India in the New Millennium
In recent years India was set a host of extremely high structures, a simple listing of which will run far beyond the limit of a short update. The most significant of them has been completed just “yesterday” and not yet fully covered in the trade press. Obviously, for the construction of skyscrapers in this densely populated country, there are certain points of attraction - the regions where such buildings are especially in demand.
Nowadays Mumbai (the capital of the State of Maharashtra) every day only strengthens the line items of the principal commercial and financial center of the country. Sharp flare-up of the land price in recent years and, at the same time, extension of presence at the country of the international companies possessing the modern construction technologies, allowed implementing in India a large number of high-rise projects on a rather tight schedule. And the capital of Maharashtra has become the main arena for their implementation. To date, more than 350 high-rise buildings (above 90 m or 25 storeys) adorn the skyline of this city. Therefore, it seemed to us interesting to pay more attention to some projects and constructions of Mumbai, where through the prism of specific experiences one can track trends in modern architecture of the whole country. We have already talked about the history of formation and development of high-rise construction in India in XX century, so let us turn to the numerous examples of the XXI century. Even starting with the example of Mumbai Lower Parel new district the qualitative and quantitative changes in the nature of building construction in India can be seen quite clearly.
Tower Imperial Tower I and Imperial Tower II were officially opened in 2010 and so far as are the tallest (254 m each) buildings in Mumbai, a kind of Indian “Manhattan”. The recognizable silhouette of paired white 60-storey volumes towering over the city with a light rhythm of the top covered with pyramid-shaped roofs. Although the basic design of the towers facades are made in a relaxed style of the Neomodernism, the crowning parts geometry refers more to the aesthetics of the late postmodernism of Philip Johnson and Cesar Pelli.
At the next place in altitude is a new complex of the capital of Maharashtra - the towers Lodha Bellissimo A, B and C, put in commission in the current 2012, contain only 53 operated floors and are 222 meters high. The main building of Ashok Towers D complex (49 fl., 2009) and 40-storey Ruby (191 m, 2011) just do not have lasted up to 50 floors. The Orchid Woods complex consisting of three towers, even though they have 55 storeys each in a total height still yield up abovementioned skyscrapers because reach only 190 meters. Several more Mumbai skyscrapers rise up to 180-meter mark, and as for “little” high-rises - they could be reckoned by dozens.
The vast majority of these buildings are designed and built over the past few years. And if architecturally they are quite diverse and can be referred to almost the polar vectors of Neomodernism, technologically they mostly meet the latest international quality standards and contain innovations principal for the further growth of the national architectural and construction industry. MVRDC (156 m, 35 fl.) - used to be the highest building of the city during the first phase of high-rise construction started in 1970s, today takes just 24th place amid the new skyscrapers of Mumbai, and in the next few years is likely to be, at best, in the first fifty. As for the typology of the Indian construction in demand are residential and multifunctional complexes, and some office towers are sprouting up to a truly great urban scale, as the rapid development of the economy, despite the crisis dictates its own pace of the construction industry growth. A huge population of the country provokes large-scaled construction development in general and high-rise - in particular.
This is a truly grandiose scale. If the number of existing towers in the country amounts to tens, then hundreds more skyscrapers are under construction, and their completion in the next few years, with no significant changes in the original plans are very real. Another almost a hundred high-rise projects are only pre-approved or discussed.
Among the many utilitarian objects of modern Indian residential architecture there are some really bright unhackneyed projects. These include highrise building project of Bandra Ohm, designed by James Law Cybertecture International for the local customer Parinee Developers PVT LTD. Although this project assumes a total of 30 floors and will rise by a modest 140 meters, but its architectural appearance noteworthy attention by the originality of its design. The building resembles at once a Ferris wheel on a high podium filled with living cells, and a fragment of some cosmic epic scenery, and a giant chess piece. For the Indian cultural tradition this form of the ring on the base with an oval recess is a recognizable symbol, indicating the contemplation and meditation.
At the same time a purely functional challenges of the structure are solved simply and elegantly. Skirted round the facade balconies are softening the visual rigidity, and the presence of egg-like figure in the void inside the building is considered to be the hallmark of the designer. The upper part of the lightweight curved roof can be opened, making swimming in the pool and being in a recreation area on the top floor very exciting. Of course, a new residential building provided with the all the necessary amenities for a luxurious housing of a new generation - comfortable suites, a large recreational and sports zones, greenery and so on. Unfortunately, the construction of this striking complex has not yet begun, and what will be its fate, is hard to say now. However, the fact of creation and initial approval of such a project demonstrates the gradual emergence in the Indian highrise architecture truly unhackneyed and memorable projects, where, along with practical needs are also solved artistic tasks.
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text MARIANNA MAEVSKAYA,
photos James Law Cybertecture