Wine making has invariably been a fascinating process. India lacks the culture of wine drinking - the reason why the country has a minimal presence of vineyards in the country - restricted to a mere 6-7 in numbers. When the reputed winemaking Italian Company Fratelli Wines Pvt Ltd approached Architect Sunil Patil to design their winery unit in Solapur, the uniqueness in the assignment was what appealed to Mr Patil to explore the process of wine making thoroughly. Architect Sunil Patil heads his seventeen years old award winning firm Sunil Patil & Associates in Kolhapur and is known for his patented ‘Tropical Contemporary Vernacular Architecture'. Believing in an architecture that is built in harmony with nature, Architect Patil likes to create spaces which require minimum intervention with nature.



Abstaining from the study of any sample case studies that could have influenced his design, the designer took the wine park near the Sanghli District (promoted by the Maharashtra Government) as a case study to understand the process of wine making that involves five basic steps - harvesting, crushing, fermentation, clarification, and aging and bottling.

The huge existing 40 acres of vineyard in the provided site took care of the first step - the harvesting while the brief for the remaining steps included a winery plant with processing units, bottling plant and a tank hall which would be required to give a huge output of 9 lakhs litres of wine annually, probably one of the biggest winery plants in the country as Mr Patil adds. Besides, a cellar and an administration block (with wine testing lab) completed the brief. The entire design was conceived as two surface blocks (segregated through landscaping) serving as the admin and processing unit while a cellar was conceived in the basement. With a built up area of 2500sqm on a plot area of 11,501 sqm, the project got completed in Dec 2009.

The main gate throws open the views of the admin block sitting on a huge mount scape in surrounding lush landscaping behind which lies the processing plant. The G+1 admin block has wine tasting and accounts department (on the ground level) and a wine tasting lounge (projecting out in the vineyard) and guestrooms (for the company executives) on the first floor. The lounge offers vantage views of the vineyard on one side and the wine making process on the other side. The guest rooms in varying coloured themes of red, yellow and blue bear expansive views of the lawns through full length glasses and are complemented by old styled furniture which are inspired from the process of making wine which is again age old.

The spiral staircase going to the first floor in this block provides a certain break to the rigid geometry besides the mound which are the only two features punctuating the calm. Another staircase leading down to the cellar (designed parallel to the processing plant unit) is deftly camouflaged by an interesting surface door. The site undulations led to the soil being removed to create the cellar which has been used for the mount scape. The cellar used for storing the finished wines into different vessels (to made ready for bottling or further ageing) required no direct sunlight and hence a brief of no windows. However, Mr Patil's yearning of windows led him to implement his experience of orienting the glass façade of the processing plant to the north where the sun would never enter directly. Mr Patil informs that the executives were keen on following the European concept where a drum of wine is handed to the winery when a child is born which is eventually handed back to the child by the winery when he/she gets married. This gave birth to the huge 241sqm cellar.


Avoiding any complex structural materials, the processing unit made in steel portals with aluminum frames takes care of all the intermediate steps involved in making wines and has units for crushing, fermentation and filtration. The process of wine making needs a minimum temperature and hence the north glazing was made the lone recipient of the sun's rays while all the other sides were blocked from sunlight.

Architect Patil who believes in environment-friendly sustainable architecture, made use of the same stipulated mud for the mount scape that was extracted to make the cellar. By this he could evade the cost and the time that would have been required in the disposing of the mud. Its innovative implementation here bestows a more vernacular look to the project where the built space seems to be borne out of the mound.


The 23m of linear space in the processing unit has been supported by small and straight steel trusses made by I sections. A very delicate design has been conceived where the same section becomes the wall and the ceiling (roof of the structure). The PEB's for the same were manufactured in Delhi and conferred a very neat and clean appearance from inside, found rarely in such industrial projects.


Simple materials have been used - Kota Stone, Ceramic Tiles, exposed Trimix Concrete for the flooring of the Admin Block, Bottling unit and plant room respectively. The exterior façade is finished in restrained amounts of glass and concrete.


The architect has successfully confronted the challenges of a regimented budget, the newness of this kind of a project, the intricate planning of areas like the tank hall and the location of the site in a remote area of Maharashtra where transportation posed to be a challenge. The simplicity of the project lends a certain sense of unexpected calm through the site. Practically accepting nature as his guide, Ar Patil has added his own vernacular touch to this modest design.

Marina Bay Sands is a 929,000 square meter (10 million square-feet), high-density and mixed-use integrated resort complex that brings together a 2,560-room hotel, a 120,000 square meter (1,292,000 square feet) convention centre, a shopping mall, an Art & Science museum, two Sands Theatres, six restaurants, and a casino. Located in Marina South, a peninsula of land reclaimed from the sea in the late 1970s across the bay from Singapore's central Business District. Conceived as not just a mere building project, but as a city microcosm rooted in Singapore's culture, climate and contemporary life, the $5 billion project anchors Singapore's waterfront, creating a gateway to Singapore and providing a dynamic setting for vibrant public life.

To design this project, Safdie Architects was approached by Las Vegas Sands Corporation to come up with a design to help it win the bid to build the city's first integrated resort. According to Ar. Moshe Safdie, the lead designer and head of Safdie Architects, "Our challenge was to create a vital public place at the district-urban scale, in other words, to address the issue of mega-scale and invent an urban landscape that would work at the human scale. A major factor in the project selection for the competition was the design of the resort and the developer's capability. Moreover, there were very explicit terms on what the resort had to have, including a promenade, view corridors, and transportation connections. We had this shopping list of objectives, but I knew that beyond that, they were looking for an architecture that was so strong and memorable that it would represent Singapore, as the case with Sydney Opera House, everybody says Australia when they see it."

Safdie designed an urban structure that weaves together the components of a complex program into a dynamic urban crossroads and public meeting place. Inspired by great ancient cities that were ordered around a vital public thoroughfare, Marina Bay Sands is organized around two principal axes that traverse the district and give it a sense of orientation placing emphasis on the pedestrian street as the focus of civic life. This new urban place integrates the waterfront promenade, a 74,000 square meter (800,000 square-feet) multi-level retail arcade, and the iconic Museum of ArtScience on the promontory. Located along the network of public paths are also two theaters with a combined 4,000 seats, a casino, a 9,000 square meters (96,000 square-feet) convention and exhibition center, and a hydraulically adjustable public event piazza of 5,000 square meters (54,000 square feet). Combining indoor and outdoor spaces and providing a platform for a wide array of activities, this vibrant, 21st-century cardo maximus, or grand arcade, also connects to the subway and other transportation.

Conceptually, the project has three towers where its each tower is composed of two slabs of east and west-facing rooms. The double-loaded towers spread at the base forming a giant atrium at the lower levels and converge as they rise. The tower slabs also give further character to the massing and relate to the site context: the glazed west side faces the city centre while the east side is planted with lush bougainvilleas facing the botanical gardens and ocean beyond. In plan, as the parcel varies in width, the cross section is decreased from one tower to the next. The tree void spaces are connected by one continuous and conditioned glazed atrium, filling the space between the towers with restaurants, retail spaces and a public thoroughfare. Each tower slab form is also twisted slightly in relation to its pair, creating a dance-like relationship between the two parts and accentuating the slenderness of the buildings, resulting in the appearance of six towers, rather than three.

Architect has given great emphasis on designing a solution for façade as the largest amount of heat gain occurs on the west façade. According to him, it was of paramount importance that an innovative solution be developed to maintain energy efficiency without limiting the view from the hotel rooms to Singapore's downtown.

The design solution proposed and implemented was a custom double-glazed unitized curtain wall. The energy efficient double-glazed units rest in a frame suspended from the edge of the slab. Perpendicular to the façade, glass fins were installed to provide shading. The outer skin follows the natural curved shape of the building, and the use of reflective glass creates a taught mirrored façade. One of the keys to achieving this aesthetic was a minimal spandrel panel at the floor slabs with a continuous double-glazed unit spanning the full 3 meters.

The east façade handles heat gain differently, utilizing deep planted terraces which follow the sloping radial geometry of the building's profile. The planters help to create microclimate cooling and the deep overhangs of the balconies naturally shade the hotel rooms from direct sun.

A series of layered gardens provide ample green space throughout Marina Bay Sands, extending the tropical garden landscape from Marina City Park towards the Bayfront. The landscape network reinforces urban connections with the resort's surroundings and every level of the district has green space that is accessible to the public. Generous pedestrian streets open to tropical plantings and water views. Half of the roofs of the hotel, convention center, shopping mall, and casino complex are planted with trees and gardens.

Hotel Towers and SkyPark at Marina Bay Sands, Singapore. Designed by Moshe Safdie. Photo by Tim Hursley.	View of hotel and SkyPark from Roof of the Convention Center at Marina Bay Sands, Singapore. Designed by Moshe Safdie. Photo by Tim Hursley

In collaboration with Aedas, Ar Safdie created the hotel as three 55-storey towers instead of just one, so as to open up views between the city's downtown and its harbour. The towers anchor the district and are connected at the top by the 1 hectares (2.5acre) SkyPark. An engineering marvel 200 meters (656 feet) above the sea, the SkyPark spans from tower to tower and cantilevers 65 meters (213 feet) beyond. It accommodates a public observatory, gardens, a 151 meter-long (495 feet-long) swimming pool, restaurants, and jogging paths and offers sweeping panoramic views, a formidable resource in a dense city like Singapore.

Shielded from the winds and lavishly planted with hundreds of trees, the SkyPark celebrates the notion of the Garden City that has been the underpinning of Singapore's urban design strategy.

While the highrise hotel towers and SkyPark made MBS an iconic architecture, Mr Safdie also humanised and made legible, such a mega-scale project. It is an important principle in his design philosophy. It was not a project requirement, but he decided to set the highrise buildings back and away from the waterfront. He drew inspiration from ancient Roman cities that were ordered around a vital public thoroughfare — the cardo maximus and decumanus. The MBS is organized around such major urban spines, the centre of public, civic, cultural and commercial activities.

The resort's retail arcade, the ArtScience Museum, the waterfront promenade, theatres, a casino, convention and exhibition centre, are all integrated into this new urban place. "I felt the best scheme would be for all these low-rise programmes to be near the water, and the highrise would be pushed far back to the other side," says Mr Safdie. "It makes it a much more humane place, not having the shadows of towers above you."

These design approaches have helped to make the MBS a popular destination in the city since it officially opened in early 2011. Not only tourists come, but also Singaporeans, notes Mr Safdie. While many regard this project as designing another integrated resort like those in Las Vegas and Macau, Mr Safdie begs to differ. With its variety of uses, including shopping, he sees the MBS as an urban centre for Singaporeans as much as it is for tourists. "Integrated resorts have been in towns with not much going there. In Las Vegas, everybody is a tourist, same in Macau, but that's not true in Singapore," he says. "With Marina Bay Sands, I wanted to create a mixing bowl between Singapore and the world, a place that Singaporeans and tourists alike would enjoy and be inspired by. It appears that the design has succeeded in achieving this objective."

"We are now basking in something that is very rare: an architectural success story that is also a commercial success story," adds Mr Safdie. "It doesn't come together very often."

Moshe Safdie selected five international artists to create eight monumental public art installations for Marina Bay Sands (James Carpenter, Antony Gormley, Ned Kahn, Sol LeWitt, and Chongbin Zheng). The artists worked closely with Safdie to ensure that the site-specific commissions complement the architecture and energize the public spaces.


"Singapore's public art incentive program offers an extraordinary opportunity for commissioned works in which art and architecture are complementary and seamlessly integrated," said Mr. Safdie. "It has been a privilege to collaborate with the artists to achieve installations which enrich the environment and inspire the public. Each of the works resonates in a particular way with the architecture while presenting the artists with an extraordinary palette of their creations."

Marina Bay Sands has been given the honor of 'Design of the year' at this year's President Design Award in Singapore. The President's Design Award is Singapore's most prestigious design accolade. It recognizes excellence across all design disciplines including advertising design and visual communication, architecture and urban design, fashion design, furniture, interior, and so on.

Requirements of modernization: low air-conditioning costs, glare-free view to the outside, and always the optimal lighting conditions.

The "House of Architects" in Stuttgart is a forum for building culture and the headquarters of the Chamber of Architects of Baden-Württemberg. The glazed foyer has just been completely modernized. Some pane edges had become leaky and the glass had become fogged by condensation between the panes. The glazing was also far below current energetic standards. The sun blinds, which were on the inside, required constant maintenance and blocked the view. The complex requirements for the modernization were to lower the heating and cooling costs, improve the lighting, and provide a clear, glare-free view, unobstructed by shading. The owners opted for electrochromic triple-pane solar control glass from EControl in Plauen, Germany. It is dimmable, thus allowing the solar factor and transparency to be modified according to the level of solar irradiation. This makes both exterior shading and interior blinds redundant.

The House of Architects in Stuttgart is situated in an exposed, elevated location and offers exceptional views of Stuttgart. More than two decades ago the owner, the architects' pension fund, bought a plot neighbouring their existing premises and held a competition for the new building. Architect Michael Weindel (Waldbronn) designed and built the ensemble of three structures: living quarters, event hall and administration building. The round event hall stands as a special construction in the middle and is attached to the administration building by a transparent and filigree glazed foyer, thus preserving the grandiose view of the Stuttgart skyline from Danneckerstraße.

The House of Architects, Stuttgart: Transparent centre for the Chamber of Architects, people from the construction industry and members of the public with an interest in architecture. Photo: Dipl.-Ing. (FH) Thomas Treitz, Stuttgart

For some time, the edges of some glass units had become leaky and the glass panes had become fogged. Every now and then, water would also leak from the glass ceiling. The double pane solar control glazing was not up to current standards for the heating and air conditioning of the foyer: in winter the building was too cold, in summer it overheated. The interior blinds required constant maintenance and blocked the view.

The architects' office Pauls (Stuttgart) won the contract to modernize the glazed foyer. The aims: maintain the architecture, increase the comfort and reduce the energy costs to a moderate level. Exterior shading and interior blinds were both rejected in favour of maintaining an unhindered view to the outside. Traditional solar control glass, with a low but constant solar factor, was not considered because it lets in too little light on cloudy days.

After weighing up the parameters, the architect suggested electrochromic solar control glass (EControl). Dimmable panes allow the solar factor and the transparency to be adapted to the actual light intensity. "If there is no sun, the glass stays fully clear and transparent. The stronger the sun shines, the darker the glass becomes, all the way to a deep blue – like photochromic ski goggles," explains Dipl.-Ing. Michael Pauls, architect and owner of the architects' office. Photochromic sunglasses make additional eye protection unnecessary and don't tire the eyes; they adapt to the light intensity. The dimmable solar control glass EControl carries this principle over to modern architecture with its electrochromic technology. A modern triple-pane insulation glass, EControl insulates extremely well against heat loss with a Ug value of 0.7 W/(m2K).

The centre of the building hosts the event rooms and is surrounded by the glass foyer: openness as part of the philosophical concept is reflected in the architecture.Photo: Dipl.-Ing. Michael Pauls, Stuttgart

The complete renovation was carried out in only twelve weeks in the summer of 2011 by the façade construction company Guttendörfer (Ansbach) – whilst limited operations at the House of Architects forum continued – and was completed in the autumn.

Catering to the trend of hi-end living and the demand for second homes, Architectural and interior design consultancy firm Della Tecnica, has ventured into constructing luxurious villas for those who values spending time in the lap of serenity, peace and environmental beauty.


Nestled amidst the lush green mountains of Lonavala, Della Enclave is a destination that redefines luxury. Consisting of 46 beautiful Mediterranean and Contemporary style villas (Phase I & Phase II) spread over 24 acres of the breathtaking landscape, the project gives a global living experience, where modern luxuries and amenities are in perfect synergy with untouched natural serenity. Only 3.2 Kms from the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, these villas are ideally located to insulate one from the bustle of city life, while maintaining easy connectivity at the same time. It is a perfect getaway for those who are looking for quiet times in the lap of natural surroundings. The unique benefit that owners of villas at Della Enclave can avail is the availability of developed infrastructure.


The complex boasts amenities like a modern and fully equipped gymnasium, spa, salon, swimming pool, beautiful landscaped lawn, to name a few. The villas and complex are both built according to the instructions of Vaastu Shastra, infusing positive energy in ones homes and lives.

The project boasts of facilities like broadband, Wi-Fi Internet, House-keeping, visitors car parking, 24/7 security with CCTV, 24/7 Hydro Pneumatic water supply and uninterrupted electricity with DG Backup are provided in addition to all other facilities as that of a 5 Star resort. Besides, business centre and lounge, ambulance at site and doctor on call is also available. The complex also comprises banquets, golf range, 4 restaurants and bars. The project is an eco-friendly and supports rainwater harvesting, Installation of STP, low voltage cabling, saves electricity and ecological paints and materials and ample landscaping.


So let Della Enclave enchant one with its charming architecture, world class services and amenities, and breathtaking surroundings; an oasis of luxury and scenic beauty. The Della Enclave complex also consists of Della Adventure – Asia’s largest Adventure Park and Resort.

After successful completion of first phase consisting of 24 villas, Della Tecnica has launched second phase of Della Enclave, Signature Villas which will consist of 22 villas develop on 5000 sqft of plot with 3500 sqft carpet area. The concept of second homes is now more than just affordable houses in the outskirts of the city. Second homes are now a reason to relax, and spend time with family.

Announcing the second phase of Della Enclave Mr. Jimmy Mistry, Chairman and Managing Director of Della Tecnica, said, "We are glad to note that today’s Indian customer have a developed taste for fine living and are looking for out of the world concepts in architecture and designing. They are increasingly asking for stylish holiday homes to own, which is definitely encouraging. Della Enclave villas within the project area boasts of India’s largest adventure park, a 5 star-resort with swimming pool and spa facility and a banquet hall. The concept has been developed after a good deal of research and insight into the emerging demands of Indian home buyers."


After investing Rs.250 crore in the Lonavala project, the company also plans to set up villa projects in five cities in next three years with an investment of around Rs.1,500 crore. "After receiving an encouraging response to our villa project in Lonavala in Pune, we are now planning to set up five more in major cities like Bangalore, National Capital Region (NCR), Kolkata, Indore and Ahmedabad in next three years," said Mr. Mistry.

The Mumbai-headquartered firm, which has launched a villa project along with an adventure park and resort in Lonavala, will fund these projects with a mix of debt and equity. "While 30% of the fund will be through equity, rest 70% will be raised through debt," he said.

Referring to listing plans, he said the company is not in a hurry to list as it will wait till a certain scale is attained in the revenue front in the near future.

Chicago's Aqua tower with its rippling facade and vast green roof is the tallest building in the world to be designed by a woman. Ar Jeanne Gang, a forty-eight-year-old Chicagoan, had figured out a way to make a silky line with a fairly conventional rectangular glass slab, and then transformed it by wrapping it on all four sides with wafer-thin, curving concrete balconies, describing a different shape on each floor. More than having a pretty face, special emphasis has been given on innovative green design and energy-efficient features in the structure such as heat-resistant and fritted glass, rainwater collection systems, and energy-saving lighting systems which address environmental concerns on a large scale.

The 86-storey mixed-use Aqua tower includes a hotel, apartments, condominiums, parking and offices. Unlike a tower in an open field, new towers in urban environments must negotiate small view corridors between existing buildings. In response to this, the Aqua Tower is designed to capture particular views that would otherwise be unattainable. A series of contours defined by outdoor terraces extends away from the face of the tower structure to provide views between neighboring buildings. These outdoor terraces, cantilevered up to twelve feet, differ in shape from floor to floor. The terraces inflect based on criteria such as the view, solar shading and size and type of dwelling. When viewed together, these unique terraces make the building appear to undulate, presenting a highly sculptural appearance that is rooted in function. Aqua creates a strong identity through its architecture and has become a landmark addition to the Chicago skyline.

The name ‘Aqua' was assigned to the building by the developer Magellan Development Group LLC. It fits the nautical theme of the other buildings in the Lakeshore East development, and is derived from the wave-like forms of the balconies; the tower's proximity to nearby Lake Michigan also influenced the name.

Located on the 200 block of North Columbus Drive, and surrounded by highrises, Aqua rises from a podium on the 179,946 square feet site near Millennium Park. The architect Jeanne Gang has given swirling architectonic form to this 1.9 million square feet structures' envelop while working with the building's rectangular footprint. As a mixed-use structure that contains 55,000 square feet (5,100 square meters) of retail and office space, in addition to 215 hotel rooms (floors 1-18), 476 rental residential units (floors 19-52), and 263 condominium units & Penthouses (floors 53-81), Aqua's entrances serve a variety of users and residents. Canopied walkways lead visitors to the building's main entrance while two grand public stairs bring pedestrians from Upper Columbus Drive down to a park at grade level, providing access to Chicago's downtown area and lakefront. The tower also connects to Chicago's extensive underground pedway system, linking users and residents to restaurants, retail, cultural activities and jobs in the Loop and on the Magnificent Mile. Additional consideration was made when designing the tower's garage exits below grade to minimize congestion at pedestrian levels. To further reduce traffic and confusion, the garage's three levels have different access points that correlate to the tower's specific uses and users.



The outdoor terraces which are cantilevered up to 4m (12ft) and have a depth of 23cm (9in), thins out towards the edge of the cantilever to assist with water drainage. The challenge of constructing unique floor plates was solved by implementing a computerized civil engineering and surveying software program and digital CAD files for inputting the coordinates of each unique slab to a robotic station used onsite. This system was used to set in place light-gauge steel plate edge-forms according to the contours. After the concrete had set, these steel forms were removed and easily reshaped according to the contours of the next level. The result is a highrise tower particular to its site that allows residents to inhabit the facade of the building and the city at the same time. Early and close collaboration between architect and builder, as well as the use of contemporary digital tools, allowed the variation in the shape of the floor slabs to be achieved without increasing the building's construction timetable.

Aqua Tower was recognized as a finalist in the 2010 CTBUH Awards Program. According to Mun Summ Wong, CTBUH 2010 Awards Juror, and WOHA Architects “The differential cantilevering balconies on Aqua transform a standardized glass box into a sublime amorphous form.”

Sustainability was an important factor that was considered in Aqua's design. Among building's notable features is the green roof terrace atop its plinth-which at 80,000 sf is one of Chicago's largest-that contains an outdoor pool, running track, gardens, fire pits and yoga terrace. From below, Aqua's plinth navigates the site's complexity by spanning over pre-existing elements, such as an electrical substation, and by aligning with existing infrastructure, including an adjacent three-level roadway. The plinth physically connects pedestrian areas with stairs and elevators linking street level to park level and the lakefront.


The tower's east–west orientation maximizes its winter solar performance. Its balconies extend further on the southern façade to provide shading, reducing solar exposure in summer and allowing passive warming in winter.

In addition to low-E coatings on all glass, the design team modeled seasonal sun patterns to identify remaining areas of glass that needed higher performing glazing to increase energy efficiency throughout the tower. Glass on the east and south façades are reflective in areas without a protective balcony, while glass facing west has a tinted coating that improves its shading coefficient. In total, Aqua employs six different types of glass: clear, tinted, reflective, spandrel, fritted and translucent, the placement of which is determined by the orientation and function of interior space. Fritted glass is used and combined with handrail design to minimize bird strikes.


“Aqua Tower was shaped by an organic, site-specific design process. Rather than starting out with the goal of creating an icon, we let the climate and views shape the building, weaving it into its surroundings and treating the building and its environment as interconnected not separate. Even though it may appear to be formally expressive, it is equal parts data and imagination” –– Jeanne Gang, Design Principal Architect.

In addition, detailed wind tunnel studies were also done to confirm the performance of the structure under high winds. Initially, it was thought that a supplemental tuned mass damping system may be required to appropriately manage the effects of the wind on occupant comfort. However, during the testing, it was discovered that the undulating slab edges disrupted or "confused" the flow of wind around the tower, effectively reducing the wind demands, and this, combined with the effectiveness of the structural design, eliminated the need for a supplemental damping system.

Inside the dwelling units, the architects selected materials and equipment with sustainable features such as renewable and recyclable bamboo for the floors, plumbing fixtures including toilets, faucets, and showerheads that cut down on water use, plus Energy Star-rated appliances.

Renowned maverick architect Jimmy Mistry has proved that it is not necessary to take a degree from an elite design school to set new benchmarks in design but it is experience that is more important and also the biggest strength to grow. A mechanical engineer by qualification he shakes the roots of conventional architectural wisdom and carves a niche for himself. His passion for work extends beyond the ordinary, which can be seen in his all projects.

He started his career by doing contracting jobs and executing projects, then worked with the Italian design firm for three years as an importer. That was the turning point of his life which gave him abundance of experience and real understanding of building materials, executions, design and layout. After getting sufficient expertise, he decided to enter into the field of interior design by doing turnkey projects and then finally into the space of architecture.


Today, Jimmy Mistry is at the helm of Della Tecnica a trailblazing organization with a diverse presence in architecture & master planning, interior design consultancy, turnkey interior fit out, modular furniture, development, adventure, resorts and banquets. Started this architectural practice in 1996 with a handful of people and few lakh rupees, the firm today has a turnover of over Rs.100 crore and over 2500 professionals network across five offices in India and serves clients as trusted advisors, combining localized expertise with global perspective. The firm gets tremendous success which is beyond its anticipation.

Till date, he has transformed several ET 100 corporate cultures into dynamic environments and crafted many value propositions into experiences from major master planning and mass housing projects to large scale architectural projects from shopping malls to TV studios to high profile residences and hospitality design.

Despite his already notable accomplishments, he is driven to constantly reinvent himself and his work. His gift is to turn the object of his commission instantly into a place of charm and pleasure. Operating at an award winning level for over a decade, the firm design philosophy is simple and prior to executing the projects, it focuses on every minute details from building solutions to the choice of colours, even lighting material is determined by the nature of the buildings. The team undertakes extensive research about the project and its users before accepting an assignment and believes that the projects on which it work, should be a landmark.

Citing on his firm Ar. Jimmy Mistry said, "at Della Tecnica, we possess a vibrant vision, a zest for innovation and a commitment to sustainability. Designing with a passion, purpose, sensitivity and humility, we strive to create unique, inspirational, and path breaking structures and landmarks that stand the test of time. Our design solutions result from a collaborative process that encourages our multidisciplinary teams to create successful buildings that are visually appealing, comfortable, flexible, secure and efficient - all in a conscious attempt to initialize a silent conversation with every spectator, and at the same time bringing out a balance in form and function."

Expatiating on the same he added "without the slightest compromise on our fundamental principles, we design for our most discerning clients and developers, and try to create value-add for the end-users, keeping in mind that our spaces should enhance and uplift the lives and lifestyle of the society, and for as many people as possible. With a futuristic vision of adding global design to the cityscape through our concept-based democratic designs, we aim to deliver them across the country with a consistent high standard service; validated by our conscience on the ecological and environmental implications. A lot of repeat business reflects the trust and value our clients place in our experienced team.


The firm has received numerous accolades and honours for its extraordinary and exceptional quality work that includes Young Design Practice award 2001 by Indian Institute of Interior Designers; 6th Annual VM&RD Merit 2009 in Retail Design for Bajaj Probiking in Transportation Category; Kingfisher Airport Lounge for Bar & Restaurant Design; Young Achiever Award, 2004 by the Indo-American Society; Best Commercial Urban Architecture Design Excellence, 2009 from Construction Source India; Outstanding Performance in Infrastructure Development, 2010 in the Territory of Daman & Diu etc.

A detailed interview with Mr. Ar jimmy Mistry will give insight about Della Tecnica, its design philosophy, sustainability issues etc. Excerpts.

Visionary architect and MacArthur Fellow Jeanne Gang, is the founder and principal of Studio Gang Architects, a Chicago-based architecture and design firm whose projects confront pressing contemporary issues. Born in 1964 in Illinois, Gang earned a Bachelor of Science in Architecture from the University of Illinois in 1986 and a Master of Architecture with Distinction from Harvard University in 1993. In 1989, she was an International Rotary Fellow, and she studied at the ETH Swiss Federal University of Technical Studies in Zurich, Switzerland. Prior to founding her own firm, she worked with OMA/Rem Koolhaas in Rotterdam.

"I like to work on different types of projects and don't want to be pigeonholed" –– Ar Jeanne Gang

The Brick Weave House sits on the footprint of a century-old stable on an eclectic block of Chicago's West Town neighborhood. Removing the original front walls and roof created a garden through subtraction, one which is surrounded by a porous, one-wythe-thick brick screen that both reveals and encloses the private courtyard and house beyond.


Variation in ceiling heights and floor levels weaves together the two-storey garden at the front of the house with the single-storey volume at the back through a cascading section. The screen animates the garden and interior with dappled sunlight, establishing a visual connection to and from the street. Rectangular voids in the screen throw hexagonal patterns of light inside. At night, the pattern reverses, and the screen becomes a lantern.

Gang decided to set up her own firm in 1997 when she was in her early 30s. The studio's first project was of putting a roof over the 1,100-seat bowl-shaped theatre of Rock Valley College in Rockford, Illinois. Inspired by nature and her knowledge of engineering, she came up with a six-piece steel roof that opens, in 40-ft triangular sections, like a giant flower in fine weather. Gang's studio works on a principle of following points including creative fusion of nature, found materials, inventive engineering, structural economy, environmental awareness and last but not the least the style.

Gang seeks to answer the questions that lie locally (site, culture, people) and resound globally (density, climate, sustainability) through her architecture. Her designs are rooted in both architectural form and idea-driven content to make a compelling whole, and she often reaches at design solutions through investigations and collaborations across disciplines. She believes in doing different types of works as she once said "I like to do different types of work and don't want to be pigeonholed."

The daughter of a Belvidere, Ill., engineer, Gang, spent her childhood touring bridges and roads springing up across America. She wanted to be an engineer before she decided on architecture. This may have inspired her habit of coaxing lyricism out of rigor in many of her designs. She is genius in dreaming up environmentally minded solutions and is of the opinion that "What we're really good at is looking at the big picture of a problem and not just thinking of it as a building."

Driven by curiosity, intelligence, and radical creativity, Gang has produced some of today's most innovative and award-winning architecture. The transformative potential of her work is exemplified by her projects such as the Aqua Tower, Northerly Island framework plan, Nature Boardwalk at Lincoln Park Zoo, Columbia College Chicago's Media Production Center, and SOS Children's Villages Lavezzorio Community Center. She has also done number of exciting projects in India that includes Tellapur 02, Hyderabad, Juhu Beach House, Mumbai etc.

The Hyderabad Tellapur O2 project transforms the traditional Indian courtyard house into a new porous building type that serves a much larger-scale (1.3 million sf) development, taking advantage of the technique of self-shading demonstrated by Indian haveli to produce comfortable and engaging outdoor spaces. The 25-storey residential cube is eroded with a system of "cracks" to create cross ventilation for public space and natural ventilation for private apartments. Amenities such as swimming pools, a café, and a club are woven throughout the stepped garden spaces.

Gang has been teach architecture as an adjunct associate professor at the Illinois Institute of Technology since 1998. She was a visiting professor at the Harvard Graduate School of Design in 2004, held the Louis I. Kahn professor chair at the Yale School of Architecture in 2005, and was the Graduate Design Studio Visiting Lecturer at Princeton University in 2007.

Jeanne's works have been honored and exhibited widely, most notably at the International Venice Biennale, MoMA, the National Building Museum, and the Art Institute of Chicago. She has received numerous honors and awards for her works, including John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Fellow 2011, Fellow, American Institute of Architects 2009, Cultural Heroes, Time Out Chicago 2008, Iakov Chernikov Prize Nominee 2008, an Academy Award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, 2006, an Emerging Voices Award, Architecture League of New York, 2006, and so on.

Studio Gang is a rising international practice whose work confronts pressing contemporary issues. Conceived as a collective of architects, designers, and thinkers, the studio acts as a lab for testing ideas on varying scales: from cities to environments to individual buildings' unique material properties.


The Studio has grown to include 37 full-time staff collaborating on national and international projects. With a process that begins with research and exploration, the studio has produced a growing body of work that responds to its specific place and purpose. It creates designs that are effective, sustainable and transformative. Every Studio Gang project acts as an agent of social change and a laboratory for testing ideas to push the boundaries of architecture and design. The company's award-winning work is designed to challenge how people live, work and ultimately, think about their environment.

Studio Gang has received national and international recognition for its innovative and sustainable designs.

These two towers for downtown Vancouver work together and with the fabric of the city to achieve what many highrise projects lack: an active and exciting public space at ground level. Transforming from concave at the base to convex at the top, the towers circumscribe a public plaza that connects pedestrians with the adjacent waterfront park. Their sinuous forms take on the smooth, sculptural appearance of driftwood, an element produced by this region's unique proximity of wooded mountains and sea.


Formed and oriented to maximize light and views for the residential units, the towers are also strategically designed for sustainability. Water, solar, geothermal, and ventilation strategies reduce the buildings' energy footprint, while their green roof gardens reduce the heat island effect and offer residents a pleasant outdoor experience in the heart of the city.

Studio Gang begins every project with a research-based discovery process. This unique method recognizes the direct relationship between deep understanding and creativity. It also fosters clients' active participation in our design process, making choices as the project develops.

The practice is grounded in the belief that this thoughtful and collaborative approach is necessary for all projects, especially those whose impact and complexity is considerable. Rather than waiting until a project's design is developed to conduct in-depth planning research, Studio Gang obtains this critical knowledge early on: at the beginning of a project's concept design phase.

By understanding clients' project goals and strategizing methods to achieve them from the very beginning, the project's budget and timeline are preserved and respected, and a more compelling building design is conceived to serve as the basis from which the final project grows.

Embedded in Studio's way of working is the search to reduce a project's energy and material footprint while simultaneously seeking out the exciting synergies made possible by sustainable design. Everyone at Studio Gang offers deep knowledge of green solutions: all team members aim to become LEED Accredited Professionals within one year of joining the firm, and several of our projects are targeting a LEED Platinum rating.

Safdie Architects announced that it has been selected to design a 10-million-square-feet mixed-use complex for a historically significant site at the confluence of the Yangtze and Jialing rivers, in the inland Chinese city of Chongqing. The project, which is spearheaded by development partners CapitaL and, CapitaMalls Asia, and Singbridge, will feature residential and office space as well as retail and cultural facilities, a service residence, a hotel, restaurants and clubs, a park, gardens, and hubs for land and water transportation, including ferry docking and landscaped boardwalks.



The project is a little resemblance to Safdie's previous Marina Bay Sands project in Singapore and in contrast to Marina s' three glittering pillars, Safdie's latest creation comprises six key columns - two identical towers in the centre and two shorter towers in a semicircular arc on either side.



The design for this gateway site, by international architect Moshe Safdie, is inspired by the image of sailing ships on the river, and is intended to serve as a symbol of both Chongqing's noble past as a trading center and its fast-growing future as one of China's largest and most important modern cities. The outer curving glass facades of the project's six towers, placed in a prow-like arc, will face the water to the north, while decked hanging gardens and a generous public park will link the complex to the city immediately to the south. As a whole, the complex will consist of:

All four residential towers terrace to the south, forming a continuous green façade toward the city. Beneath the park, the project will also feature four levels of shopping gallerias, as well as a conference center, theaters, and other cultural spaces.

The project, which is expected to have a total development cost of about $3.1 billion, will front upon what was once the foremost of Chongqing's traditional city gates, where officials received imperial decrees from the Emperor. As the city's initial dock area on the Yangtze, the location also represents the great tradition of the shipping highway, which has stoked this major inland city's development from its beginning and now drives its contemporary evolution.

The Virasat-e-Khalsa Heritage Centre, a mammoth museum chronicling Sikh history was recently inaugurated in the land of Sikh warriors, Anandpur Sahib by Chief Minister of Punjab in the presence of Boston-based designer of the complex, Moshe Safdie, who is known for creating the famous Holocaust Memorial Museum in Jerusalem.

Khalsa Heritage Centre, Anandpur Sahib, Punjab, India. View of entrance. Courtesy of Ram Rahman.

The classy complex, which is expected to draw international attention, has come up in rugged surroundings but with water bodies of extraordinary beauty, and reflect the surrounding hillocks, lend the complex an astonishing degree of serenity. Sprawl over 65-acre, the complex is deeply rooted in its surrounding landscape and resonating with regional architecture, seemingly rises from nearby sand cliffs. Clad with local sandstone and evoking the fortress cities of Rajasthan, Gwalior and Punjab, the Centre acknowledges the Sikhs' history as celebrated warriors. The upwardly curving roofs of the museum's tower-like galleries are covered in stainless steel, designed in counterpoint to the rich tradition of gold domes that crown sacred Sikh buildings as the Golden Temple in Amritsar. The project is said to be the largest contemporary heritage complex ever conceived in India and provides a delightful audio-visual experience unlike anything one has seen in Indian museums.




The museum campus is composed of two functionally integrated sets of buildings. The western complex, forming a gateway to Anandpur Sahib, houses exhibition galleries; a two-level library centered around a grand reading room overlooks water garden; a facility for storing rare archival materials and a 400-seat auditorium. A 540-foot bridge from the western complex crossed a seven-acre network of reflecting pools, providing access to the eastern complex which houses permanent exhibitions presenting Sikh history, religion, and culture.

Arranged in group of five, the galleries reference the five virtues of Sikh religion. The symbolic themes of earth and sky, mass and lightness and depth and ascension are represented by the museum's sandstone towers and reflective silver roofs and are further echoed inside the museum's galleries.


The delightful experience begins at the Boat-shaped building 'Punj Paani' - the first gallery depicting the past and the present of Punjab, as seen in its villages and towns. The inside walls of the towering boat-shaped building have multiple colourful panels to create a three-dimensional effect, every inch hand-painted to perfection. The building also houses the largest hand-painted mural in the world, which uses a staggering 24,000 metres of fibre optics to illuminate it to depict Diwali.


As one will walk through the ramp encircling 'Punj Paani, he will find that with the help of sound, music and other visual manipulations, the entire cycle of a year is recreated within a span of just eight minutes. The vibrant colors then give way to a subdued, star studded night with a tower of light at the centre, which symbolizes the emergence of 'Ek Onkar', illuminated, pure and eternal. From here begins the journey of the evolution of the Panth with the birth of Guru Nanak Dev. The experience is enriched by the auto-trigger audio guides, available in English, Hindi and Punjabi. 'Auto-trigger' implies that as you walk into any gallery and the audio guide plays content specific to the area. In the 'Five Crescent Building', the tone and tenor of the colors and sound becomes more militant and depict the struggle and sacrifices made by the last five Gurus to establish the Panth.

The 15 galleries which are completed so far out of 25, cover an area of 650,000 square feet. Ten more will be completed subsequently. The second phase of the complex, for which work is still going on, is expected to show the growth of Khalsa over the last 300 years, culminating in the partition of Punjab.

Safdie and his associate architect, Ashok Dhawan of New Delhi, worked closely with the exhibition designer, Amardeep Belh of Design Habit in New Delhi, to achieve a successful integration of architecture and display. According to the interior designer of the building, Mr. Amardeep Behl, "It took us almost three and half years to complete the interiors which include paintings, murals and around 400 artist were involved in it including designers."


Moshe Safdie was commissioned to design the Khalsa Heritage Centre in 1997, after the chief minister of the Punjab visited the Children's Holocaust Memorial at Yad Vashem, the Safdie-designed Holocaust memorial in Jerusalem. As the Centre evolved, Safdie was able to renew a long, close relationship with India that had begun in the 1960s with his work on Louis Kahn's Indian Institute of Management school at Ahmedabad, Gujarat.

The architect and urban planner, Moshe Safdie is world’s renowned for his head turning designs. He always embraces a comprehensive and humane design philosophy and is committed to architecture that supports and enhances a project’s program; and is informed by the geographic, social, and cultural elements that define a place; and also that responds to human needs and aspirations. He believes that a successful building must embody a sense of its purpose, place and tectonics. Most importantly, a work of architecture must give expression to the life for which it is intended: it not only satisfies the requirements of the program competently, but also its form should resonate with the diverse spaces and activities it contains.

He has worked on wide range of projects including cultural, educational, and civic institutions; neighborhoods and public parks; mixed-use urban centers and airports; and master plans for existing communities and entirely new cities around the world.

Born in Haifa, Israel, in 1938, Safdie moved to Canada with his family at a young age. He graduated from McGill University in 1961 with a degree in architecture. After working two years in the office of Louis I. Kahn in Philadelphia, he started his own practice in Montreal in 1964.

He was approached by Sandy van Ginkel, his thesis advisor, to develop the master plan for the 1967 World Exhibition. Influenced by his graduate thesis at McGill, Safdie refined a series of “Habitat” designs which revolved around a cellular housing scheme. Initially his ideas proved expensive and difficult to construct, but Safdie introduced the cellular scheme in several areas including New York and Puerto Rico where his ideas were successfully initiated.

In 1970, Safdie established a Jerusalem branch office, commencing an intense involvement with the rebuilding of Jerusalem. He was responsible for major segments of the restoration of the Old City and the reconstruction of the new center, linking the Old and New Cities. Over the years, his involvement expanded and included the new city of Modi’in, the new Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum, and the Rabin Memorial Center. During this period, Safdie also became involved in the developing world, working in Senegal, Iran, Singapore, and in the northern Canadian arctic.


In 1978, after teaching at Yale, McGill, and Ben Gurion Universities, Safdie relocated his residence and principal office to Boston. He served as Director of the Urban Design Program at Harvard University Graduate School of Design from 1978 to 1984, and Ian Woodner Professor of Architecture and Urban Design from 1984 to 1989. In the following decade, he was responsible for the design of six of Canada’s principal public institutions, including the Quebec Museum of Civilization, the National Gallery of Canada, and Vancouver Library Square.

Safdie Architects conceives architecture as a natural extension of its surroundings—urban or rural, northern or southern, ancient or entirely new—and recognize its responsibility to contribute richly to its setting and enduringly to its community. According to the practice, to achieve a successful fit between a building’s purpose and its design, it needs the architects and the clients together engage in a process of exploring the values and choices that will evolve into the final form of the building. As an architectural program lists quantitative requirements, but often misses many qualitative issues. So through dialogue or interaction, Safdie Architects draws out these subtleties and address the complex issues of a building’s character, image and symbolism. In accord to practice, for a single project whether commercial, residential and so on, there are number of options and ways but they search for the most appropriate solution in the context of each particular place and time.

Safdie’s Architectural designs are based on the following philosophy:

Moshe Safdie’s works are known for their dramatic curves, arrays of geometric patterns, use of windows, and key placement of open and green spaces. He has worked with a wide range of clients, including municipal entities and government agencies, colleges and universities, private developers, non-profit making organizations and civic institutions. Many of his firm’s buildings have become beloved regional and national landmarks, including Exploration Place Science Center, Wichita, Kansas; Salt Lake City Public Library, Salt Lake City, Utah; Peabody Essex Museum, Salem, Massachusetts; Springfield Federal Courthouse, Springfield, Massachusetts; Skirball Cultural Center, Los Angeles, California; LesterB. Pearson International Airport, Toronto, Canada; the National Gallery of Canada; Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum, Jerusalem etc.

Some of the major projects currently under construction or recently completed by the Safdie Architects include: Mamilla Alrov Center, a dynamic urban center near the Old City in Jerusalem; Marina Bay Sands, a mixed-use integrated resort in Singapore; Khalsa Heritage Memorial Complex, the national museum of the Sikh people in Punjab, India; the United States Institute of Peace Headquarters on the Mall in Washington, D.C.; the National Campus for the Archeology of Israel in Jerusalem; the West Edge project, a mixed-use facility in Kansas City, Missouri; the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts in Kansas City, Missouri; and the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, Arkansas.

In addition to numerous articles on the theory and practice of architecture, Safdie has written several books, most notably, Beyond Habitat (1970), For Everyone a Garden (1974), Form and Purpose (1982), and Jerusalem: The Future of the Past (1989). The City After the Automobile (1997), details Safdie’s ideas about urbanism and city planning. A comprehensive monograph of his work, Moshe Safdie I, was published in 1996. Moshe Safdie II, a second monograph featuring work from 1996-2008, was published in 2009.

He has been the recipient of numerous awards, honorary degrees, and civil honors, including the Companion Order of Canada and the Gold Medal of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada.

CCI Projects Pvt Ltd (CCP) has recently launched a green project named Rivali Park, a mix of residential, commercial, retail, hospitality and cultural spaces within a gated community. Located on an area of 22 acres of land in the Mumbai suburb of Borivali (East), the project was designed by an internationally renowned design and architecture firm Gensler, USA. Till date all statutory clearances for the project have been obtained. Phase I of the project, a residential complex is expected to be completed in about 36 months. The residential complex will be followed by retail, entertainment, commercial and hospitality units in subsequent phases. The entire project is expected to take 6 to 7 years to complete.

The project plans fulfil all the criteria for "Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design" (LEED) certification. A residential complex has been designed in 4 clusters that offer a mix of low and high-rise towers. Each building has been oriented to catch the breeze and minimize heat waves. Each flat will have at least 2 exposures to the outside. The shorter buildings will have sky gardens, so that the view is always verdant from any observation point. Each cluster will have an individual courtyard with seating nooks and walking paths. Ample 3-level parking will be available. The ground level will be a vehicle-free pedestrian podium, offering a high degree of safety to the young and old alike. Extensive traffic studies are being conducted to avoid vehicular and noise pollution.

Talking about the Project Mr. Harjith Bubber, CEO & MD, CCI Projects Pvt Ltd said we had a simple vision to transform the property so that it mirrored the lifestyle of South Mumbai. A hard‎core South Mumbaikar, his ethos resonated with the culture of the island city. Our team of architects at Gensler conceived of Rivali Park to make his dream a reality. Our aim was to create a plan with an intelligent design and a social conscience.

Elaborating on the plan creation he said, Architecture is about people. Rivali Park – named after Borivali, where it is located – is a project that focuses more on planning than building. After all, buildings are mere containers that hold people. We wanted to create something beyond brick and mortar, an integrated residential, commercial and entertainment hub that would assert its identity and make the suburb a landmark. The Rivali Park design combines sophistication with self-sufficiency.

The project began with a comparative study of the suburbs and downtown Mumbai. What we observed is that the suburbs have grown out of a need to accommodate the surging masses that have been thronging to Mumbai since independence. Their growth is rapid and imposed, favouring functionality rather than aesthetics. Suburban residential colonies are blocks of residential apartments where people come home to their families after a day of work in the city. This is in contrast to the downtown area, where maidans, academic edifices, shopping plazas and residential buildings all co-exist side by side. South Mumbai continues to represent the social and cultural hub of the city, retaining its rich old world charm with its mingled spaces and narrow paved alleys.

The biggest challenge in planning Rivali Park was the perception that suburban residences and commercial buildings cannot be mixed too closely in high value properties. The Mumbai psyche subconsciously classifies each suburb by its location, demographic mix, proximity to major landmarks and availability of amenities. Each suburb adds its unique flavour to the melting pot. People have become used to segregated spaces in the suburbs. That is simply how life is; there’s just no time to ponder over anything else. The young, upcoming suburbanite may travel to South Mumbai daily for work and study, and maybe even visit a theatre or art gallery occasionally, but home will always be a 60 minute commute away. We had to convince the mindset that residences can maintain a high quality even when they are located alongside commercial, art and entertainment units. Gensler’s global experience of individual mixed-use components that attract people and create market power enabled us to take on this challenge.

The key to Rivali Park is much more planning than architecture per se. It envisages an upwardly mobile, cosmopolitan community of about 50,000 people with extensive opportunities for social and cultural interaction within their own backyard. The focus is on creating gathering spaces for the people. Technically known as "negative spaces", these are the spaces between the buildings. Most projects focus only on the "positive spaces" that are actually inhabited. We see negative space as a very important and active feature of community life. To create a constant but varied mix of people, we conceived of a shopping mall opening onto a retail street. The mall is a very important element that will help generate retail mass.

The nearest performing arts space is Prithvi Theatre at Juhu. The large population inhabiting the stretch beyond Andheri needs something that they can call their own. The Rivali Park retail street will culminate in a public plaza and performing arts building. The public spaces will include shops, cafeterias, a hotel and office buildings. These spaces will be open to all. The Rivali residential buildings will be nestled within the ‘L’ of this arrangement. The complex is flanked on two sides by the Kanakia Residential and Commercial properties.

The Rivali Park residential complex is made up of 2 courtyards and 2 compounds adjacent to the retail street. The apartments themselves are designed inside-out. Traditionally, builders focus on the inside – the positive spaces – and the outside is whatever is left over. We have consciously controlled both the inside and the outside in Rivali Park. A lot of attention has gone into the negative spaces within the residential section, because they bring people together and make the place a destination. The four residential clusters offer a mix of low and highrise towers from 7 to 50 floors, each having 2 and 3 BHK apartments, penthouses and duplex apartments. We have deliberately avoided uniform high- rise buildings or towers. The varied building heights will transform the skyline into a mini urban landscape. Each cluster will have an individual courtyard with seating nooks and walking paths.

A flat slab structure is being considered for the apartments to give the occupants flexibility to plan their own interiors. Each building will have a separate fire exit, as per norms. Ramps will be constructed on the ground floor to facilitate movement of physically challenged individuals and senior citizens.

The architecture will be clean, rational and modern, pleasing to the eye outside the building and comfortable for the people living inside. The design has to be true to the building material, which in India is RCC. We have attempted to lighten the heavy look of RCC by using glass and screens. The buildings will be oriented so that the apartments are protected from heat waves. Each flat will have at least 2 exposures to the outside to bring about cross ventilation. The shorter buildings will have sky gardens, so that the view is always verdant from any observation point.

Extensive traffic studies of the area have been carried out by Eigen. The entire residential complex has been conceptualized on a vehicle-free pedestrian podium, offering a high degree of safety to the young and old alike. In order to keep the ground level alive in the residential area, the drop-off points have been very carefully thought out. Full use will be made of the existing service road and two side roads that are already in place. The traffic management plan deals with all levels and curves in the side roads to ensure the smooth passage of vehicles. Traffic will circulate around the podium. RTO chowkies and traffic islands are an important necessity in any good locality and will be considered once permissions are obtained.

The complex will have space to accommodate 4000 cars. Ample 3-level parking will be available. Totally underground in the retail and commercial spaces and mostly underground with a small portion at street level in the residential complex.


Talking in length on the project he summed up by saying, Rivali Park offers artistic and creative individuals an outlet for expression. Its public spaces will bring in a new mix of people everyday, converting an erstwhile drab suburb into a cultural hub. The comfortable living quarters with a mix of levels, the open spaces against the backdrop of the Sanjay Gandhi National Park and the retail and commercial facilities will together transform the location into a comfortable haven where every amenity will be in close proximity. Situated off the Western Express Highway, minutes away from Borivali Railway Station, the residents of Rivali Park will experience the best of Maximum City.

The University of Aberdeen has recently opened the doors of its new library to students and public. Designed by Danish architects schmidt hammer lassen (SHL) to provide a 21st century learning and research environment to students, university staff, and visitors, the library is envisaged as a cube evoking the ice and light of the north.

The new library serves a community of 14,000 students. The 15,500 square metres of floor-space accommodates 1,200 reading spaces alongside archives, historical collections and a rare books reading room. It has also traditional silent study rooms to interactive areas for collaborative projects, supported by information technology. The entire building has comprehensive wireless network coverage with sockets to plug in your PC throughout.

Project at a Glance
Project	: University of Aberdeen New Library
Architect	: schmidt hammer lassen architects
Location	: Aberdeen
Client	: University of Aberdeen
Completed	: September 2011
Area	: 15,500 m2
Competition	: 2005, 1st prize in restricted international competition
Engineer	: Arup & Partners Ltd
Quantity Surveyors	: Davis Langdon LLP
Landscape Architect	: schmidt hammer lassen architects

In addition to housing a collection of over one million books, the new library also provides an advanced learning environment by means of a series of flexible spaces offering various opportunities for individual study, group-working, seminars, and meetings.


Established in 1495, the University of Aberdeen is the fifth oldest English-language University in the world. The practice SHL won the Aberdeen competition to design its new library in 2005 beating world's renowned architectural firms. The client wanted a building to be an icon that would make an impact on the skyline and act as a hub for all activities in the surrounding areas. SHL provided a simple logistical solution for the project and proposed that the new library should be built alongside the existing fully operational Queen Mother library, reducing disruption.

While designing the project, SHL was very sensitive to the significance of libraries in contemporary public life. Schmidt believes that contemporary society has lost its 'third space' (a term coined by the American urban sociologist Ray Oldenburg). 'Today, we have places to live and work, but sadly lacking in the third type of spaces.' The University of Aberdeen library is conceived in this spirit, with the ground floor open to the public with lounge and cafe, an exhibition, seminar space and a media wall. It also has 'Break-out' zone on Floor 7, where students can enjoy panoramic views of the city while reading, working on a laptop, or engaging in quiet conversation.


The library is an eight-level building where its atrium's vast spiraling volume connects all eight storeys and with its sweeping contours and organic form, this space contrasts with the clean cut exterior profile. The lifts, stairs and circulation are neatly packed into service cores on north and south of the building. The steel structure is hidden within the skin, creating clear deep floor plates animated by the multi-colored books and only interrupted by the atrium. The building is equipped with all the latest technologies and new learning environments.

Special emphasis has been given while designing and creating a green and sustainable project thus minimizing long-term running costs and energy use. All working environments are generously day-lit. Through the use of high performance glazing, the amount of solar gain and heat loss is kept to a minimum. The ratio of glass to solid panel on the internal elevations is approximately 50% and this irregular pattern of insulated panels and high performance glazing creates the effect of a shimmering façade during the day and a soft glow at night, creating a luminous landmark for Aberdeen.

In terms of sustainability, photovoltaic cells are located on the roof to supplement the building's electricity requirements. A water recycling system is utilized to collect and store rainfall from the roof - the rain water is then recycled for use in lavatories.


A green displacement ventilation system has been utilized to save energy and system supplies air at 18-19°C, thereby obviating the need for mechanical cooling for a significant period of the year. System pressure drops are much lower than in conventional fan coil unit systems, and this permits the use of far smaller fans to circulate air through the system. Temperature stratification allows for the conditioning of the occupied zone only, and in this way energy is not wasted in conditioning the unoccupied zone directly beneath the ceiling.

The university's traffic strategy also emphasizes sustainability, encouraging the use of sustainable transport systems such as cycling and buses rather than cars. Facilities such as showers for staff cycling to work have been provided in the new building. As a result of all these, the project has achieved a BREEAM Excellent rating.


The new Library is designed to be both a meeting place and a cultural centre for the University and the wider Aberdeen community. Construction started on this project in September 2009 by main contractor Pihl UK and was completed in 2011. The £57million project is the largest capital fund-raising project yet undertaken by the University, receiving support from alumni and private donors around the world, from companies in many sectors of business, and from charitable trusts local and national.

Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, Inc (SOM) has been awarded, by Blenheim Properties, the commission for the master plan for Green Tech City in Hanoi, Vietnam.

SOM's master plan incorporates advanced city design methods and sustainable principles to reduce the demand for non-renewable resources and typical civil infrastructure. Covering an area of 145 hectares, the plan integrates two existing villages with future development and provides necessary community amenities to serve a future urban population in excess of 20,000 people. The Master Plan expands and reinforces the local traditions and green urban character of Hanoi. The plan also engages and enlivens the strategic green landscape corridor envisioned at the city scale along the adjoining river and applies state-of-the-art technology in carbon emissions reduction, energy needs reduction and smart infrastructure.

In addition to a new linear riverfront park, the Master Plan generates a series of organic, low-rise, pedestrian-friendly residential neighborhoods within the planned 'Green Corridor'. This is balanced by a more urban and dense edge of highrise development articulating the future skyline of the district. A complete urban living environment will emerge on site, including a variety of housing types integrated with schools, healthcare clinics, sports and other public facilities. One of the key architectural features at the heart of the plan is a new Cultural Forum building animating a civic piazza, establishing an iconic meeting space for this new community and the wider population of Hanoi. This building is designed to accommodate a range of uses including an auditorium, TV studio, art gallery, mediateque, and cafés.

The fragmented system of existing agricultural water channels on site is reorganized into an interconnected network of landscaped waterways. These will provide continuous bands of public green space defining intimate outdoor spaces for each neighborhood. This water system assists in managing flood control, preventing rainwater runoff into surrounding areas, filtering and cleansing grey water and providing a source for irrigating new viticulture activities. New public spaces also protect and encourage new native wildlife habitats to form. In addition to the new city riverfront park, these spaces include a linear canal park, a lake-front district, public gardens, children's play areas, sports and recreation fields, a wetland centre and nature walks.

The plan was informed by a rigorous process designed to optimize its environmental sustainability. Wind and solar analyses were used to determine the optimal orientation of streets and buildings in order to create comfortable urban micro-climates. These ensure the plan will harness natural environmental conditions in order to maximize comfort and minimize infrastructure requirements as well as operational energy costs.Sustainable district-wide technologies like canal water cooling, tri-generation plants, waste recycling and rainwater harvesting are integral components of the plan. While contemporary building technology is championed, the plan also promotes low-tech passive design strategies for environmental-friendly architecture that is appropriate for the local economy and Vietnamese climate and culture.

“Architecture is all about creating a better framework for human life and development as well as about considering the nature and resources of the planet from a global, sustainable perspective. As architects we do not only have the opportunity but also the responsibility to design a better world.”-schmidt hammer lassen architects Green Manifesto

Founded in Aarhus, Denmark, in 1986 by architects Morten Schmidt, Bjarne Hammer and John F. Lassen, schmidt hammer lassen (SHL) architects has grown substantially with offices in Aarhus, Copenhagen, London, and Shanghai and employs over 140 staff. The practice is deeply rooted in the Scandinavian architectural traditions based on democracy, welfare, aesthetics, light, sustainability and social responsibility.

The company which has a track record for being a designer of high-profile cultural buildings, art galleries, educational complexes and libraries, is led by CEO Bente Damgaard with reference to a professional board of directors. The creative management is led by the Creative Director Bjarne Hammer together with the other four partners John F. Lassen, Morten Schmidt, Kim Holst Jensen and Kristian Ahlmark, along with the four associated partners Trine Berthold, Kasper Heiberg Frandsen, Chris Hardie and Rasmus Kierkegaard.

With more than 25 years of experience, SHL architects is one of Scandinavia's most recognised, award-winning architectural practices committed to innovative and sustainable design. The practice has established an international reputation for projects that interact with their urban context. It places particular emphasis on the use of natural light as an integral part of the design process. The functionality - meeting the specific needs of the users - is also key, as are all aspects of sustainability. Where possible, the practice will explore the vital relationship between art, design and architecture.

Common to all the practice's work is a democratic approach to architecture which creates modern, open and multi-functional spaces that are consistent with schmidt hammer lassen architects' ethical considerations - a building revolves around people and is not merely an architectonic shape. Architecture should be closely integrated with its surroundings, with close consideration of its functions and social context. SHL architects designs buildings that are essentially open to the outside world.


According to the practice, the great things always happen when an artist and an architect have the opportunity to collaborate from the outset on a given project. At SHL architects, we have always tried to ensure that each project enshrines the possibility for a real collaborative effort. We know how to deal with complex architecture.

Alongside our collaborators, we develop entire sustainable solutions with high emotional value that benefits the environment, the users and the overall economy. Working many years on cultural buildings, office buildings, mixed use and master planning, we are used to solve complex and contradictive issues.

We develop integrated end-to-end solutions of the highest quality in a constant search for new ways and answers. We embrace the idea that architecture at its best creates unique, indefinable emotions and values, both from form, space, light and materials. SML creates architecture with a powerful, straightforward and significant attitude and constantly challenge the concept of sustainability, because each project must reach new standards.

In addition to above, the practice believes in architecture within a budget. All planning and building stages are tasked to achieve the most value for money, without compromising building size, construction methods, and quality of materials, technical equipment, and sustainability.

In Scandinavia, schmidt hammer lassen architects is best known for the prestigious extension to the Royal Library - The Black Diamond, the ARoS Aarhus Museum of Art and the Cultural Centre of Greenland in Nuuk. The practice has a distinguished track record as designers of high-profile cultural buildings, such as art galleries, educational complexes and libraries. Recent projects include the Amazon Court office building in Prague, the City of Westminster College in London, the Thor Heyerdahl School in Norway, Aberdeen University New Library in Scotland and a number of construction projects and master plans in China and Eastern Europe, with a total of approximately two million square metres currently under development.

The firm has also recently won the international architectural competition to design a 188 meter office tower in the financial district of central Warsaw, Poland. The 60,000 m² highrise building is to replace the existing ‘Ilmet' building and will stand out as a modern landmark clearly identifiable in the Warsaw skyline by its unique elegant shape and appearance. The Jury was impressed by the high quality and innovation evident in the urban, architectural and technical concepts of the winning design.

schmidt hammer lassen architects is a member of the Danish Association of Architectural Firms (DANSKE ARK) and is a RIBA Chartered Practice. More than 50% of the company turnover comes from international projects.

The firm had its major breakthrough with the Katuaq Culture Centre in Nuuk, Greenland, completed in 1997. The project in Nuuk was followed by first prize in the international competition for the extension of the Danish Royal Library on the harbourfront in Copenhagen. Completed in 1999, the library extension, colequally known as the Black Diamond, has become one of the practice's most known buildings.

The practice has won number of awards and recognition. The recent ones include: the Concrete Society Awards, shortlisted for City of Westminster College, Aarhus Municipality Award for Villa Busk/ Vibevej 27, Denmark, LEAF Award for The Crystal, Denmark, World Architecture Festival Awards, shortlisted in the categories learning for City of Westminster College, England and offices for The Crystal, Denmark, European Steel Design Award for The Crystal, Denmark, New London Award for City of Westminster College, England, LEAF, shortlisted in the category public buildings for City of Westminster College, England, RIBA Award in London for City of Westminster College, England, and many more.

Designed and developed by Abin Design Studio, the Building IMI, Kolkata is inspired by nature. The sky with its various states and ever changing colors is one of the most dynamic elements of nature and this is what has inspired the built form façade. The colored laminate with Vanceva PVB glass on the façade follows no repetitive pattern and is symbolic of the unpredictable nature of the sky. It also represents the vibrancy of today’s youth.

The client brief required a management institute of international standards. Provisions for state-of-the- art facilities and smart classrooms have been made for. The latest technological provisions in the institute allow for worldwide exchange of knowledge through conventions and seminars. The architectural language of the built form is a representation of this. The colored façade gives it a unique identity.

The building situated in a very dense residential urban fabric, was a huge constraint and dictated linear planning. Special efforts were made to ensure create non-monotonous spaces which did not follow expected linear pattern. The narrow entrance to the site did not allow a naturally large frontage and curve glass façade was designed such that it would create the necessary frontage for an institutional building.

The chromatic glass façade comprises 2 layers of 5mm clear glass each with an intermediate PVB layer 1.2mm thick which acts as an insulator, reducing the heat buildup inside. The façade becomes more dynamic by night when the inside lights are switched on and has a mesmerizing effect on the plaza below. The circulation spaces and spill out zones have been created along the curved glass façade, allowing them to be naturally lit in the day and giving them a more interesting and dynamic feel. Emphasis has been given to interaction points not just for students but also for the faculty encouraging exchange of knowledge and ideas at all levels.


The reception has been designed as a triple height space naturally lit by a huge skylight above. The corridors and spill out spaces culminate around here at the upper floor levels. Care has been taken to ensure that the library is also well lit during the day and has been designed such that it is surrounded by glass on three sides, shaded by the existing trees on site.

Color has subtly been introduced in the interiors as well in the form of colored glass partitions, colored glass slits on the wall or simply in the furniture. An integrated plaza with a water body has been designed. The water body receives no direct sunlight and creates a comfortable micro-climate. Wherever possible shading trees have been planted and soft landscape is introduced.


It is an institute that has achieved international standards not only by providing state-of-the-art facilities but also by having an architectural expression which represents that.

Tata Housing Development Company, a Tata Group unit, is coming up with 'Crescent Lake Homes' a residential project, offering 1, 2 and 3 Bedrooms Apartments with a minimum of 551 sq ft to the maximum of 1,406 sq ft. flats in Chennai. The project also provides many amenities such as shopping centre, schools, swimming pools, kids’ pool, table tennis & gymnasium and many more as the developer feels that when everything comes together in perfect harmony, life becomes easy. So whether one wants to drive to work or goes for a walk in the morning, absorbs the serenity of the lake or works up a sweat in the clubhouse, goes for a checkup in the health care centre or anything else, its all carefully designed to be within the reach.

Project at glance
Project	:	CRESCENT BY THE LAKE
Location	:	Oragadam, Chennai, India
Architect/designer	:	Carlos Ott Architects in association with Carlos Ponce de León Architects
Concept Design Architects	:	CRN
Project type	:	Residential buildings, Ammenities, Shopping Center, Schools, Service areas
Client	:	Tata Housing

Located in Oragadam, Chennai and designed by Carlos Ott Architects in association with Carlos Ponce de León Architects, CRESCENT BY THE LAKE is a mixed use township with a pioneering example of integrating living, studying, sharing commercial activities and working nearby, in only one location The project has already obtained two awards: Best Architectural Office Campus of India, and Best Architectural Office Campus of Asia Pacific.

Both Ar. Carlos Ott and Ar. Carlos Ponce de León, partners of this uruguayan architectural firm explained that keeping all the requirement of our client in mind, we while planning for the project site, created a hierarchical street system range, from wide, landscaped boulevards connecting the development areas to narrow streets and alleys in the residential villages. The road layouts in the residential villages vary in the different neighborhoods, but the general strategy is a curving grid punctuated by parks, monuments, ponds and common buildings that act as focal points. We opened the design up to the existing municipal lake, and forged connections to neighboring highway and secondary streets, locating the different buildings in a way that demonstrates the value of good communication and the sharing of the main public spaces on an equal social basis.

He added further, creating a sense of place was a major effort of the master plan, both for the retail and residential villages. The resultant strategy addresses the scale and location of parks, and the relationship of buildings to common spaces and streets, to create memorable addresses within each neighborhood. The urban and iconic architectural design, as well as the final masterplan, reintroduces the idea of mixed use Indian developments, encouraging a rich social mix, new private and public places, provided on both a local and a city scale.

Half of the residential units were designated as low-cost housing. The site, covering 10 hectares (24,7 acres), includes several residential buildings alongside, housing a lake and a natural park. The master plan is an attempt to rediscover a culture of mixed use, encouraging the integration of cleaner surrounding industries into residential neighborhoods and exploring the potential of greener, more ecologically sensitive structures in order to create a sustainable urban community.

Five organizational generators were identified in the urban design:

• The existing highway that interconnects the project with surrounding site.
• An existing municipal lake to be revitalized as a landmark for the site.
• The proposed linear park of 10% plot area.
• Creating new open space in the tradition of Indian parks and squares.
• To create new residential buildings which take an equally radical approach in its form and ecology.

After identifying the characteristics and opportunities of the programme, the plot and the surroundings, we solved all functional, formal and contextual aspects of all destinies, always introducing new technologies to design these unique premium towers, road apartments with undulated terraces and ultimate design for affordable and EWS units.

Computer software design helped us to arrive to the final solution and to all the previous alternative proposals. We integrated contemporary design with Indian traditions, creating a unique architecture with exclusive interior design, always looking at the importance of views along, from and into the different spaces of all buildings.

The different designs from modular parts will be ingenuously constructed in the different apartments, terraces, roof tops, that form socializing spaces all around. The design evolved to maximize views towards the lake and the forest, both in affordable units as well as premium apartments. The six residential premium towers (27 to 32 storeys) with highly innovative design occupy a semicircular location, overlooking the lake, the row apartments and the clubhouse. All premium units, affordable units and EWS apartments have great views towards the south and north orientations. Day light is drawn into the different residential units and the mall below, located beside the highway and the main entrance. A viewing gallery will be offered in all residential units premium, row apartments, affordable and EWS- towards surrounding and beyond.

Unique club houses with ultimate recreational amenities incorporated in their different levels are connected to the surrounding gardens where tennis courts, playing fields and swimming pools are located. All VAASTU principles were incorporated in the design of our master plan and different buildings. Master plan aims to improve pedestrian and vehicle traffic, enjoyment of the area while enhancing the settings of the buildings, lake, plazas and the park, creating more green spaces in the process.

As Tata Housing Development Company Ltd has been the biggest proponent of Green initiatives in the Indian real estate space and all its projects are sustainable green developments under the guidelines of Indian Green Building Council (IGBC), so for CRESCENT BY THE LAKE project also we took the initiative to conserve the resources and achieve LEED Green Building Certification by adopting green building principles. The Green building principles are considered in the preliminary stages of our design process, reducing life cycle costs as well as building costs.


Elaborating Ar Carlos said, "the designs we proposed for our clients are always a new demonstration project for energy-conscious practices, calling for a 20% of the energy to come from renewable sources. We always propose to have net zero energy buildings, with low-energy-consuming, using a combination of strategies, including ventilated facades, integrated photovoltaics, condensate recovery, daylight responsive controls, extensive use of day lighting in all areas, and the use of natural winds for air conditioning all lobby and circulation areas."

He stated adding that one of the challenging aspects of the design was accommodating TATA housing's strict requirement of units' layouts within changing envelopes in the different residential units, from EWS to PREMIUM row apartments.

A project of this kind is a balancing act, which must promote genuinely to integrated solutions to cater for the many needs of the owners and visitors, and can be ecologically sensitive and strive towards sustainability. As architects with an eye on the potential of the site, it seemed obvious that in a mixed residential development the premium flats should share the best views towards the park and the lake. In all the residential units, whether they are in a second or a tenth storey, one can look out across Indian skyline, having a sublime contact with the sky and the weather. The skyline is constantly fascinating and punctuated by a surprising amount of greenery.

Stepping out onto the balcony of a 24 storey apartment, hopping into its more than 10m lap pool attached to the façade, and enjoying the view over the city of Singapore – this has just become reality for the residents of "The Marq". The owners of apartments of the two towers of Marq get to enjoy up to 1,020 square metres of living space, their own elevator, 24-h service, and a fantastic 360 degree panorama view through the impressive 5.50 metre high solar control glazing which provides an optimum indoor environment.

Paterson Hill is known as one of the best addresses in Singapore. Located in the centre of the metropolis, this quarter offers the most exclusive choices in terms of shopping, food, and wellness. Lately, it is also home to "The Marq". The owner company SC Global has been targeting the local and international super-rich and the has been very successful: the largest and most exclusive apartments were sold within a matter of a few hours at exclusive prices. The two towers of The Marq are named "Signature Tower" and "Premier Tower". There are 66 exclusive apartments on a foundation of 11,500 square metres. The Premier Tower houses 42 four-room apartments of 280 square metres each. In addition, there are three penthouses with 1,020 square metres each. The Signature Tower has 21 six-room apartments (560 square metres) with so-called "Infinity Pools" attached to the facade – special pools with a concealed water edge – that are especially striking on the facade of a skyscraper.

Solar Control Glazing

All of the apartments are impressive due to their up to 5.50 metre high floor-to-ceiling glazing over the entire width, which further enhances the view over the breathtaking skyline. The colour-neutral glazing lets the residents enjoy the pure colours. The high-end coating ipasol neutral 68/37 by Interpane also keeps the rooms from overheating. This lowers the costs for air conditioning. Especially in the tropical climate of Singapore, located almost at the equator, this is an important factor. The intensity of the solar radiation is correspondingly high, even in a prevalent rainy and humid climate. The glazing’s solar factor of 37% as per EN 410 is low. Nonetheless, an enormous amount of daylight enters the rooms (tV = 63, or 65%, depending on the glazing design). It is in this way that the energetic properties of the glazing lower the operating costs and preserve natural resources.


This glazing features another specialty: Interpane equipped the surface of the inside pane, which faces the gap between the two panes (position 3) with an additional iplus E thermal insulation coating. In this case, it is not so much for keeping the building from cooling down too much, but rather for lowering the inside reflection from eleven to eight percent. This enhances the view outside, especially at night when the lights are on. The outside reflection was also lowered from ten to eight per cent, which results in a very colour-neutral appearance and maximum transparency. Due to the vast size of the panes alone, the design of the glass facade is massive: on the outside, 8 mm heat-strengthened glass with ipasol neutral 68/37, a gap between the inner and outer pane, silicone sealing, and on the inside 8 mm heat-strengthened glass with iplus E. For the largest panes: on the outside, 10 mm heat-strengthened glass with ipasol neutral 68/37, a gap between the inner and outer pane, silicone seal, and on the inside 10 mm heat-strengthened glass with iplus E.

Founded in 2005 by Abin Chaudhuri, an architecture graduate from Jadavpur University (J.U.) with a specialization in Industrial Design from Domus Academy, Milan, the architectural firm ADS (Abin Design Studio) is involved in architecture, interior design (corporate and retail), design of exhibition spaces, industrial design and graphic design. Jui Mallick, classmate of Ar. Abin from J.U., joined him in early 2006 and went on to becoming his partner. The studio which was started as a small 3-person firm is now a frontline organization rendering complete design and management solutions right from conceptualization to realization of the space, object or visual in the market, keeping the synergy of execution of design solution through extensive research and innovation in mind.

According to Ar. Abin Chaudhuri, "we at ADS gyrates among the few young enthusiastic design studios that aims at centrifuging the anomalies by seeking to a universal dialect of ‘responsible architecture’ which builds upon low carbon footprint and extensive use of locally available materials despite the continuous conflict between logical reasoning and creative senses of emotion."

ADS endeavors is to set free-built environment from the prevalent crustacean architecture and infill sustainability through a holistic approach of uniting architecture, interior, landscape, signage, and product design.


Elaborating further he stated, "we believe the paradigm has shifted from "why" to "when" in terms of practising responsible architecture. We hope to create ‘biophilic spaces’ that respond to the changing socio-cultural, economic and environmental traits. We try to update and upgrade ourselves through constant research activities. Every project aims at exploring and enhancing the architectonic value of the design. In last 3 years, we have won all major educational projects through national or international level competitions like International Management Institute Kolkata and Bhubaneswar, National Institute of Fashion Technology, Bhubaneswar, Army Institute of Management, Kolkata including being top 3 shortlisted in School of Planning and Architecture, Bhopal."


The studio has earned numerous accolades since inception which includes: International Property awards 2011 in Public Service Architecture, Design Firm of the Future, Architect of the Year, IIID MK interior awards, Lafarge ARC design awards, Best pavilion design award, National award for design: Ministry of Environment & Forests, 1999 and various other accolades.


Currently, Abin design studio is working on private, public & institutional building design, private and corporate interior space, retail environment design, furniture, display and POP design, signage, Indoor- outdoor exhibition and installation, Graphic design, visual communication and presentations.

Auroville based Castelino & Marchese Architects and associates (C&M), an architectural firm runs by Aurovillian architects Sheril Castelino and Pino Marchese, has a unique approach to interpret various architectural techniques in a completely contemporary style that incorporates futuristic perceptions of space. In their quest and concern for sustainable architecture, the architect duo always try to use alternative low-energy building technology in their projects as far as possible. For sustainable and contemporary living with an international style suited to this town's tropical climate, they prefer to use local materials and their designs employ natural elements like earth, water, breeze and sunlight for cooling, insulation and illumination wherever possible. Auroville is known for its natural materials such as bamboo thatch, ferrocement, wattle and dob, compressed earth blocks and terracotta, that create sheer poetry of design and the duo always try to stick to a more stringent definition of sustainable architecture in their work.

The duo’s own house even lends the classic Aurovilian architecture a contemporary soul. They made simple, innovative changes to the typical "row" house in Auroville to create a spacious, bungalow-like tropical villa with a private mezzanine to take rest and study and minimalistic decor. Contrary to congestion associated with small spaces, the design deftly manipulates space and light in a 75 sgm plot.


Distinctly Zen-like simplicity, their Aurovilian residence is ideal for a tropical climate. The intensive use of inexpensive cement flooring in a uniform ochre shade provides warmth to the ready apartment shell with nature-friendly approach in order to rein the costs without compromising the quality and finish of the building, is evident in the creative use of many natural construction materials like bamboo thatch, ferrocement, wattle and dob besides subtle introduction of compressed earth blocks and terracotta around the Castelino Marchese residence.

Architects and C&M Architectural firm

Graduated in Architecture from University of Florence in 1990 and practiced pottery at 'Antica Fornace Di Bacchereto' in Vinci-Tuscany (1982-84), Pino Marchese worked for eight years in various studios of architecture in south Italy and Florence doing projects for housing, commercial and public buildings. He was the part of team in Auroville's Future - Town Planning & Centre for Urban Research (1998-2005) and worked in close association with Auroville's chief architect Roger Anger on various planning and architectural projects (1998-2007). He was the coordinator of Architecture and Urban design L'avenir d'Auroville (2007–09) and has also done several independent projects including interior design of stores, private houses and product design. He came first to Auroville in 1997.

Sheril Castelino, an architectural consultant, very aware of the socio-economic and environmental concerns and a graduate of the Kamala Raheja Vidyanidhi Institute for Architecture & Environmental Studies, Mumbai, has been practicing in Auroville since 1997. She has worked on many projects independently and in conjunction with other architects based in Auroville. She was also the part of the innovative Urban Planning team for Auroville's Future - Centre for Urban research & assisted Auroville's chief architect Roger Anger 2001–06; she worked with Paolo Soleri, Arcosanti, Arizona, USA (2003) and was also the member of Auroville Industrial Zone Group (2002–06), member of Auroville Planning Group (2003–06) and member of Auroville Planning & Development Council (2004–05).

Established in 1998, C&M works on different projects including innovative urban planning, sustainable architecture, landscape, interiors, product design and photography. The firm provides internship to Indian and international students in all design fields and organize seminars and workshops for students and professionals in sustainable development practices. C&M designs award winning eco-friendly and sustainable architecture with holistic approach incorporating green building principles and received State Commendation Award at the 18th Architect of the Year Awards 2008 for Indian State Architecture Awards (ISAA).

Some of the firm’s important projects are Muyerchi-Auroville, Sudhakar’s house-Villupuram, Timber Beach House-Srima Auroville, Batmanabane’s house-Moolakulam, Pondicherry, Promenade Hotel Luxury Suites-Pondicherry, Pen- thouse, Rue Labourdonnais-Pondicherry, Devayan - 12 apartments building complex-Vaithekuppam Pondicherry, Nandanam - 24 apartments building complex-Vaithekuppam Pondicherry, Cuppai Chai – Auroville, Isaiambalam School-Auroville, and so on.

Renovation, Interiors and landscaping of Arun Murugappan ‘Laurels’

This large colonial home has been renovated and remodeled in keeping with its heritage style. Large open spaces - perfect for entertaining guests - flow onto a gorgeous central courtyard with zen garden, with a cozy informal family space at one end enhancing the privacy of this large home. The original terrazzo tile floors wasn’t in a good condition and has been replaced by a warm ochre natural stone in the living room leading onto a charming garden, spacious open plan kitchen and family room. The guest bedrooms are done in traditional IPS flooring.

The part of first floor was converted into a roof terrace and a lounging verandah enhanced by a designed landscaping and post traditional and modern Lounge and makes this the ideal sitting area and chill out zone.

The house currently has 5 spacious bedrooms and 6 bathrooms, formal and informal living room, a spacious dining room, which look through 2 large windows into the Zen Garden open to sky.The garden area also has a swimming pool at one end with a gym room.

Daniel’s House

The Tsunami in December 2004 wrecked havoc on the houses along the eastern coast. Ensuing this, a safe shelter was a prime concern in the region. Trying to cater to this need and its proximity to the sea; the CRZ (Coastal zone regulation) restrictions, C&M Architects came up with a solution that addressed these aspects. A structure in wood on 3 levels was designed and integrated with the local climate and conditions. This house, just off the scenic east coast road leading from Chennai to Pondicherry, is tucked away in a sylvan surrounding a stroll away from the sea. Daniel, the client, desired a house which blended with the surrounding landscape. And indeed, to live in this house is akin to living symbiotically with the trees around it!

This self-contained residence, designed for a single user, has a footprint of only 30 sq.m. on each floor. Even though the residence covers a small area, the spaces lend a cosy feel in a forest like setting. The approach to treat the spaces is minimalistic, without compromising comfort and convenience at all.

The core concept of this design was to fuse the outside environment with the interior setting. Given the location on the sea shore and the high humidity, the material options were limited to wood and aluminium were chosen since they are light, corrosion resistant, and easy to dismantle. The wood structure is treated against termites that are abundant in the area as well as for rain protection with an effectively tested combination of linseed oil, vinegar & engine oil! The ground floor brick structure comprises a garage. Subtly, the structure converts to wood as a material as it ascends, with the top most floor made mainly of wood, it easily merges with the canopies of the surrounding trees. The first floor includes it a kitchenette, living-and bathroom. The upper most floor fully in seasoned teak wood has a luxurious bedroom and a terrace overlooking the sea beyond.


The rustic toilet has stone on the walls and floor with granite boulders carved into for wash basins. The clause of cross ventilation is taken a step further by providing openings on all four sides offering a 360 degree view of the scenic landscape. On the second level, sliding glass and mosquito netted panels constitute the walls.

The latticed wood work outside, is inspired by the traditional architecture of south India. This creates a diffusion of light, ventilation and privacy. The aesthetics offered by this framework is extended to the interiors as well by a play of light. This house is the result of a 2-year dedication of one sole carpenter. The roof is composed of aluminum panels which insulate the spaces by reflecting the heat falling on it. The staircase connecting the two levels, acts as a merger between the load bearing brick wall base and the wooden superstructure. The wooden flooring on the 2 levels and the staircase form a common entity by means of the same material used.

On the whole, this neat little abode and the immediate environ are in tune with each other without over powering each other’s charm.

Batmanabane House

Understated elegance’, vastu compliance, eco-friendly principles, sustainable architecture, well-lit & ventilated and transparency are some of the elements of the Batmanabane house.

Essentially the dominant element of the house is a square double-storied volume; pure, sleek, geometric envelope lifted buoyantly above slender pilotis on the tight site. The open to sky garden on the first floor reclaims the area of the building for green space inside.

Since the house was only for two people, a couple, maximum transparency and visual access within the interiors of the house was tried to be achieved. The other architectural features of the project include: modular design, no ornamentation, pure colour on the façades, a very open interior plan, interior garden on the first level, 3-car integral garage (the curve on ground floor based on turning radius of the cars) etc.

During the design stage, the architects faced certain challenges as the plot was square shaped and the client’s area requirement was to nearly cover the entire plot. So light and cross ventilation was to be achieved in a block which was a challenge. Providing a large open garden on the first floor resolved this aspect around which all the rooms on the two floors opened into with glass walls that provided transparency, ample light and cross ventilation, at the same time a sense of green and garden which is hard to have around in a city location.


Appropriateness, local availability, after sales service, reliability, and costs were the factors for choosing the various materials.

UNStudio/ Ben van Berkel, with consortium DUO^², recently completed the swirling and one of the most sustainable large office buildings in Europe for two governmental offices, the national tax offices and the student loan administration. The design for the buildings, accommodating 2,500 employees, reflects and caters to the separate identities of both user groups, whilst simultaneously creating synergy by way of shared use of secondary spaces – among which are underground parking facilities, public gardens, a central hall and a pavilion for commercial functions. The aerodynamic form of the building has been achieved as the result of extensive sun and wind studies. The terraces, rounded corners and façade design guarantee minimum disruption to the microclimate of the surrounding urban green space, known as the 'Sterrenbos', whilst integrating sun shading, wind regulation, daylight penetration and construction in one concept with the result that both material and energy use are minimised.







Tall buildings are generally associated with mid-twentieth century modernism. Their harsh, businesslike exteriors contain powerful, inaccessible-seeming strongholds. By contrast, the DUO and Tax offices deliberately cloak a commanding public institution in an organic, friendly and more future-oriented form.


The architecture of the project was aimed at presenting a design with more human and approachable profile. According to architect Ben Van Berkel, "We paid a great deal of attention as how people would move through the building. The office spaces are designed in such a way that they do not create simple linear corridors leading to dead ends, but instead each corridor has a route which introduces a kind of landscape into the building. One can take endless walks through the building, where there is a great deal of transparency, also towards the surrounding landscape."

Exemplary Sustainability

The new, 92 meter tall complex of soft, undulating curves marks the skyline of Groningen in Netherland. This asymmetric, aerodynamic construction is set amidst small, ancient woodland, sheltering rare and protected species. The design of the project contains numerous new innovations related to the reduction of materials, lower energy costs and more sustainable working environments. It presents a fully integrated, intelligent design approach towards sustainability.


The project is one of the Europe's most sustainable large new office buildings. The RGD brief prescribed a future-proof building that couples flexibility and sustainability with an esthetic of sobriety. The architectural response to this, has been to strive for an all-round understanding of the concept of sustainability, including energy and material consumption, as well as social and environmental factors. Thus the sustainability manifests itself in reduced energy consumption (EPC 0.74), as well as significantly reduced material consumption. Bringing back the floor heights from 3.60 m to 3.30 m resulted in a total reduction of 7.5 m on the entire building which also lessens the impact of the building on the surroundings. Both inside and outside the architecture, generates a bio-climate that is beneficial to both humans and the local flora and fauna.



Sustainability and energy reduction have steered the design of the facade which contains technical installations that are tailored to be durable and cause minimal environmental impact. The facade concept integrates shading, wind control, daylight penetration and construction in fin-shaped elements. These horizontal fins keep a large amount of the heat outside the building, reducing the requirement for cooling.

Another technical feature of the building that contributes to its sustainable character is the combination of concrete core activation and underground long-term energy storage. This appreciably reduces the demand for external energy sources.

Creating a healthy, energy efficient interior climate and employee workspace comfort was also an important element in the design. Plenty of natural daylight and adjustable heating, ventilation and access to fresh air for individual workspaces contribute to the comfort of the workspaces throughout in the entire building. A high pressure ventilation system with natural air inflow and outflow via main engineering shafts and the facade grills on the 11th floor also reduces the need for artificial ventilation.


In addition, the residual energy of the data center and offices can be used to heat the homes that will be realized in the future in the perimeter of the site. And last, but not least, the building is designed in such a way that it can be transformed into housing in the future without major structural modifications. Therefore, the locations of elevators, stairs and technical spaces have been carefully considered, and a structural grid of 1.20 m. has been deployed, rather than the conventional office grid of 1.80 m.

The inclusion of diverse passive and active environmental and energy efficient solutions has led to a building which is one of the most sustainable office buildings in Netherlands.

In order to ensure the most cost-effective and environment-friendly complex possible, a public-private partnership (DBFMO) was set up, designed 'to effectuate on a more efficient use of public funds'. As such, a consortium comprising Strukton, Ballast Nedam and John Laing took charge of the design, construction, financing, managing and maintenance of the building. UNStudio, as the architect of the project, collaborated with Lodewijk Baljon for the landscape design, Arup for the engineering and Studio Linse as the interior advisor.

Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture recently announced that it is designing Kingdom Tower which will be the world's tallest building, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, near the Red Sea.




At over 1,000 meters (3,280 feet) and a total construction area of 530,000 square meters (5.7 million square feet), Kingdom Tower will be the centerpiece and first construction phase of the Kingdom City development on a 5.3 million-square-meter site in north Jeddah. The tower's height will be at least 173 meters (568 feet) taller than the world's current tallest building, Dubai's 828-meter-tall Burj Khalifa, which was designed by Adrian Smith while at Skidmore, Owings & Merrill. Kingdom Tower will feature a Four Seasons hotel, Four Seasons serviced apartments, Class A office space, luxury condominiums and the world's highest observatory.

The project was announced by His Royal Highness Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Bin Abdulaziz Alsaud, nephew of Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah and chairman of Kingdom Holding Company, which is a partner in Jeddah Economic Company along with prominent Jeddah businessmen Samaual Bakhsh and Abdulrahman Hassan Sharbatly and Saudi Binladin Group (SBG). SBG is also the contractor for Kingdom Tower.

"Prince Alwaleed, Mr. Bakhsh, Mr. Sharbatly and I were impressed by the boldness and simplicity of the Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill design," said Talal Al Maiman, Executive Director, Development and Domestic Investments, a Board member of Kingdom Holding Company and a board member of JEC. "Kingdom Tower's height is remarkable, obviously, but the building's iconic status will not depend solely on that aspect. Its form is brilliantly sculpted, making it quite simply one of the most beautiful buildings in the world of any height."

In addition to its status as an architectural landmark and economic symbol, Kingdom Tower will enjoy great cultural significance. "We envision Kingdom Tower as an iconic new marker of Jeddah's historic importance as the traditional gateway to the holy city of Mecca," Al Maiman said. He noted that the southeast leg of Kingdom Tower's tripedal base is on a direct line with the Ka'ba in Mecca, Islam's holiest site.


"Our vision for Kingdom Tower is one that represents the new spirit of Saudi Arabia," said Smith, whose experience in supertall tower design at SOM also includes Jin Mao Tower in Shanghai, Nanjing Greenland Financial Center in Nanjing, China, the Trump International Hotel & Tower in Chicago and Pearl River Tower, now in the late stages of construction in Guangzhou, China. "This tower symbolizes the Kingdom as an important global business and cultural leader, and demonstrates the strength and creative vision of its people. It represents new growth and high-performance technology fused into one powerful iconic form. "

Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill's design for Kingdom Tower is both highly technological and distinctly organic. "With its slender, subtly asymmetrical massing, the tower evokes a bundle of leaves shooting up from the ground - a burst of new life that heralds more growth all around it," Smith said.

The sleek, streamlined form of the tower was inspired by the folded fronds of young desert plant growth, Gordon Gill added. "The way the fronds sprout upward from the ground as a single form, then start separating from each other at the top, is an analogy of new growth fused with technology," he said. "We're thrilled to be working with His Highness and Jeddah Economic Company to help define this path for the Kingdom."

While the design is contextual to Saudi Arabia, it also represents an evolution and a refinement of an architectural continuum of skyscraper design. The three-petal footprint is ideal for residential units, and the tapering wings produce an aerodynamic shape that helps reduce structural loading due to wind vortex shedding. The Kingdom Tower design embraces its architectural pedigree, taking full advantage of the proven design strategies and technological strategies of its lineage, refining and advancing them to achieve new heights.

The result is an elegant, cost-efficient and highly constructible design that is at once grounded in built tradition and aggressively forward-looking, taking advantage of new and innovative thinking about technology, building materials, life-cycle considerations and energy conservation. For example, the project will feature a high-performance exterior wall system that will minimize energy consumption by reducing thermal loads. In addition, each of Kingdom Tower's three sides features a series of notches that create pockets of shadow that shield areas of the building from the sun and provide outdoor terraces with stunning views of Jeddah and the Red Sea.

The great height of Kingdom Tower necessitates one of the world's most sophisticated elevator systems. The Kingdom Tower complex will contain 59 elevators, including 54 single-deck and five double-deck elevators, along with 12 escalators. Elevators serving the observatory will travel at a rate of 10 meters per second in both directions.

Another unique feature of the design is a sky terrace, roughly 30 meters (98 feet) in diameter, at level 157. It is an outdoor amenity space intended for use by the penthouse floor.

Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill also designed the master plan for the 23-hectare Kingdom Tower Waterfront District, which surrounds the tower and which will include residential and commercial buildings, a shopping mall, high-quality outdoor spaces and other amenities. The Waterfront District provides a cohesive and pedestrian-friendly setting for Kingdom Tower while creating a pleasant neighborhood experience along the Kingdom City lakefront.

The district encompasses a high-end shopping mall designed by Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill, plus additional development parcels that accommodate commercial and high-density residential uses, offices, two luxury hotels and high-quality open spaces, including the central Tower Plaza. A serene waterfront promenade connects Kingdom Tower, the various development parcels, the open space areas and the mall together. The result is an exciting mixed-use area that offers a concentrated and comprehensive experience including vibrant shopping, entertainment and open-space amenities. The Waterfront District also provides an array of connections to other areas within Kingdom City's overall master plan, designed by HOK Architects.

Design development of the tower is under way, with construction to begin imminently. Foundation drawings are complete and the piling for the tower is currently being tendered. Kingdom tower will cost approximately $1.2 billion to construct, while the cost of the entire Kingdom City project is anticipated to be $20 billion.

The Indian real estate sector is booming with some great works of architecture such as Cybertecture, Spire Edge, Park Hyatt, SymHomes Mk1, North Eye, World One etc. In the forthcoming wave of contemporary architecture is a great specimen called 'Deya,' which is a part of the project christened 'Atmosphere,' being recently announced by the Kolkata-based developer Forum Group.

Atmosphere will be a new architectural icon - a sculpture in the sky. The Rs. 550 crore luxury residential condominium project will consist of two towers of 39-storey each and will be highest in Kolkata. The towers will have a total area of 400,000 square feet and will feature villas in the sky with garden on each duplex unit.

The most picturesque feature of the Atmosphere is the amorphous shape-shifting, tubular piece of floating sculpture called "Deya, (means cloud in Bengali) which is hanging between the twin towers at a height of 500 feet.

Designed by the Singapore based Arc Studio, the magnificent hanging sculpture is intended to look like as if a cloud was gently floating between the peaks of the two towers. The structure will span more than 320 feet in width, 55,000 square feet of usable space and will have a silver lining featuring 15,000 kinetic discs on its surface to keep it glowing.

"A cloud has no particular form or character. When one is driving around the city, or looking at Deya from different parts of the city, its form will seem to be changing constantly. Similarly, as the sun moves in the sky, Deya will look different in its form, appearing sometimes solid, sometimes translucent and sometimes even a notion of being fluid," said Rahul Saraf, Managing Director, Forum Group.

Sitting 100 metres in the air, "Deya" will have a clear span of 65 metres. With four levels, the highest being the party deck, it will serve as a community space, and both its interior and "outer" skin will be put to use. It will command a 360-degree view of the wetlands stretching before it and feature multiple swimming pools, a gym, a spa, squash courts and a badminton court, a jogging track, a mini cinema theater, open-air party deck, an amphitheater, and multiple lounges and spaces for smaller gatherings. And all that is meant for the exclusive use of the 80 families that will reside in the Atmosphere.

Built around a pathway shaped like a Mobius strip (loop of infinity), Deya will change Kolkata's skyline. The developers feel that other than being an object de art for the city, Deya will also be one of the most expensive clubs that the country would have ever built.

The luxury design of this artistic residential sculpture also conforms to the green architectural standards. The Forum Group has provided for the rainwater to be harvested in collection tanks within the foundations of Deya, which will further be used for landscaping and other purposes. At first glance, the property looks like one of the fascinating towers from Dubai, but this skyscraper will be one of the prominent pieces of architecture in the Indian real estate landscape.


The impact of earthquakes and wind at that height has been tested, and a mock-up is being done in Singapore, where for six months the structure will weather the elements.

Structural Design

For this unique project, International engineering consultancy Web Structures has been contracted by developer to create a dramatic cloud-like sky-bridge in the Indian city. The earthquake engineering specialists Web Structures brings its expertise of working on tall buildings around the globe to Deya.

Part of the design process has been the creation of a mock-up in China. The 1/20th scale model has been used to help in the assembly and scaling of spaces. Dr Hossein Rezai, Web Structures group director, said: "We have come up with a complex structural engineering solution to frame the space the architects have defined. "It comprises more than 1,500 steel sections with a total weight of 1,500 tons, which will be assembled 100 metres above the ground.

"The structure has to straddle between two towers in a combination of a "beam-like" and a "catenary" system. The primary challenges facing the structural system include fundamental issues of safety and serviceability, as well as the critical issue of constructing such a large structure some 40-floors up. Limiting and controlling the movements of the towers at the roof levels where the cloud structure is supported, whilst maintaining serviceability of the towers and the sky-bridge under seismic loads and the high wind forces that prevail in Kolkata have been our primary structural considerations."

Kolkata is in a Level 3 seismic zone, making it vulnerable to earthquake damage. It is also exposed to high wind speeds during monsoon storms. Dr Rezai said: "These conditions present a challenge in themselves. However, when supporting the bridge spanning 65m between them, the ability of the towers to deal with the force and movements caused by these elements becomes even more important.

"As the towers can move independently from one another those movements must also be controlled so the sky-bridge can be safely supported. The supports have been designed to accommodate the movements.

"The movements on top of the roof supporting the structure have been reduced to less than 120mm. The structural arrangement also creates a building that moves laterally when it is subjected to external forces, minimising any potential rotation.The structural anatomy of the final design includes nine different components, each performing a distinctive task to ensure the "whole" structure responds to all the structural requirements in a holistic and appropriate manner."

Longitudinal trusses will span the towers and form the main spine supporting the structure. Horizontal arches will control lateral movements.

Dr Rezai added: "A sliding/multi-rotational bearing assembly system will create the seismic isolation required for the building. It will allow lateral movements arising from wind loads and seismic effects and will allow the buildings below and the bridge above to move relative to one another in an independent manner.


Web Structures, with offices in Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, London and Shanghai, has overseen the creation of a sky-bridge linking three towers at the 50-storey Troika development in Kuala Lumpur, designed by Norman Foster.

Other than the structural design which is created by Web Structures, the wind tunnel investigations has been done by Tony Rofail of Australia-based Windtech Consultants. The contractor is Mero Construction, which has a subsidiary in Chennai. The lighting is being conceived by the Japan-based Kaoru Mende, and at night Deya will be lit up by myriad LED lamps. The estimated cost of Deya alone is INR 100 crores. The construction on the project is started by mid March 2011 and will take approximately 30 months to complete.

Following an international competition, BDP's Indian studio was appointed by the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) to prepare a masterplan and detailed design proposals for a new 230 ha learning Eco-campus on the outskirts of Mandi, H.P. BDP's design for Ecocampus which can assist the institution to move towards environmental sustainability through good operational and management practice, won the competition.

The human scale sustainable campus is on a site with great natural serenity and beauty. Its layout responds to the microclimate and topography of the steep site in the part forested hills in the western Himalayan region.

As per the proposal and design, the project would be completed in a phased manner where Phase I includes shared state-of-the-art laboratories and workshops in learning houses situated on various levels and connected via pedestrian bridges. A market square forms the heart of the campus and creates a place to encourage social interaction and celebration.


The faculty staff housing element forms a retreat on the higher levels at the campus peninsula. It is laid out in a village setting offering fantastic views. Proposed building typologies echo the traditional style of Himalayan vernacular and strive toward a new architecture for the region.


IIT Mandi is the latest of a new generation of Indian Institutes of Technology being promoted by the Indian government. Manisha Bhartia, Urbanism studio leader says: "The Institute's new campus will set a benchmark for developing innovative, contextual and environmentally sensitive building in the Himalayan region."


This project will be led by BDP's New Delhi studio with support from the UK headquarters. Phase I could start on site early next year, with phased completion between 2012 and 2015.

Scandinavia has recently opened its largest hotel that symbolizes not only the identity of the modern Ørestad area of Copenhagen but also marks the Capital's increasing importance on the international convention and congress scene. The sculptural profile and visibility of the hotel from the various corners of Copenhagen make it an architectural landmark which will draw many visitors to the Ørestad neighbourhood.

With its 814 rooms and 30 conference rooms, the Comwell Bella Sky Hotel offers a wealth of new accommodation and resources for the Bella Convention and Congress Center in Copenhagen. In future, this will draw an even larger segment of the international world class conferences and events to Copenhagen. Designed by 3XN, Bella Sky Hotel is a distinct new profile in the Copenhagen skyline with the two towers reaching up 76.5 meters, and leaning out at a staggering 15 degrees in each direction (11 degrees more than the leaning tower of Pisa). This results in a sculptural building unique in Copenhagen which has started drawing many curious looks from all over the city.


The characteristic leaning towers are designed with purpose. The fact that they lean away from each other ensures optimal guest views from both sides of each tower over the nature park 'Amager Common' and the Copenhagen rooftops just beyond.


'Some of the best views can be found in Ørestad, and therefore it was important to find an architectural solution which allows views from nearly every room. The effect of the leaning towers has also resulted in corner rooms where the building angles create a view which is actually underneath the room! It gives the illusion of floating above the view itself,' says Kim Herforth Nielsen, Principal and Founder of 3XN. 'Of course, the most fantastic view of all is from the Hotel's Skybar which is open to the public' he added.


'We have knowingly worked towards designing a building unlike anything else in Copenhagen - And we did that because Ørestad, which is a new city neighbourhood is also unlike any other place in Copenhagen. Bella Sky is designed specifically to reflect the identity of Ørestad, contributing in a positive manner,' he said.

Stylish Interior Strategy:

The Best from Nordic traditions
3XN has also designed a large portion of the interior, and in that regard has aimed to differentiate itself from other hotels.


Mr. Nielsen goes on saying, 'although Bella Sky is the Nordic region's largest hotel, we have done everything to ensure that the hotel doesn't give the typical impersonal and formal feeling that so often defines large hotels. Therefore, we decided to interpret the overall theme as New Nordic Cool. We looked at how Scandinavians approach the design of their homes, how they live – and then chose the best of our design tradition for the Bella Sky Hotel. Key words for us were simplicity, functionality and high quality, both in design and materials.


Therefore, anything synthetic was banned in the selection of materials for the hotel's 814 rooms. Carpets are in wool, bed sheets in high thread count cottons, and there is a prevailing use of natural materials such as smoked oak and leather found throughout the décor. The smokey color palette gives the rooms warmth and at the same time creates references to the Nordic nature, which is evident from the hotel views over the nature park, 'Amager Common.'


3XN has chosen the best from the Nordic tradition in terms of furniture designers, and has used a strategy comprising both new and classic design from a selection such as Hay, Arne Jacobsen and Finn Juhl. The common thread running through the chosen furniture, textiles and lamps, are round organic forms, which underline the informal and relaxed mood.

The Bella Chandelier - A light sculpture Unique in design and technology

In the Hotel's lobby, guests are welcomed by a specially commissioned light sculpture from 3XN's research and development department, GXN. The Bella Chandelier contains over 7000 LED lamps, reflecting a changing program of cool and warm colours which are reminiscent of Nordic light. The warm reception area is framed by a golden wooden wall, textured to give the impression of a bundle of logs. Compact and mobile reception desks ensure a more personal service, where the hotel's employees can welcome guests in an informal and relaxed manner.


Kim Herforth Nielsen describes it further, 'we wish to give the Hotel's guests an experience of walking into a warm, relaxed and friendly space when they arrive at the Bella Sky Hotel. The décor and the interior strategy aim to complement the personal service level, thus giving the guest an informal feeling of freedom from the very first impression.

With the aim of bringing art and science together in one unique light and color experience, the multidisciplinary team of GXN was on a journey exploring the realm between structure, technology and design. And finally they commissioned specially designed light sculpture 'The Bella Chandelier' which is inspired by the stringent yet dynamic design of the Bella Sky.

In several areas, the Bella Chandelier is an example of pioneer work in creating light installations: Hence, the custom milled aluminum cores used as compression rods are merely 36 mm in diameter, making them the slimmest of their kind. Furthermore, the light and spacious expression of the Bella Chandelier is a result of its tensegrity structure where a perfect equilibrium of forces is reached through a precise balance of the elements. Never before has a tensegrity structure of this size been made with as high level of integrated and optimized design.

This extremely slim construction together with the integrated dynamic lighting makes the Bella Chandelier stand out worldwide as an extraordinary example of engineered art. At the same time, the light sculpture perfectly reflects the architecture and design of the Bella Sky.


The Director of Bella Center, Mr. Arne Bang Mikkelsen is delighted that the newest addition to the Bella Congress and Convention Center is more than just the sum of its parts. He says, 'We have received an architectural icon, a symbol for Bella Center and for Copenhagen, which through its unique form provides people with an experience both from the outside as they approach the hotel and on the inside as they experience the many facilities and amenities offered. The Hotel is so sculptural, that we have decided not to add any signage on the exterior. The architecture speaks for itself.' At the same time, the Director, Arne Bang Mikkelsen mentions that the collaboration with 3XN architects was 'perfect.'

Designed by 3XN, the new Chancellary for the Danish Embassy in New Delhi demonstrates the story of the classic Danish house turned upside down. The typical Danish house has four outer walls to protect against the cold and wind and the saddle roof keeps the snow and rain at bay. In India, on the contrary, the hot climate creates the need for protection against the sun and cool, shaded rooms.


The Chancellary is constructed around 12 simple inverted houses combined in a repetitive structure. The easily recognizable Danish shape is turned on its head enabling one to walk in the shaded galleries along the roof of the inverted houses. Water basins cool down the adjacent areas and create beautiful reflections on the ceilings of the buildings.


The compound includes a number of different functions in each three-level house. The spine of the structure is formed by the triple high hall and reception area leading to two different chanceries – the Danish on the right and another country on the right. The incubator rooms function as temporary offices for Danish companies expanding into India. Three residence houses are placed at the back – away from the entrance activities – placed around their own swimming pool and garden area with space for play and recreation. The buildings also contain parking and showroom in the basement, roof terraces, and visa offices with their own separate entrance. The decentralized structure with small volumes makes it possible for the Chancellary’s many different activities to unfold without necessarily interfering with each other.


Four basins connect the two chancellaries, the residences and the reception area like blue courtyards. They are carefully decorated with art, stepping stones and water lilies for soothing visual breaks for the employees and guests. A mix of Danish and Indian trees provides outdoor shading areas in the garden and the surrounding wall with climbing plants is a colorful backdrop to the scenery.

A new architectural highlight in the skyline is the new Unilever headquarters for Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Situated right by the river Elbe and prominently positioned in Hamburg's HafenCity, the building resembles the cruise ships. The enormous transparency inside the building, generates a feeling of openness and freedom.

Designed by Behnisch Architekten, the central element and heart of the Unilever building is the generous atrium, flooded by daylight, which offers public amenities at ground floor level. Light streams in through generous glazed surfaces in the roof construction. The roof, which was optimized by means of light simulations, also provides the office areas with sufficient daylight. Near the central access areas around the atrium, there are open spaces looking out over the interior expanse – the Meeting Points. These serve as access to the office zones while encompassing central facilities such as copy stations and kitchenettes. The Meeting Points are connected to one another by bridges and walkways. Horizontal and vertical neighborhoods are created which are primarily intended for informal encounters. Vibrant and communicative interaction evolves, fostering a feeling of togetherness among the employees.




The Unilever building follows the principles of holistic, sustainable architecture. Its energy concept focuses on avoiding technical solutions, while introducing, where appropriate, technology that helps save resources. Particular attention was paid to the arrangement of the individual levels with respect to capturing a maximum amount of daylight in all areas. The building's high degree of flexibility facilitates the adaptation of use to future requirements; the layout and the arrangement of the individual areas conform to the prerequisites for optimal microclimatic conditions.



It was the users' acceptance of the building that stood at the centre of all considerations. All of those areas with an essential bearing on the use of the building, the atrium in particular, underwent analyses to arrive at the maximum level of comfort in terms of room acoustics and were optimized accordingly. This is due to manually controllable radiators, manually adjustable blinds and glare protection as well as windows which can also be opened onto the atrium, every employee can influence his or her immediate working environment. A modular system is available for furnishing consisting of a wide range of elements such as stand-up tables, benches, storage spaces, room cells etc., which individual departments can use to put together the office of their choice.


The energy concept comprises active components as well as passive measures. Due to its location right next to the cruise ship terminal, the building is exposed to diesel generator emissions from the ships that lie there at anchor. Therefore, a hybrid system was introduced for ventilation: primary ventilation is provided mechanically via a compressed air floor, whereby the air supply is fed into the office area via a filter system and from there into the atrium. Heat exchangers are located near the roof so that warmth can be recovered and no energy is lost. The office area is cooled by means of thermally activated reinforced concrete ceilings with water flowing through them. In order not to restrict the ceilings' thermal storage capacity with insulating panelling, a floor construction, which was specially designed for this project and which unites properties for both ventilation and acoustics, serves as an absorber surface for room acoustics. A single-layer film facade placed in front of the building's insulation glazing protects the daylight-optimized blinds from wind and other weather influences. Unlike a double facade made of glass, this construction does not require horizontal partitioning as a fire prevention measure. As a result, the air-filled space in the facade can be used for window ventilation of the building.

Daylight and Comfortable Temperature

Neutral views, lots of daylight and a high level of solar protection are the strengths of the ipasol neutral solar control facade. It comprises two parts: On the ground floor, the generously dimensioned glazing in a pillar-beam design allows plenty of light into the building. Especially in the summer months, the reflecting water caused the facade to let in considerably more light and heat. Therefore, the planners decided to use ipasol neutral 50/27: With the large windows and the special light intensity, as little as 50% of daylight transmission provides for bright rooms, so that artificial light only has to be used relatively late in the day. This reduces the operating costs and is good for the environment. The particularly low solar factor (27% as per EN 410) effectively protects the rooms from heating up too much on sunny days. This reduces the costs for air conditioning. The neutral glass also allows for a pristine view from the offices over the Elbe River and HafenCity.


From the first storey upwards, the glass facade is protected from the rough sea air by a "plastic cocoon". Since the sophisticated cover, despite its high transparency, reduces light transmittance, the planners decided to use ipasol neutral 70/39.

The high level of light transmittance (tL = 70%) maximises the daylight transmission. Together with the "plastic sail" enclosing the building, the solar factor of 39% is sufficiently low. In the wintertime, the Ug-value of 1.1 W/m2K (as per EN 673) provides for effective heat insulation. In some parts of the building, a cold sound-insulation facade, using laminated sheet glass supplied by Interpane, provides additional protection from increased noise levels.

Awards

The building sets new ecological standards and received several awards including the golden environment award of the HafenCity Hamburg GmbH, the WAF Award (World Architecture Festival), and the international Bex award (Building Exchange Award) are all proof of its sustainable and architectural excellence. The façade, which features ipasol solar control glazing, optimises the energy balance: In warm months, it minimises the costs for air conditioning and in cold months, its insulation value of 1.1 W/m2K (as per EN 673) keeps the warmth inside the building. Another part of the energy concept is the application of LED technology for lighting the workplaces. This reduces power consumption by up to 70% compared to using halogen lamps.

BIG is selected to design a new Waste-to-Energy Plant in Copenhagen, Denmark. Along with the energy plant, it is also proposed to create a ski slope and other entertainment facilities in the plant. The project is expected to be completed by 2016.



Located in an industrial area near the city center the new Waste-to-Energy plant will be an exemplary model in the field of waste management and energy production, as well as an architectural landmark in the cityscape of Copenhagen. The project is the single largest environmental initiative in Denmark with a budget of 3,5 billion DKK, and replaces the adjacent 40 year old Amager for braending plant, integrating the latest technologies in waste treatment and environmental performance. BIG won over Wilkinson Eyre Architects, Dominique Perrault Architecture, 3xN, Lundgaard & Tranberg Architects, and Gottlieb Paludan Architects who were short listed to compete out of 36 international proposals in Fall 2010. The winning team was announced by a panel of judges whose decision was unanimous.

"BIG's proposal contributes to the city with something useful and beautiful. We see this creating a lot of opportunities and with this unique building, we can brand the Danish knowledge and technology to show the world our abilities within environmental and energy issues," said Ulla Röttger, Director of Amagerforbraending.


Instead of considering the new Amagerforbraending as an isolated architectural object, the building is conceived as a destination in itself and reflects the progressive vision for a new type of waste treatment facility. The roof of the new Amagerforbraending is turned into a 31.000 m² ski slope of varying skill levels for the citizens of Copenhagen, its neighboring municipalities and visitors, mobilizing the architecture and redefining the relationship between the waste plant and the city by expanding the existing recreational activities in the surrounding area into a new breed of waste-to-energy plant.

"The new plant is an example of what we at BIG call Hedonistic Sustainability – the idea that sustainability is not a burden, but that a sustainable city in fact can improve our quality of life. The Waste-to-Energy plant with a ski slope is the best example of a city and a building which is both ecologically, economically and socially sustainable," Bjarke Ingels Founder and Partner, BIG.


The slope is ecological using a recycled synthetic granular, upending the convention of the energy intensive indoor ski resort. Access to the slopes is via an elevator along the plant's smokestack providing views into the plant, giving glimpses of its internal workings finally reaching an observation platform 100m above giving sightseers an unobstructed view from one of the tallest structures in Copenhagen. While all of this is going on, the smokestack is modified to puff smoke rings of 30m in diameter whenever 1 ton of fossil CO₂ is released. These smoke rings which are the brainchild of Germany-based art studio realities:united will form due to the condensation of water in the flue gases as they slowly rise and cool, serving as a gentle reminder of the impact of consumption and a measuring stick that will allow the common Copenhagener to grasp the CO2 emission in a straightforward way - turning the smokestack traditionally the symbol of the industrial era into a symbol for the future. At night, heat tracking lights are used to position lasers on the smoke rings into glowing artworks.


"Designing a façade for a building is like wrapping a gift without having to consider its content. Instead of concentrating on the wrapping paper, we have instead invested our energy on creating a gift for the citizens of Copenhagen and its visitors no matter if they are adults or children, professionals or beginners. I can't wait to ski on a base of clean and green energy with a view over the city in 2016", David Zahle, Partner, BIG.


From a distance, the entire building is wrapped in a vertical green façade formed by planter modules stacked like bricks turning it into a mountain from afar. The surrounding topography is sculpted by Topotek 1 & Man Made Land to form a park which offers informal sport activities in summer and winter. Along its western border a field of hills will mimic a mogul piste. A path system throughout the park interconnects the whole site and creates good connections to the neighboring residential area.

Zaha Hadid Architects recently announced the completion of the Guangzhou Opera House. The Opera House design is the latest realization of Hadid Architects’ unique exploration of contextual urban relationships, combining the cultural traditions that have shaped Guangzhou’s history, with the ambition and optimism that will create its future.



Like pebbles in a stream smoothed by erosion, the Guangzhou Opera House rests in perfect harmony with its riverside location. The Opera House is at the heart of Guangzhou’s cultural development. By adopting state-of-the-art technology in its design and construction, it is a lasting monument to the New Millennium, confirming Guangzhou as one of Asia’s cultural centres. Its unique twin-boulder design enhances the city by opening it to the Pearl River, unifying the adjacent cultural buildings with the towers of international finance in Guangzhou’s Zhujiang new town.

Design

The 1,800-seat auditorium of the Opera House, houses the very latest acoustic technology, and the smaller 400-seat multifunction hall is designed for performance art, opera and concerts in the round.


Technically, the 70,000-square-meter complex was built using both cutting-edge technology and obsolete construction methods. Though finished in steel, glass and concrete, the pair of asymmetric buildings — the main structures of the opera house is built up of a metal skeleton requiring 59 unique, custom-cast steel joints.


According to the designer, the design of this project was evolved from the concepts of a natural landscape and the fascinating interplay between architecture and nature; engaging with the principles of erosion, geology and topography. The Guangzhou Opera House design has been particularly influenced by river valleys – and the way in which they are transformed by erosion.

Fold lines in this landscape define territories and zones within the Opera House, cutting dramatic interior and exterior canyons for circulation, lobbies and cafes, and allowing natural light to penetrate deep into the building. Smooth transitions between disparate elements and different levels continue this landscape analogy. Custom moulded glass-fibre reinforced gypsum (GFRC) units have been used for the interior of the auditorium to continue the architectural language of fluidity and seamlessness.


According to the designing firm, the exterior of the opera house is inspired by the idea of two rocks in a stream. The designer’s approach resulted in spaces that smoothly flow into others, as in nature. Ramps and gradually cascading stairs give access to the main entrances and the outdoors. Inside, visitors go from one area to the next surrounded by the kind of clean, fluid lines and textures. In the grand entrance hall, windows composed of triangular pieces of glass let in sunlight by day and the neighborhood’s neon-lit skyscrapers and towers by night.


The Guangzhou Opera House has been the catalyst for the development of cultural facilities in the city including new museums, library and archive.

Located in Zonamerica Business and Technology Park, South America, the project is a mixed use development (restaurant, auditorium, cafeteria, terrace decks, office space) designed by Carlos Ott Architects in association with Carlos Ponce de León Architects. The project is slated to be completed by the end of 2011 or beginning of 2012.

Being built using glass, steel and concrete as building materials, it is a conical inverted building, developed from two semi ellipses, growing from the bottom to top of the penthouse. With unusual form, it will be one of the most original and elegant contemporary buildings of the country.


Commissioned by Zonamerica in celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2010, Celebra Building combines an extraordinary shape with the flexibility required in every office building. It aims to appeal customers with the highest sets of demands, which are reflected in the design with emphasis in attaining LEED certification and bounding this building to make use of state-of-the-art technology - in every area of this project.

Structural Design

Celebra is a seven storey office building which incorporates a number of spaces to meet the needs of staff and visitors, such as conference rooms, business centre, a bank, a cafeteria and terraces on the upper floor. The building’s complex appearance contrasts with its simple internal layout. A central core which holds inside elevators, staircases, shafts, toiletes, etc, runs through the entire height of the building, leaving the rest of each floor plan free to accommodate the future tenants with full flexibility.

The ground floor is occupied by the lobby, and the bank. The first level comprises the business centre, and the rest of the above floors are offices. In the basement, there are conference rooms, the lower level of the bank, cafeteria and service areas. The last floor is dedicated to accommodate penthouse offices, as well as terraces with unobstructed views. Some of the terraces are private, belonging to the offices located on that floor, while the others are designed for public use. The building can easily and economically accommodate frequent renovation and alteration, each floor plan can be quickly divided according to each customer needs. Office infrastructure, interior systems, and furnishings are up to the challenge.

Project work & Construction

Celebra will be the most important building in Zonamerica, thus occupying a plot in front of where R.102 and R.8 motorways connect the R8 motorway, making the building visible to passers-by and becoming an added value to the landscape of this part of Montevideo.

The project includes the construction of roads and urban planning of that sector of Zonamerica, something that benefits the integration of Celebra to its surroundings. The soft curves of roads relate perfectly to the floor plan of Celebra.

The shape of the building was developed using computer modeling techniques. Its unique shape imposed an engineering challenge when designing its structure. Celebra has been designed so that it has no front or back in conventional terms, that is why relates with all its surroundings equally, without turning its back to any of the other buildings. In order to maximize the amount of usable space, there are two kinds of pillars in Celebra, vertical ones, and tilted ones. Vertical pillars are integrated to the core. While the other ones are located close to the façade and accompany its inclination towards the outside.

Great care was taken in the design of the façade curtain wall, which has the added complexity of being curve and inclined towards the outside as the building gains height.
The extensive use of glass and steel in the outer skin relates in harmony to the nearby buildings, which use the same materials on their façade. Giving the high tech image that characterizes the urban shape of Zonamerica. The façade which is inclined outwards, provide interesting reflections of the surrounding areas.

The building which will become the symbol of Zonamerica, will also be the tallest one, dominating the surrounding area, without imposing itself. Celebra will set the trend for the new buildings to come to the business & technology park.

The final sculptural solution allows different perceptions and views of the building from each angle, as 360º of views from the building. It would become a symbol of the high level of industries and services hosted at Zonamérica.

Sustainability

Celebra building is currently in process to obtain GREEN BUILDING certification by the USGBC (United States Green Building Council), and is estimated that a high score in LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) will be achieved. The objective of the designers was to create a building with high performance regarding energy use during its entire lifespan, with the result of refined design, remarkably friendly to the environment aiming to have low operational and maintenance costs.

By means of an adequate use of the plot and its immediate surroundings, and seeking to minimize the use of potable water, with innovations in this field; and reducing to small numbers the use of fossil fuels, Celebra building will become an icon in innovation in the field of green buildings in Uruguay.

Among other measures taken regarding energy conservation, decreasing infiltration and increasing insulation are exemplified by the extensive use of efficient materials, such as lightweight polymers, double glazing with low-transmittance and shading coefficient, etc.

The handling of natural ventilation will allow fresh high quality air to reach the different spaces inside the building and maintaining its occupant’s health.

In addition, the north facing curtain wall is silk screened in order to reduce the amount of light that passes through, thus reducing the greenhouse effect.

Special care was given to the correctly sizing of the heating, ventilating (natural as well as mechanical), and air-conditioning systems, to diminish the amount of energy used in those systems, improving performance by means of an intelligent control to manage them. Chillers with heat recovery and capacity modulation were selected for energy saving.

Photovoltaic panels located above the parking lot, contribute in making a significant reduction on the amount of power used from the public network. The electricity generated is used for illumination of the parking lot itself, with space to accommodate 325 cars. Special places are provided for hybrid and electrical cars, with outlets for energy recharging. It is important to remark that Celebra building will make a minimum use of fossil fuels.

Extensive use of eco-friendly and recyclable materials are used for the insulation of Celebra. The steel used in the structure has a high percentage of recycled steel incorporated in the manufacturing process. FSC-certified wood is used extensively in the building, in panelling and doors. The acoustic ceiling is made from recycled materials and is recyclable itself. In addition regional materials are widely used throughout the project.

With the completion and opening of Park Hotel in Hyderabad, one more name has been added in the list of marvels in India. Described as a 'Modern Indian Palace,' this newly constructed and country's first LEED Gold certified hotel combines high-performance design with local culture and this is its greatest glory.

Designed by the New York-based architectural firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, LLC (SOM), The Park Hotel Hyderabad, the flagship hotel for The Park Hotel Group, is 531,550-square-foot, 270-room hotel infuses a modern, sustainable design with the local craft traditions, and is influenced by the region's reputation as a center for the design and production of gemstones and textiles.


"This building signals our commitment to creating a design that simultaneously felt at home among the exuberant vernacular architecture of Hyderabad, while simultaneously incorporating the latest sustainable strategies and technologies," says Roger Duffy, SOM's Partner in Charge of the project.

Sustainable Design

The project is distinctive for its profound implementation of sustainable design strategies, with special attention paid to the building's relationship to its site, daylighting and views. Solar studies influenced the site orientation and building massing, with program spaces concentrated in the north and south facades, and service circulation on the west to reduce heat gain. The hotel rooms are raised to allow more expansive views, situated on top of a podium comprised retail spaces, art galleries, and banquet halls open to guests and visitors.





The building's three sides wrap around an elevated central courtyard that can be accessed from the hotel lobby. This flexible outdoor area is protected from strong winds, and serves as an extension of the restaurants inside. It features a private dining court and a swimming pool, which can be seen from the adjacent areas and the nightclub below, with moving patterns formed by light passing through the pool's water. The outdoor courtyard was designed to be a multifunctional space accessible from the lobby, restaurants, and bar that surround it. Elevated three stories above ground, this veranda provides views to Hussain Sagar Lake and the city.


The facade provides a range of transparency according to the needs of the spaces inside. Perforated and embossed metal screens over a high-performance glazing system give privacy to the hotel rooms while allowing diffused daylight to enter the interior spaces and provides acoustic insulation from trains passing nearby. The opaque areas of the cladding shield the hotel's service areas from public view. The shape of the facade's openings, as well as the three-dimensional patterns on the screens themselves, were inspired by the forms of the metalwork of the crown jewels of the Nizam, the city's historic ruling dynasty.

SOM designed many of the project's interior spaces, including the lobbies, the lobby lounge, retail, and banquet halls. The interiors continue the jewelry concept – with silver, gold and gem tones throughout. Many of the interior surfaces, including the mosaics, reflect local designs, which were implemented by artists and craftsmen from the region.


Priya Paul, Chairperson of Apeejay Surrendra Park Hotels which owns The Park brand, describes The Park, Hyderabad as "a Modern Indian Palace, something refreshing and different that speaks to the aspirations of India today."

Collaboration with manufacturers, fabricators, and researchers played a vital role in developing this low-energy prototype building, with data gathered in collaboration with the Stevens Institute of Technology's Product Architecture Lab in Hoboken, New Jersey. As a result, the design team was able to reduce the building's energy use by twenty percent. In addition, an on-site water treatment facility and sewage treatment plant process both gray water for reuse and waste water for release back into the city's sewer system.

LEED Gold Certification

The project achieved the first LEED Gold certification for a hotel in India, and has been awarded Best New Hospitality Project of 2010 from Cityscape India. The Park Hotel has also recently won two awards at MIPIM (the international property market that took place in Cannes, France) the best Hotel & Tourism Resort, and the special jury award for best overall development.

The Park Hotel also served as a case study for using a collaborative process to achieve an environmentally efficient design in Design Principles and Practices: An International Journal in 2009, and was the subject of a white paper written by the design team on the high-performance curtain wall system.