E1B1

 Mohan Co-operative Industrial Estate in New Delhi is a thin sliver of land adjoining the Delhi-Agra railway line on the eastern side. Originally meant for manufacturers that required access to the nearby freight facilities, it has now descended into a civic mess of offices and aging warehouses with parking overflowing on the streets, leaving pedestrians to negotiate broken roads and constant traffic. The land for the E1B1 project had earlier housed a steel mill and hence, an aging metal structure occupied part of the site.

The brief from the owner was to create an office building that could have multiple end-users. At the outset, the strategy was to make a facility that was not only flexible, but also had a civic presence. A basement was created to accommodate parking, with a discreet ramp set below the building plinth. This freed up the front edge of the property and a wide walking area was created, leading up to the building entrance.

The building was organized into three basic areas;A central office block flanked by two service areas, one at the front and another at the rear. The centre block, a large 60’ wide column free space was repeated on the upper floors. The main stair, expressed in the façade as a tall grey volume, an elevator and a common conference room were accommodated in the front service area and the rear block housed the toilets, building services, a spare elevator and a fire escape stair.

The upper floor, designed as a private suite of offices for the client, was expressed a dark grey slab apparently floating on the glass wall below. Punctured with square windows, the horizontality provides a dramatic counterpoint to the verticality of the stair volume. A corner of this grey box was cut away on the front façade to reveal a shaded terrace, as a private area for refuge and contemplation. 

Location                                  

Industrial Estate, New Delhi

Client

Mohan Co-operative

Typology

Commercial

Climate

Composite

Built-Up Area

25,000 Sq.Ft.

Completion

2010

Garage

Delhi’s urban villages have evolved from being sleepy hamlets surrounded by British era planned development to becoming the city’s design and entertainment hotspots. Free from the strict municipal regulations that are enforced in rest of the city, increased density and cheap rent attracts young entrepreneurs to set up shop in narrow lanes. Hauz Khaz village, located near the lake that once supplied Delhi its drinking water, represents the extreme end of this evolution. Divested almost completely of its original inhabitants, mostly fashion designers, art galleries and restaurants are to be seen here.

The client, an accomplished yet young chef, was already running a successful restaurant in another part of the village and was keen to set up a restaurant with a garage theme. The new site was located on upper floor, affording great views to the outside, but was burdened with sharing the entrance with a house and a few other restaurants. Keeping with the theme, the interior was designed with raw untreated surfaces - unplastered brick walls, grey epoxy flooring and even the ceiling plaster was removed to reveal the raw concrete roof. The view to the forest was opened up with an edge to edge glass wall that was recessed from the facade, creating shade for the glass and a verandah for outdoor sitting.

To create a distinctive character for the restaurant exterior, entrance was enclosed with a long membrane of curved corrugated metal. This corrugation forms the backdrop to the bar counter from the interior. Recalling vintage garage doors, the main entrance door is reinforced with steel tubes and painted green and is set in a distressed exposed brick frame. An added attraction to the area, Garage, Inc references the old, while catering to the new.

This project was done in collaboration with Archiopteryx Architects.

Location

Hauz khas village,

New Delhi

Client  

Undisclosed

Typology

Hospitality

Climate

Composite

Built-Up Area              

1500 Sq.Ft.

Completion

2013

Barrister Residence

Delhi has grown concentrically around the British-era Lutyens Zone. The principal traffic arteries are called ring roads, one within the other. Situated on one of the busier intersections on the outer ring road, this large plot afforded the potential for plentiful living space, but also the nuisance of traffic and poor outward views. Designed for a legal counselor who also required private consultation spaces, the house is designed as a jigsaw of hierarchies, with separately functional circulation and spaces for the family, attending house staff, visiting office staff and select clients.

Unusually, but pragmatically, the most prominent corner of the house towards the intersection was made into a service core, while a large forecourt was carved from the remaining frontage to accommodate a turnaround for a car. The core permitted access to the rooftop office areas, including space for conferences, legal secretaries and a private consultation chamber looking into a terrace garden. A double height portico and entrance lobby sequester the main garden from the street, giving the house its distinctive “T” shape and creating a quiet oasis into which the principal living and family spaces open.

The largely blank street facades are a stark contrast from the completely glazed interior elevations that afford generous views into the garden. Two of the more indulgent features of the project were a glass fronted garage for the owner’s luxury car collection in the entrance forecourt and a two-lane bowling alley in the basement.

Location
Vasant Vihar,

New Delhi

Client  

Undisclosed

Typology

Residential

Climate

Composite

Built-Up Area              

32000 Sq.Ft.

Completion

Proposal Only

Brutal Shock

 A visit to the unsympathetically, but aptly named Barbican Estate means coming face to face with the Brutal. And I don’t mean only the grim English weather, but also the architectural style that this midcentury urban experiment championed so fiercely. Raised above the vibrant streets of the city of London, the experience of walking along the desolate windswept podium harks back to the barbicans of old - akin to being in a fortified outpost high above the terrain, miles from civilization. Except that you are in the middle of one of the busiest cities on the planet and yet, completely devoid of life and colour.

The urban revolution made possible by reinforced concrete is one of the pivotal moments in human history. Cities were low-rise agglomerations of buildings, never more than a few storeys tall until the steel reinforced frame came into being at the turn of the last century. Quickly catching on as the fashionable material to build in, it remained cloaked under historic facing materials for almost half a century till innovative & daring architects like Corbusier started using concrete as both structure and façade. Needless to say, it spawned an entire genre of architecture styles, with some architects like Tadao Ando using it as a pristine cuboidal form and some using it as they saw it – as a raw, rough and plastic material. From this second subset of architects emerged the Brutalists, famous for making their buildings almost entirely of only two materials - rough concrete and smooth polished glass.

In the UK, Brutalism caught on as the need for low-cost functional architecture in the post-war era was compounded by the need for reconstructive urban planning. Firms like Alison & Peter Smithson, Erno Goldfinger & Chamberlin, Powell & Bon created iconic structures with dynamic silhouettes and bold planning strategies. Amongst these, the Barbican Estate was arguably the most radical, albeit not the most successful reconstructive urban design of its time. Built during the late 60’s and early 70’s, it reimagined a 15ha site that had been irreparably damaged during the war. Much has been written about the social problems associated with the barren pedestrian plazas and the empty, unsafe peripheral streets, but the sharpest criticism was reserved for the treatment of the façade. The entire complex was rendered in a concrete so rough that merely brushing against it would ensure torn fabric and scratched skin. It was also an especially melancholy shade of grey, which would eventually stain irreversibly in the perpetually rainy weather and take on sinister dark streaks. To compound the problems, the rough surface was prone to vandalism by way of graffiti and for some of its early life, the approximately 2000 apartments had few takers.

Today, the Barbican Estate is Grade II listed and the ambition of the project is lauded as being visionary in its time. A quick search on a real estate website reveals that the apartments in the tall towers are worth around 1M GBP, the ones with no alterations being worth a little more. This suggests that not only are these desirable for their location and views, their thoughtful interior architecture is being appreciated as well. The Barbican Centre, an arts hub, is also undergoing a revival of sorts, after a sympathetic 2006 refurbishment that allowed better pedestrian access from the neighborhood. Yet the façade remains as uninviting as ever, devoid of any color save for the railings and planters. On a rainy September morning, the buildings seemingly merge into the gloomy sky, the weather doing its best to match tones with the beton-brut, the glass somberly reflecting the atmospheric mood.

It comes then, as quite a shock, to see the difference that a little colour can make. Simply by replacing the sky with flat neon tones leads to a dramatic re-perception of form. The skyline acquires clarity and the planar juxtaposition of the volumes and textures holds attention. Even the apparent disconnect between the 3 towers and the podium level blocks gets understood as a way of ordering movement along the plaza by creating urban walls. Rather than try and upstage the buildings, the intent is to provide a shocking contrast to the dramatic silhouette and bring the architecture itself into focus. To hope for vivid backgrounds to stolid buildings to enhance appreciation might be seen as wishful

For the complete photo essay, see our website www.akda.in

 © AKDA | Amit Khanna Design Associates

Photography by Amit Khanna

Triveni Kala Sangam, New Delhi

The Triveni Kala Sangam is a cultural and architectural landmark in the city of Delhi. Designed by Joseph Allen Stein in 1957 in the part of Lutyens’ New Delhi dedicated to cultural activities, it has remains as one of the icons of post-independence architecture in the city. Stein, an architect and urban planner, was trained in California, but produced the bulk of his remarkable oeuvre of buildings in India. Known for his sensitivity to form and climate, his architecture has inspired an entire generation of architectural practices.

 Of this building, Mr. Stein said “I have sought forms and a vocabulary that would express a rational, effective reconciliation of advanced techniques of modern engineering and twentieth century architectural attitudes, with the ancient, yet enduringly vital, aesthetic and cultural values of India, in particular those of the Delhi region… At the same time, the character of the building was evolved with regard and respect for Indian sensibilities and Indian conditions.”

The existing building can be read almost as a campus of individual blocks, each specifically designed for a specific purpose and that is reflected in the nature of their respective elevations. A four-storey classroom block is joined by a wall-less entry foyer to the art gallery and the open air auditorium. A three storey extension to the north was built in 1977 which accommodates additional classrooms, artists’ residences and a 200 seat auditorium. 

Despite being built to Mr. Stein’s fastidious attention to quality, the building has started showing its age, both by being non-compliant to new safety norms and by general deterioration under the ravages of the climate, where temperatures swing by almost 50ºC through the year. The highly polluted air in the city doesn't help either, especially as the building is situated in proximity to the central business district of Connaught Place.

In 2013, AKDA began the process of upgrading the building, first to comply with more stringent fire-safety regulations and then to preserve the building’s façade, including the signature screen, or jaali. The first physical manifestation of this process is an external metal stair, providing an additional egress point from the auditorium. Rather than try to design something that would blend in with the subdued character of the building, the stair was designed to be a departure from the old, retaining the spirit of what Stein sought, as opposed to the physicality. Fabricated entirely from steel, with minimal vertical supports, the stair is attached to the side of the building on a largely blank façade. Rendered in bright orange, the addition enlivens the sculpture court into which it descends.

Location

Mandi House,New Delhi

Client  

Triveni Kala Sangam

Typology

Institutional

Climate

Composite

Built-Up Area              

7000 Sq.Ft.

Completion

2014

© AKDA | Amit Khanna Design Associates

Photography by Amit Khanna

House 1

House 1 is a modern Indian home with a contemporary interior completed recently by our firm. Located in South Delhi, this house brings an elegant simplicity to the design of the façade and interiors.

The homeowners’ specific requirement of reducing the bedrooms from four to three  extended the leeway to experiment with the area, but the load bearing walls of the 1960 home meant there were constraints in making modifications to the structure. 

The house was north-facing and there was minimal light percolating in to the interiors. The whole house was jacked up, exterior walls were broken and additional steel beams and columns were added to strengthen the building from the core. This made way for larger windows and a new floor plan. A family lounge was created in the centre of the house & was connected with the external facade by an angled roof over a part of an existing courtyard.

A design feature that presented itself by accident has been incorporated in the living room - Stacked glass and stone create a brilliant light pattern, so instead of using only glass blocks, glass slabs were used these with cut up waste pieces of stone. Eight-inch gaps were built into the walls and fitted with these stacks that now stream in light, yet lend privacy to the room.

The new floor plan relocated the bedrooms to areas where these could get more natural light. The kitchen was moved to the centre, bringing light to the courtyard. Custom-designed furniture has been placed in the living and lounging spaces. Local materials form the basic fabric of the house - Natural Kota stone was used for the flooring while laminated jute sheets were applied on the wardrobe fronts.

In collaboration with Ms. Preeti Harit

Location
New Friends Colony, New Delhi
Client
Undisclosed
Typology
Residential
Climate
Composite
Built-Up Area
4500 Sq.Ft.
Completion
2006

© AKDA | Amit Khanna Design Associates
Photography by Amit Khanna & Andre Fanthome

Transformation

Transformation is a modern Indian home with a contemporary interior completed recently by our firm. Located in South Delhi, this house brings an elegant simplicity to the design of the façade and interiors.

The challenge of this project lay in transforming the dated house created by the previous owner into a modern residence for a growing family, while they continued to inhabit the space. A small addition was also required on the upper floor to accommodate an extra bedroom suite.

Located in an upscale neighbourhood which has gradually been overrun with apartments created by builders, this was a single storey residence. By only adding area where necessary, the living spaces on the lower floor fit into the old shell and maintain the residential scale crucial to the notion of a “house”. 

A dense mango tree at the front of the property had grown substantially over the years and its shadow was not permitting the evolution and maintenance of the ground floor garden. Rather than risk excessive pruning by the owners, the garden on the ground was sacrificed to create a large patio and the garden was shifted to the first floor terrace where it occupies the open area to the front of the property. Not only does this insulate the living areas below, it also creates a view for the upper lounge areas.

A large part of the furniture for this project was designed & manufactured by AKDA.

Location
Sukhdev Vihar, New Delhi
Client
Undisclosed
Typology
Residential
Climate
Composite
Built-Up Area
3500 Sq.Ft.
Completion
2010

© AKDA | Amit Khanna Design Associates
Photography by Amit Khanna & Akshat Jain

Happy Diwali

Here's wishing everyone a very Happy Diwali.

 At AKDA, we have had a great year, getting to work with some wonderful clients and been given the opportunity to design some thoughtful buildings and for that we are thankful. We hope to do better this coming year than we did before and wish everybody a joyous festive season. 

So time to feast on goodies, exchange presents and brighten up your home with lights. And please, no crackers, they are awful. 

For those looking for some interesting and low impact ways to light up their home, stick candles in brown paper bags. Not only do they last longer, the glow is very festive.

House 8

House 8 is a modern Indian home with a contemporary interior completed recently by our firm. Located in South Delhi, this house brings an elegant simplicity to the design of the façade and interiors.

The existing house had been designed to maximise cross ventilation and embodied some of our trademark restraint in the materials and exterior form. Rather than try and upstage the existing character of the house, the attempt was to seamlessly blend the large addition required by the growing family.

The brief was to add 2000 sq.ft. of living spaces, an elevator and design a general upgradation of the entire house. Instead of putting the elevator in the tall courtyard space as originally intended, it was inserted into the core of the house, necessitating structural changes, but hiding the elevator from view. The addition on the top floor was set back from the main façade with multiple benefits: the 10 foot overhang shades the glass wall from the west sun, creates a large covered deck and prevents the house from looking top heavy.

Despite the tight construction schedule of just 5 months, the house incorporates many custom details, including a virtually frameless insulated glass wall and a hand beaten copper sheet main door.

Location

Sukhdev Vihar, New Delhi

Client

Undisclosed

Typology

Residential

Climate

Composite

Built-Up Area                 

8000 Sq.Ft.

Completion

2012

© AKDA | Amit Khanna Design Associates
Photography by Amit Khanna