CASE STUDY 1

India International Centre, Delhi

Location: Lodhi Estate, New Delhi

Architect: J.A. Stein, B.V. Doshi, J.R. Bhalla
Building Type: Cultural / Social
Site Area: 4.6 acres
Year: 1962
Founded in 1958 and inaugurated in 1962, the India International
Centre is a
premier non-official organization in the capital, playing a unique
cultural and
intellectual role in the life of the citizens.
The munificent grant from the Rockefeller Foundation, handsome
support
from the Universities which became its foundation members, the
personal
interest taken in the project by Dr. S. Radhakrishnan, the
encouragement of
the Government of India and the energetic work of a small organizing
committee under the chairmanship of Dr. C.D. Deshmukh saw to the
establishment of the Centre in the late sixties. The Centre was
intended, in the
words of its Founder President, to provide 'facilities for exemplars of
various
cultures to stay together a while for a not too professional or hurried
exchange
of ideas or thoughts, but in order that the sharpness of intellectual
exchange
is softened by the graciousness of good fellowship'.
The Centre is non-official in character, non-aligned in its motivation
and
approach and uncommitted to any particular form of governmental,
political,
economic or religious affiliation.
The Centre's reputation over the years has become such that several
intellectual and cultural institutions in the country and, occasionally
some
abroad, have sought to organize functions in the Centre, often in
collaboration
with it. This is as it should be because we recognize that the Centre
cannot by
itself cover as much ground as it can with the cooperation of others. In
fact,

one could perhaps say that the Centre's major role is to act as a
catalyst as well
as a promoter of intellectual and cultural activity throughout the
country and
provide a suitable ambience for this.

AIMS and OBJECTIVES

To promote understanding and amity between the

different
communities of the world by undertaking or promoting
the
study of their past and present cultures, by
disseminating or
exchanging knowledge there of, and by providing such
other
facilities as would lead to their universal application.
To undertake, organize and facilitate study courses,
conferences, seminars, lectures and research in matters
relating to different cultural patterns of the world.
To undertake, facilitate and provide for the publication
of
newsletters, research papers, and books and of a
journal for
the exposition of cultural patterns and values prevailing
in
different parts of the world.
To establish and maintain libraries and information
services to

facilitate study of world cultures.

To cooperate with approved institutions and interested
bodies
for the purpose of helping the cause of understanding
among
peoples of different cultures.
To organize and maintain, as far as possible on a noprofit/noloss basis, limited residential accommodation,
with cultural and educational amenities, for the
members of the society as well as non-members
specially invited to participate in the activities of the
Centre.
To invite cultural leaders, scholars, scientists and
creative
artists, who may or may not be members of the society,
to take
advantage of the facilities offered by the society.
To establish for the management and administration of
all the
properties, moneys, assets, and activities of the
society, a
Trust consisting of seven trustees, five of whom shall be
Life
Trustees and the remaining two elected, one by
individual
members and the other by institutional members.

LOCATION

The site of prestigious complex is situated at Lodhi

estate, adjoining the serene surroundings of the Lodhi
gardens, famous for their natural splendor. The site

measures 4.6 acres adjoins road on eastern and

southern side and Provide excellent view of gardens
and Lodhi tomb . The height of the building has been
kept below the base of the domes of the nearby tombs
in Lodhi garden.
APPROACH

The complex is approached by road on east and south

side i.e. Max Mueller marg / Lodhi Estate road which
leads to the portico for entrance to the program wing .
ARCHITECTURAL SCHEME

The architectural scheme is characterized by careful

relation of indoor and outdoor spaces, and fine details
and expressive construction. The center's 18,600 Sq.m.
(4.6 acre) site at Lodhi estate was designed so that the
grounds of the IIC and adjacent Lodhi gardens could
function as one entity. The centre is composed of Stein'
s characteristically, individually articulated blocks: 46
guest rooms, a lounge and dining room in one, a
program block of library and offices, and a domed
auditorium are all grouped around two great courts, and
connected by porticoes and round level and rooftop
verandahs.
The main complex of the Centre is laid out with three
wings, on the north, south and west, each designed to
serve a separate function. While cultural programs are
open to the interested public in the south wing, the
Centre offers residential and catering facilities to
members and their guests in the north wing. The
lounge, dining hall and services are located on the west
side, overlooking the Lodi gardens.

The Center's beautiful and low-profile buildings express,

as the architect Jose Allen Stein himself said, Informal
or romantic approach, where each function seeks out
its own expression.

LOCATION
The India International Centre is a combination of Guest House,
Cultural
centre and Social club.

Salient Features:
Program Wing:
It is the nucleus of the complex and comprises of auditorium,
exhibition
space, library, reception lobby and ancillary service area for
laundry, A.C.
plant room etc. on ground floor & conference room, main
kitchens and
administrative offices on first floor.
Exhibition Area:
It lies next to reception lobby, for ease of circulation and close to
auditorium to display the subject matter. Vertical displays on
walls and pedestals are provided with sufficient artificial lights
focusing on the exhibits.
Library:
It is a rectangular hall oriented north-south to take north light in
the reading area. Reader gets an excellent view of landscaped
court, helping to create the right mood and environment for
readers. It has shelving space for 11,000 books, a separate

section for display and stacking of about 200 periodicals.There

are 2 attached museums for Indian collections. It has research
tables for 16, 8 carrels and separate reading area for 25 and
leisure reading. It is placed so as to provide access while
remaining separate from other activities.
Conference Area:
It is a rectangular hall of capacity 40 with rectangular central
conference table. This hall is oriented north-south to suit the
climatic conditions and is
equipped with audio and visual facilities. Facilities are also
provided for
lectures and reading papers. Acoustical treatment has been
given to surfaces.
Auditorium:
A auditorium of capacity 240 is provided next to reception lobby.
It is
hexagonal in shape and is made of grey colored quartzite stone.
Stage is
small, mainly for lectures and conferences. Projection facilities
are also
provided, but are meant for stage or drama facilities.

Seating is in form of 12 semi circular rows and approached by 2 aisles.

Walls
are acoustically treated with wood paneling of lower height white stone
is left
exposed at top for reflection and uniform sound distribution. Projection
room
is at the rear wall. Wall to wall carpeting is done for sound absorption.
The roof
is composed of Y-shaped concrete elements, combined to form a sixsided
domical structure based on hexagons and quadrilaterals. Light fixtures
are

incorporated within hollow elements.

Courtyards and Gardens:

The India international centre is conceived as a design of interrelated
interior
and shaded spaces, court-yards and gardens.
Relatively compact interiors expand out to and offer a haven from the
larger

outdoor spaces in ways which depend on the schedule of activities of

the
centre, the time of day, and the season. Each courtyard and garden at
the IIC
has a different function and aspect. The first or the entrance court
provides
access on north side to the guest rooms, and on the south to the
auditorium
and program. The rear holds gardens for dining and informal meetings
under
the shade of the trees near the fountain and the pool.

Hostel Wing:
The hostel wing housing a lounge, reception and accommodation
facilities of
guest rooms, is placed on the northern side of the site giving
spectacular
views of Lodhi gardens, and is connected to it by pergola shaped
corridor. The
main entrance to this wing is from southern side by vaulted corridor
connecting program wing and parking on eastern side.
Guest Rooms:
Two types of rooms both single (39) and double (44) are provided .The
centrally located entrance lobby divides the hostel into east wing and
west
wing. A lift and staircase links it to the upper floor. The east wing has
single
seated rooms served by doubly loaded corridor on ground and first
floor. The
western wing is raised on stilts. On first and second floor double seated
rooms
have been provided. The space on ground being utilized for holding
informal
discussion and buffet function. This space overlooks the water body on
one
side and court on other. The hostel wing is well linked with link block's
coffee
room at ground floor by means of patio. It is connected to dining at
first floor
level. The corridors are covered by vertical jaali to which is attached
film and
wood construction allowing diffused light into the corridors.
Link Block:
It forms a connection between program and hostel wing. It is raised on
stilts at
ground floor to maintain the axis of Lodhi tomb from internal court. At
far end
it has hexagonal coffee house at ground floor and outdoor seating
under
projecting roof having a view of the water body and Lodhi gardens
beyond
that. Above it is the main dining hall of 100 capacity. Operated louvers
pivot
literally to block out western sun which can otherwise be slid vertically
out of
the way into a pocket for clear views out to the garden.
Conference Room:

Above main dining is a hexagonal conference room for 75. It has

microphone
facilities. It has hexagonal hollow table for central conferences. Its
sloping
roof has been treated internally with straw board and glazed with
tinted glass.
Structure and Materials:
Massive materials anchor the buildings to the ground, while lighter
materials
and more delicate constructions meet the sky. The concrete frame is
filled in
with several types of cladding (local stone, pre-cast concrete panels),
windows
and shading devices of various sizes, materials and degrees of
operability, in
an attempt to maximize an appreciation of the indoor / outdoor
relationships
and particular qualities of site.
Shading Devices:
Depending on the task at hand, the shading devices at the IIC range
from
relatively monolithic sunshields, like the pre-cast vaulting for the entry
portico
and rooftop pergolas, to an operable lightweight device the vertical
sliding
window louvers in the dining room. The most precisely detailed and
coordinate
of the devices are the designs for the jaali and the vertical sliding
louvers.

Building Environment
In consonance with its objectives, the buildings of the Centre are
located in an
ideal environment. Situated in New Delhi, the Centre is adjacent to the
Lodi
gardens overlooking a magnificent landscape of gardens and historic
monuments from the sixteenth century.
The India International Centre was the first among seven institutional
projects
in this area such as the Ford Foundation and World Wide Fund for
Nature, each
designed by Joseph Allen Stein and laid out like an informal campus of
architectural spaces. The Centre retains its own distinctive character of
a
green oasis amidst the newer buildings in Lodi Estate. In the hurried
pace of

life it imparts a sense of leisure, with the buildings opening into outer
and
inner courtyards, lawns and flowering trees and pools of still water.
Three separate wings of the IIC complex are designed to reflect the
different
functional aspects of the Centre. A grand central portico greets the
visitor at
the entrance driveway, extending across a north-south axis. Each
courtyard
and each wing serves a different purpose. Residential rooms in the
north
wing, the dining areas in the west and the third complex of the library,
auditorium and administrative offices in the south wing, are connected
to
each other by walkways with overhanging eaves.Respecting the
garden traditions of north India and the refinement ofindigenous
techniques, Stein integrated these elements with the modern useof
exposed concrete and massive piers and exposed roof patterns. The
use oflocal materials such as rugged quartzite stone and blue Kotah
flooring issoftened by screened jalis in ceramic blue tiles which
resonate with theintricate patterns found in Islamic
architecture.Austerity and simplicity combine with intricate detailing,
to bring a sense ofrepose at the Centre. Despite its institutional role
the architect conceived theIIC complex as an informal approach. The
buildings respond with sensitivityto their specific location in Delhi.The
curving faade of the residential wing corresponds to the curving
pathsand walkways in the adjacent Lodi gardens. The large windows of
the dininghall and conference room on the second floor overlook the
wide vistas oftombs and gardens. Overall, there is a sublime fusion of
the IIC complex with.
Lodi Gardens.
The Annexe building of the India International Centre was inaugurated
on 29
December 1996 by Dr Karan Singh, the then President of the Centre.
The
Annexe building, like the main building, blends harmoniously with the
environment of the Lodi gardens.
APPROACH
IIC is approached by Max Mueller Marg. It is in close proximity to
Stein's India
habitat center. The huge setback provides a visual frontage to the
building to
appreciate the massing, also the building on a whole.
SITE PLANNING/ZONING
The first or the entrance court provides access on the north side to the
guest

rooms, and on the south side to the auditorium and program block of
library
and offices. After a processional entry drive past a fountain composed
of a line
of water jets, one is met by the center's sentinel like stair tower and a
welcoming portico of extended pre cast vaults which bound the
western edge
of the court. Thus, a proper segregation of activities has been done
and the
activities have been interlinked by a central courtyard. This ensures a
separate
entry to the various facilities.
FORM AND MASSING
IIC has a very visible massing with different kinds of geometries which
have
been put together. The guest room wing has bee: given a curved from
which
approaches and then recedes away from the Lodi Gardens site
boundary. After
a processional entry one is met by welcoming portico of extended precast
vaults.
PARKING
There is provision to bring the vehicle inside till the car porch but there
is no
paring provided in the site. As a result parking along the main road
causes
congestion.

CASE STUDY 2

INDIA HABITAT CENTER, DELHI

Location : Lodhi road , New Delhi
Architect : Joseph allen stein
Period of construction : 1994
Cost of construction : 100 crores
Style of architecture : Contemporary
Owner/ client : Indian Habitat Center

Climate : Composite
Cost of Const : 55 Crores
Site Area : Approx. 3.75 hectares
FAR : 1.4 out of 2.5 permied
Built Up Area : 93,000 sq.m (with
basement) 53,000 sq.m.
(superstructure)

AN OVERVIEW

Delhi, the countrys political as well as cultural capital is

the international center for many major conferences
and exhibitions . Ever its inception, the Indian habitat
center has emerged as the center of international
standards to hold conferences, meetings, exhibitions
and likewise activities . With its holistic approach
towards
habitat , the principle resolve of the center is to acquire
balanced harmonious and improver way of life at every
level. Besides housing offices of 36 institutes commitied
to habitat and environmental research , the complex
also houses unrivaled hospitality facilities, known as

habitat world. Habitat world is the countrys most

comprehensive convention center along with a club , 57
rooms , a
health spa , several restaurants and multiple cultural
venues.

Climate
Summer:
Max: 47
Min : 33
Winter:
Max: 13
Min : 7
Rainfall: 61 cm annually
Humid subtropical climate

Accessibility

International airport is at 18 kms

Domestic airport is at 15 kms
New Delhi railway station at 8 kms
Old Delhi railway station at 12 km
Three boundary faces max Muller road , Vardhman
road
and Lodhi.

ZONING

TYPICAL FLOOR PLAN

GROUND FLOOR PLAN

Auditorium
The auditorium has a trapezoidal entrance foyer with
height of 14 and marble
flooring .
Audi have a seating capacity of 430 ppl ( 250 audi +
180 balcony) and also acts as a multipurpose hall with
an emphasis on the seminars.

Planning , Circulation and Functions

The campus is conceived as an interconnected
network open spaces and the screened courtyard
formed by turning the block so that there is continuous
movement of air within the building. Height of the
building is restricted to 4-7 stories- considering physical
scale of the building.
The IHC comprises of several spaces with varied
functions, each area with its specific function is in
harmony with the other areas, the building is divided
into two blocks north block and south block.
The centre has three entrances abuting its
boundaries; the convention centre block has its own
dedicated entrance.
North block is recessed behind to two regular blocks
to avoid direct rays of North West sun.
To reduce heat load, minimum exposure has been
provided on east and west side and hence, western side
has very few windows.

Materials of Construction &

Types of Structural System

The IHC employs a covering process, where rough

structural work is covered with finer finishing material.
Exposed brick work has been used not only to reduce
maintenance cost but also as a symbol of habitat.
Ceramic tiles used on concrete planters relive the
monotony of large surface. Reinforce concrete frames
and floors for the main blocks. Bridge floors are
composite steel girders connected by connected by
concrete slabs.
Auditorium roof is made of trussed steel structure
covered with wood wool sheet and concrete screen
roofing.

PARKING
There is provision of basement parking only in two
levels each
18,000 sq. m in area, allowing for parking of 933 cars.

INFERENCES