British Conference Hall
Owing to the nature of the site context that is an amalgamation of important architectural styles, the proposal aims at setting an architectural language that responds to the curiosity of the present-day generation while being respectful of the existing familiarity. Approached from the street front, one perceives an amorphous volume that is submerged in a subtle landscape flanked and enclosed by a structural buttress with a three-storied Georgian-style building as its backdrop. As the user approaches the volume from the drop point, a stepped, landscaped public plaza concealed within a depression of 4 meters is revealed. This invites the passerby to pause, share, reflect, and eventually walk through.
The Auditorium is the beating heart of the project that connects all the other involved spaces. The interiors are naturally dynamic owing to the facade design, that twists, turns, changes through every aisle. Clad in acoustic rough mosaic panels the auditoriums transform into a warm cocoon with visual focus onto the stage. The auditoriums are connected to the built form at the rear end, a Georgian brick facade building that holds the essential secondary activities such as office space, auditorium backstage along with service areas which could also be accessed through a rear entrance at 0 levels. This building stands as a supporting system encasing the amorphous form on either side with extended wooden buttresses. The overall building form in itself becomes a sign of identity juxtaposed into its surrounding context making the design an attempt at cultural regeneration on an urban scale.
The volumetric massing of the proposed building is designed to compliment the neighborhood skyline. The relatable scale of the building becomes perceivable from the street corner while utilizing the neighborhood-built form as its backdrop. The pedestrian movement is encouraged by strictly restricting the vehicular access to the front side of the built form, paving way for uninterrupted pedestrian access on all three sides.
british conference hall | typology: cultural | date: march 2020 | location: london, india | team: ashish dalal, harin naik, harit naik | international design competition: participation| client: archicontest | built-up area: 7,500 sq.mts |