Guest Column
The design of a vertical mixed-use development spaces while isolating individual services, says architect Reza Kabul F
or centuries human settlements have developed in mixed-use patterns, that blend in a combination of residential, commercial, cultural, institutional and industrial zones. Knight Frank, one of the world’s largest global property consultancies, affirms that given the lack of housing supply and land constraints, mixed-use development is an important and necessary part of the urban renewal and regeneration process. The term ‘mixed-use’, though straightforward, varies in definition from different zones, cities and countries. However, key elements define the present mixed-use approach as a space that amasses different users, designed with a revenue generating approach, with a significant functional and physical integration of spaces and services. While developing mixed-use zones in entirety is often unfeasible, either by a single developer or without municipal support, vertical single unit mixed-use developments have been in play for a while. Early examples of these vertical mixed-use developments are apartment buildings with ground level retail spaces. Recently, major vertical mixed-use developments have presented themselves as a phenomenon, with the real estate industry investing in opportunities to create vibrant, sustainable and revenue generating spaces. Vertical mixed-use developments hold more potential and have an advantage over the typical single-use structures, thereby making them the next step for sprawling cities. The design of a vertical mixed-use development must achieve an efficient solution to integrating the spaces while isolating the individual services. They are also required to manage the sensitive spaces such as commercial offices and residences, with regard to potentially disturbing aspects of public spaces such as hospitality and retail outlets. 96 Iconic Tower (Colombo, Sri Lanka), designed as a ball balanced between four bats to commemorate the achievements of the winners of the 1996 Cricket World Cup, is an amalgamation of retail, commercial, residential, institutional, hospitality and public spaces. Mumbai-based architect Reza Kabul setup his own firm M/s Architect Reza Kabul in 1988. Kabul’s vision has lead to successful and path-breaking projects like Radisson Hotel (Mauritius), Arista (Mumbai), Earth Infra (Gurgaon), etc that are centred on his design philosophy of ‘liberating spaces.’ Some of his well-known clients are Le Meridien, ITC, Ramada and Ajmera Realty.
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The challenge while designing this mixed-use tower was to integrate five different users stacked on top of each other, while providing them individual and independent functioning. The commercial spaces, such as the multi-screen cinema on level four, offices on level five, and the panoramic restaurant on level 94 and 95 have the lift lobby located on the basement level. The public spaces, a 360° observatory on level
Home & Design Trends Vol 3 No 2 2015
92 and the Sri Lankan Cricket Legends Museum on level 93, have ticket counters and lift lobbies located on the south side of the ground level. The retail spaces, spread across the ground level to level three, are interconnected with a series of 18 escalators and six elevators. The north side of the ground level acts as a separate entry for the residential spaces, with six elevators taking them to the residential lobby situated on level six, which houses nine elevators for residents and their guests, and three service elevators, leading to the residential apartments across level 15 to level 90, punctuated by service floors and entertainment decks. Form and function, the most hackneyed words in architecture, have been major influencers of design the world over. Commercial structures, however, demand the additional integration of performance and management, which helps maintain the revenue generating component. Mixed-use projects offer developers the opportunity to spread risks while generating higher yields. At the same time, complementary tenants attract prospective consumers from a variety of sectors. Raghuleela Mall (Navi Mumbai, India) is a classic example, where the mall is constructed on an IT Park plot, giving the retail sector its prospective consumer. While the 60% of the plot consists of the IT Park, zoning dictated that 40% be used for commercial purposes, and we incorporated a mall, a multi-screen cinema, banquet facilities and swimming pool equipped gymnasium. The location, next to the local railway station, attracts an even larger number of daily commuters passing by. The commercial spaces have been designed to be open and permeable to encourage people to walk through the site, while the central atrium of the mall encloses a public piazza which establishes the social focus. The solution to smooth functioning of the mixeduse development is using the same space in different moods and different attires with different users, and separating the main areas from the service areas. Mixed-use developments, whether horizontal or vertical, promote smart growth. While creating new urban strategies and synergies in an existing city is challenging, it does lead to efficient land use. Integrating different zones makes them readily accessible in one location, while reducing the dependency on public and transport facilities. We stand at the beginning of a revolutionary era, where the mixed-use developments are substituting the high-street concepts of the mid 20th century.
Home & Design Trends Vol 3 No 2 2015
96 Iconic Tower
Raghuleela Mall - Central Atrium
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