad and vast term. It is a bunch of various land uses and set of principles that provide a guideline to enhance our quality of life, preserve the natural environment and financial monitoring. The growth maintains a connection between development and quality of life after implementing the Smart Growth principles. The Smart Growth principles covers six goals and 10 set of principles which a part of this article. Indian Architect & Builder - Aug 2012

Components of Smart Growth Smart Growth America, a national coalition of multiple smart growth advocacy groups, lists the following six goals of Smart Growth: 1. Neighbourhood liveability 2. Better access/less traffic 3. Enabling pre-existing cities, suburbs, and towns to thrive 4. Shared benefits 5. Lower costs/lower taxes 6. Preserving open space In accordance with these six goals, the Smart Growth Network has developed ten basic principles to achieving smart growth: 1. Mix land-uses 2. Take advantage of compact building design 3. Create a range of housing opportunities and choices 4. Create walkable neighbourhoods 5. Foster distinctive, attractive communities with a strong sense of place 6. Preserve open space, farmland, natural beauty, and critical environmental areas 7. Strengthen and direct development towards existing communities 8. Provide a variety of transportation choices 9. Make development decisions predictable, fair, and cost-effective 10. Encourage community and stakeholder-collaboration in development decisions

comment These goals and principles of Smart Growth as presented to the general public and planners may vary by context and location, thoughts and respective views, however several themes keeps on emerging which includes a range of: preservation of open space, protection of environmentally sensitive areas, and support for further development of existing urban areas . The three commuting forces behind the idea of Smart Growth are the creation of compact neighbourhoods, a successful combination of multiple uses, and an emphasis on transit-oriented development.

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Mixed-Use Developments

Mixed-use developments include a complete designed lot which enables a variety of different activities within the same defined area or vicinity. These developments often include a combination of residential, commercial, industrial, retail, educational, institutional, and recreational uses, and can vary in size from a single building to a large-scale planned community. The main motive of mixed-use developments is to decrease the large travel distance; activities should be in proximity to one another. In recent years, many large communities have focussed on creating new â&#x20AC;&#x153;town centresâ&#x20AC;? mixing multi-family residences,

retail shops, and office spaces in order to maximise the use and profitability of land and increase the tax base of their municipalities. Transit-Oriented Developments

Transit-oriented developments are basically built around major transportation nodes; most frequently rail stations, but primary access between buses, highways, and park-and-ride lots as well. In addition to their focus on mass transit forms (i.e. commuter rail, light rail, bus rapid transit, etc.) which are more environment-friendly than personal automobile travel, transit-oriented developments are also heavily oriented around biking and walking, which also reduce harmful pollution overall. Pedestrian and bicycle-friendly improvements include narrower streets, bicycle lanes, an urban bike-trail system, bicycle parking, an emphasis on pedestrian crossings, and separated walking paths. Compact Neighbourhoods

There are many theories and assumptions behind the Smart Growth concept but according to Smart Growth theorists, creating compact, liveable and workable urban neighbourhoods will attract more residents and businesses; it will act as a key element for reducing urban sprawl and protecting local environments and climates. This concept is often gained by including a number of factors which are mixed-use development, the inclusion of affordable housing, public park and recreation space (to encourage pedestrian activity), and restrictions design forms (such as detached homes, private lots, large backyards, strip malls, and expansive surface parking lots). By concentrating activity in smaller, denser areas, smart growth preserves open spaces, reuses already-developed land in a more productive and refined manner, and harbours cleaner air, water supplies and other day-to-day utilities.

How Do Governments Affect Smart Growth? Local governments affect Smart Growth development by local policies and zoning ordinances. Through zoning regulations, new development can be specified to a certain areas and land use can be regulated by location. Zoning laws can also reduce the amount of parking required to be built with new development, and can be used to mandate land to be utilised for parks, recreation space, and other community amenities. Another popular approach is the use of environmental impact assessments (EIA), often required of prospective developers by state and/or local governments. These reports bind the physical and social impact which new development will have on the surrounding communities and environment and how they can be minimised. Indian Architect & Builder - Aug 2012

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Environmental Benefits of Smart Growth The United States Environmental Protection Agency claims, “Smart Growth principles can minimise air and water pollution, encourage Brownfield’s clean-up and reuse, and preserve natural lands.” A number of EPA studies performed across the United States have shown that applying Smart Growth principles to pre-existing communities has improved air quality (by reducing automobile mileage and emissions), improved water quality (by minimising paved surfaces and enabling natural rainwater filtration devoid of contamination), and preserved a significant amount of open space and natural lands. Such case studies and evaluations have taken place in locations including Sacramento, Nashville, Atlanta, Southern New Jersey, Seattle, Denver, San Francisco/ Oakland, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Providence, Northern Virginia, Orlando, and Chicago. Obstacles to Smart Growth Also, Smart Growth developments are often far more costly (financially) for developers than typical suburban communities. There is more dependency on automobiles rather than being a pedestrianised environment. The availability of a chunk of land as per feasibility and location is also in more deficient ratio. Therefore, much Smart Growth often occurs in the form of urban infill or urban redevelopment, which is often expensive and controversial. Pre-existing neighbourhood residents also often protest massive new developments. Furthermore, mass transit growth and expansion is similarly controversial and expensive. In addition, many critics claim that the rigidity of Smart Growth plans increases personal regulations and reduces freedom, and that the density of Smart Growth developments may actually increase traffic congestion. Conclusion Ultimately, the design and development of an area are correlated and it has a wider range of effects on many other aspects such as the environment, sustainability, consumption, transportation, population and lifestyle. A well-designed town with the needs of residents in mind can create a more stable and equitable area. Additionally, and important lesson which should be always kept is that the shape of communities and Smart Growth can be transformed by the residents. People want to live in an environment and a world capable of sustainability. “Smart Urban Growth” offers a better design that also benefits the environment, ecology, economy, equity, which can help provide better lives for the entire nation and the world, leading to a complete “liveable community”.

References [1] Wikipedia: Smart Growth [2] Litman, Todd. Evaluating Criticism of Smart Growth. Victoria Transport Policy Institute. 24 September 2007 [3] Conflicts Between Smart Growth and Housing Affordability [4] O’Toole, Randall. The Folly of “Smart Growth” Thoureau Institute [5] Smart Growth and Its Effect on Housing Markets: The New Segregation. (National Center for Public Policy Research) [6] Burchell, Robert W., David Listokin, and Catherine C. Galley. Smart Growth: More Than a Ghost of Urban Policy Past, Less Than a Bold New Horizon. Housing Policy Debate. Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey (821-879) [7] About Smart Growth (U.S. EPA) [8] Environmental Benefits of Smart Growth (U.S. EPA) [9] Effects of Different Development Types on the Environment (U.S. EPA) [10] This is Smart Growth: Featured Communities [11] Moglen, Glenn E., Steven A. Gabriel, and Jose A. Faria. A Framework for Quantitative Smart Growth in Land Development. Journal of the American Water Resources Association. August 2003 (947- 959) [12] What is Smart Growth? (Smart Growth America) [13] Knaap, Gerrit-Jan. A Requiem for Smart Growth? National Center for Smart Growth Research and Education. University of Maryland Arlington County, Virginia (U.S. EPA) [14] Miller, Nancy A. and Jeff Miller. Defining Mixed-Use Development. University of Minnesota Further Readings: [1] Smart Growth America [2] Coalition for Smarter Growth [3] Bullard, Robert D. (ed.) (2007). Growing Smarter: Achieving Livable Communities, Environmental Justice, and Regional Equity. The MIT Press. ISBN 978-0-262-524704 [4] “Urban Alchemy” Article about the need for efficient transit to serve smart growth External Links: [1] Smart Growth Planning [2] Smart Code 7.0 A model for New Urbanism Planning Codes in PDF Format [3] Smart Growth America organization [4] Coalition for Smarter Growth [5] Smart Growth Online

About the authors: Ar. Ritu Shrivastava, Assistant Professor, Department of Architecture and Planning, MANIT, Bhopal Ritu has graduated from MITS, Gwalior and pursued Masters in Urban and Development Planning (MUDP) from MANIT, Bhopal. Her core expertise reflects in urban planning projects and in teaching as a faculty. Ar. Anubhav Aggarwal, Architect, Arkiplan International Pvt, Ltd. New Delhi Anubhav has completed his B.Arch. degree from Vaastu Kala Academy, New Delhi. He is currently working as an architect in Arkiplan International Pvt, Ltd, a Dubai-based architectural firm in New Delhi. His expertise evolves from architectural projects and independent project-handling. Indian Architect & Builder - Aug 2012

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Nikhil Patel tries to understand signs of lost things in this issue of Space Frames curated by Dr. Deepak J. Mathew to re-interpret the traces we leave as we interact with our surroundings to create architecture. Text & Images: Nikhil Patel Curated by: Dr. Deepak J. Mathew

pace is the boundless, three-dimensional extent in which objects and events occur and have relative position and direction. An architectural space is defined by walls, floors and ceilings and in the larger context, by different surfaces. The different combinations and variations of these elements create open, semi-open and closed spaces. In accordance with architecture, the things that add value to a space are colour, material, texture and pattern. These spaces have a function which generates activities and interactions between people-people, people-things and things-things. As the human body moves, sees, smells, touches, hears and even tastes within a space, the architecture comes to life, and the fourth dimension of time is added to it, wherein these interactions of people and things in time generate memories. When a building is demolished different spaces made by walls, floor and ceiling mutually become one. But the remnants of the space still persist there in form of debris and as traces of walls and floor on its neighbouring house. We still see different coloured walls defined by broken walls and floor, tiled walls, a niche and sometimes even a tap. The debris of a building does not give an idea of an existence of the space in its definite sense, while the remains on a wall are a clear remembrance of the space which is undefined now. These traces remind us of existence of space along with the events. Events and spaces are inseparable, as an event is always in association with the space in which it has happened. The idea is to generate a new perception in the viewerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mind about how memories and space can be conceived in an abstract reminiscence, with an image of absence of space having traces. Indian Architect & Builder - Aug 2012

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These spaces have a function which generates activities and interactions between people-people, people-things and things-things.

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Events and spaces are inseparable, as an event is always in association with the space in which it has happened.

Nikhil Patel Nikhil Patel, born in 1986 and brought up in the old part of the city of Surat, did his graduation in Architecture from Sarvajanik College of Engineering and Technology, Surat. His interest in photography during his undergraduate days led him to pursue his Masterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Degree in Photography at the National Institute of Design. His area of interest in photography is inclined more towards understanding and providing new perspectives towards architecture and urban spaces. Indian Architect & Builder - Aug 2012

Space Frames, curated by Dr. Deepak J Mathew <dr.djmathew@gmail.com> investigates issues of architecture and urbanism through the medium of photography. Nikhil Patel: nikhil.p@nid.edu

Space Frames August 2012: Surfaces with Memories by Nikhil Patel Indian Architect & Builder Magazine

Space Frames, curated by Dr. Deepak J Mathew <dr.djmathew@gmail.com> investigates issues of architecture and urbanism through the medium of photography. Nikhil Patel: nikhil.p@nid.edu Nikhil Patel Nikhil Patel, born in 1986 and brought up in the old part of the city of Surat, did his graduation in Architecture from Sarvajanik College of Engineering and Technology, Surat. His interest in photography during his undergraduate days led him to pursue his Masterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Degree in Photography at the National Institute of Design. His area of interest in photography is inclined more towards understanding and providing new perspectives towards architecture and urban spaces.

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