Surface Design Awards – Complete

• PUBLIC BUILDING - EXTERIOR
  Public Buildings used by the public for any purpose, such as assembly, education, entertainment, government, healthcare, transport or worship. This will also include civic centres, community centres, libraries, visitor centres, culture, health + wellbeing, faith, education, sports venues and stadia, transport, central + local government, entertainment and event venues.

Cost of the project: 226.84 crore
Project construction completion date: April 2022

Vanijya Bhawan is an office complex for the Ministry of Commerce, Government of India. This G+5 building, with a built-up area of 4.3 lakh sq ft is designed to house the Ministers of Commerce and Secretary's offices and accommodate around 1800 to 2000 officers. While other buildings in Lutyens Delhi may have seen redevelopments, Vanijya Bhawan distinguishes itself as the first building to be built from scratch in the past decade on the C-Hexagon in New Delhi. The development sets a benchmark for public infrastructure and is a new-age facility elevated by employing state-of-the-art technology. While design has to be conscious of the context and urban historic architecture identity of the capital city, it has to simultaneously fortify its own distinct architectural identity.

Balancing Heritage and Innovation — Creating a Distinct Identity

Acknowledging this, Vanijya Bhawan is envisaged to be a landmark for public architecture that propels and propagates its identity, without creating a significant departure from its overall immediate urban historical context. The design for Vanijya Bhawan aims to synergize with the existing morphology and urban fabric of Lutyens Delhi, while establishing its own identity and distinct character, along with serving functional needs. The design critically also propels the local flavours into the material fabric of the new structure. By its location, lying in close proximity to India Gate, the design is conscious of the materials, motifs, and scale incorporated in the overall design intervention. Being conscious of the context that it belongs to, this modern heritage building is developed on a 4.38-acre plot of land.

Maximises Collaboration and Interaction

The building is designed to celebrate the existing context of Lutyens Delhi, while establishing a distinct Identity. One of the most notable features of Vanijya Bhawan is the open floor plan—rare to be seen in public buildings in India—which allows for a spacious and open environment conducive to communication and teamwork. This includes several meeting rooms and lunchrooms on every floor to encourage collaboration and transparency amongst colleagues. This arrangement promotes interaction and a sense of community, which can foster a more productive and positive work environment. Confidentiality concerns were also taken into account during the design process. The office was designed with the addition of convention measures and accessibility limitations to provide a safe and secure environment for employees. This ensures that confidential information is protected while allowing for open communication and collaboration among staff.

A Modern Heritage Landmark that Embraces India's Culture and Craftsmanship

As a result, Vanijya Bhawan stands as a monument to India's rich cultural heritage and technological craftsmanship while providing a state-of-the-art facility for hosting official meetings, conventions, and cultural performances. The resulting edifice exudes grandeur and reflects its intended representation and function. This aspirational quality lends itself to a significant impact on the beholder, while supporting local artisans, showcasing their art and technological craftsmanship. Vanijya Bhawan is thus a landmark, from its conceptualisation to its inception, that is in sync with the people-first approach and contributes to their broader objective of nation-building. Overall, the design of this modern office strikes a balance between efficiency, effectiveness, and the preservation of the heritage context of the building. Vanijya Bhawan is a modern heritage building that stands out as a landmark for public architecture while maintaining the historical context of Delhi.

Marries the Vernacular Context: The building's construction utilises Dholpur and Agra sandstones, incorporating grand stone columns reminiscent of Rashtrapati Bhawan. By using local materials and traditional techniques, Vanijya Bhawan seamlessly blends with its surroundings while maintaining its distinct character.

Local Flavours, Modern Aesthetics: The design also propels the local flavours into the material fabric of the new structure. The building has a monochromatic colour scheme that aligns with modern design trends, creating a cohesive and visually appealing structure that reflects the current design sensibilities in India.

Vanijya Bhawan is a state-of-the-art office building that stands as a monument to India's rich cultural heritage and technological craftsmanship. It is designed to exude grandeur and reflect its intended representation and function using materials such as the Dholpur sandstone, the Agra sandstone, and glass for daylight accentuation predominantly on the facade’s surface.

These materials are employed for their durability, elegance, and ability to withstand the hot and dry climate of New Delhi. The use of local materials also supports local artisans and showcases their art and technological craftsmanship.

The building's design is both aspirational and functional, creating a significant impact on the beholder while providing a state-of-the-art facility for hosting official meetings, conventions, and cultural performances.

Vanijya Bhawan has been designed as a Smart building while incorporating the principles of green
architecture with a special focus on energy saving and improving indoor quality. It incorporates a Solar Energy generating module of 45 KW which shall provide 2 percent of the energy requirements. It is also based on principles of Universal accessibility with additional focus on the visually impaired.

Employing Passive Design Measures: The design incorporates passive architecture strategies such as the deeply recessed windows with double glazing that use a high performance glass creating a gradient of light that goes from bright to less bright to even less warm as it comes in. This approach allows adequate daylighting without glare.

Resource Efficient Facility: Energy saving of twenty percent has been achieved by use of LED lights and reduction of A.C. load.

Efficient Water Management: The building is a zero discharge facility that uses hundred percent recycled water used for horticulture, cooling towers and flushing. The plumbing efficiently employs a dual flushing system. The rain water is also harvested through efficient site planning using six chambers.

Effective Air-flow Management: The HVAC system replenishes indoor air quality. This is done by using a heat recovery wheel system that enhances the flow of fresh air,

Responsible Redevelopment: The site is redeveloped on sustainable grounds as it retains top soil upto 150mm and also retains trees from the previous development.

Maintaining a microclimate: The deep recessed windows and shading of the external envelope create a cool microclimate around the building, helping penetrate a balanced amount of light and warmth in the interiors.

Preventing Moisture Accumulation and Damage: Any moisture that enters the cavity between the external wall and the stone of the structure is drained out at the bottom, thus maintaining workplace health and safety parameters.

Marries the Vernacular Context: Placed in the heart of Lutyens Delhi, the building employs Dholpur and Agra sandstones, incorporating grand stone columns reminiscent of Rashtrapati Bhawan. By using local materials and traditional techniques, Vanijya Bhawan seamlessly blends with its surroundings while maintaining its distinct character.

Promotes Employee Health and Safety Standards: The cabins placed on the north side of the building, allow for natural light to filter in from the east and west, which helps to create a bright and welcoming atmosphere. Additionally, low V.O.C. paints shall be used to mitigate health risks.

Maintaining the Contextual Aesthetic of Lutyens Delhi: Designing a building of such grandeur with the right proportions and aesthetic appeal has been a daunting task. The triangular site posed a challenge with the placement of the building in alignment with the wheel and mounting road. Further, another challenge has been posed by maintaining the high plane silhouette that synergies with the colonnade's rhythm and the base's proportion. The trust in the proportions of the colonnade to the eye makes the viewer believe that the building is shorter than it is and accentuates the horizontality of the building by building the base in the ground.

Maintaining Urban Historical Identity: The design for Vanijya Bhawan aims to synergize with the existing morphology and urban fabric of Lutyens Delhi, while establishing its own identity and distinct character, along with serving functional needs.

Designing a modern office that is efficient and effective: While still maintaining the Lutyens heritage context of the building, the building stands out as a highly functional workplace. This amalgamation has been achieved by having an open floor plan, which allows for a spacious and open environment conducive to communication and teamwork.

Mitigating Confidentiality and Safety Concerns via Design: Confidentiality concerns were also taken into account during the design process. The office was designed with the addition of convention measures and accessibility limitations in order to provide a safe and secure environment for employees. This ensures that confidential information is protected while still allowing for open communication and collaboration among staff.

Employing Open Planning: One of the most notable features of Vanijya Bhawan is the open floor plan—rare to be seen in public buildings in India—which allows for a spacious and open environment conducive to communication and teamwork.

Honours Privacy: Confidentiality concerns were also taken into account with the addition of convention measures and accessibility limitations.

Designing for Employee Interaction: The office design includes several meeting rooms and lunchrooms on every floor to encourage collaboration and transparency amongst colleagues. This arrangement promotes interaction and a sense of community.