1.

INDIA HABITAT CENTRE, DELHI (JOSEPH

INTENT
STUDY
ALLENOF
STEIN)

to study the interrelationship between

institutions working in diverse habitat related
fields brought together in an integrated
manner.
the common facilities provided for
information, dissemination the types, their
sizes and location.
to study the environment created inside the
complex through different architectural
elements, faade treatment, materials,
landscape and climate-tempered courtyards.
to critically analyze the offices provided to
various institutions/individual firms.
finally to analyze the architectural character,
circulation-vehicular, and pedestrian, the
services
ACCESSprovided and the parking for
vehicles.
the complex has an access from three sides
having the lodhi road on the north, max
muller marg towards the west and vardhaman
marg on the southern side. thus, it has three
main gates, referred to as gate no. 1, gate no.
2 and gate no. 3. gate no. 2, on the max
muller marg is the one, which directly leads to
the double level basement. the lifts then take
to the upper levels form this point. the other
two gates direct the vehicles to the surface
parking that has been provided. this parking
basically caters to the public areas like the
conference hall provided and the parking for
vehicles.

FACILITIES

ABOUT IHC

the india habitat centre (ihc) is located along

the lodhi road on the fringes of lutyens delhi
designed by architect joseph allen stien.
spread over nine acres of land ihc has a
built-up area of approximately one million
square feet. the l shaped site has frontage
on the three sides. it is bounded by the max
muller marg on west, the vardhman marg on
south and the lodhi road on the north. the
fourth side is flanked by bal bharthi school.
the complex is accessible from three sides,
the major pedestrian entrance being from
lodhi road on the north.
VARDHAMAN ROAD

the i.h.c. provides the following facilities for

the use of member:
40,000 square meters of office
accommodation for institutions.
conference rooms with a total capacity of
1000 in 10 locations of different
configurations ranging from 30 to 450.
60 guest room, five suites, and five service
apartments.
conference room, cafeteria, restaurants
and private dinning room to handle
approximately 1500 persons at a time.
a 700 sqm exhibition area with built in
systems and structures for multimedia
exhibitions.
a 250 seat amphitheatre.
an auditorium with 500 capacity
a unique library/resource center with e-mail
links to resources centers abroad.
other facilities include an art gallery,
executive fitness center, bank, travel
agency, gift shop, dish antenna with multichannel cable tv and piped music, corporate
post office and underground parking 1000
cars and 2000 two-wheelers.
with 97,000m2 of built up area, habitat
centre provides a variety of related activities
and institutions, with a density of
approximately 1000-person/acre (total
area= 9 acres).25 percent of the total area
goes into the landscaped courts.

LODHI ROAD

INTERNAL VIEW IF IHC

GROUND FLOOR

THE SPATIAL ORGANISATION

the habitat centre is organized as a series of

four to seven storey blocks around linked
shaded courtyards. the built forms are
grouped around climate tempered courts,
shaded by overhead sunscreens and are
enlivened by vertical gardens.
the complex has a very well planned
segregation of spaces. all blocks /areas,
which are expected to experience a large
and regular inflow of public have been
placed very close to the entrances; the office
areas being given the access from the inside
of the courtyards. although the public and
the semi-public areas have been placed in
separate built blocks, the courts and the
landscape areas form a very good
connection between the two. the landscape
forms a very integral part of the design and
seems to be a part of the builtscape.

THE PLANNING & IMPORTANT

FEATURES

the complex is accessed from all sides the

major pedestrian entrance being from lodhi
road on the north. the distribution of various
functions on the site is simple
the two blocks on lodhi road are handed
over to offices on the top and reserved for
public facilities on the ground floor.
the third block on the south, houses
common facilities like a conference center, a
large auditorium, library and a guest house.
two basements house all the parking and
services extend under the entire block.
restaurants and exhibition spaces on the
ground floor open out into the courts, with
the courts also being used for the public
exhibitions.
SOUTH BLOCK

(AUDITORIUM,
LIBRARY,
CONFERENCE
CENTER)

NORTH BLOCK
(OFFICES ON TOP
& PUBLIC
FACILITIES ON
GROUND FLOOR)

BLOCKS OF IHC

GREEN SPACES-PALM COURT

the ground was perceived as a vehicle-free
environment, and a fairly elaborate system
worked out to deny entrance to all
motorized traffic except for repair and fire.
all cars and scooters are directed into two
levels of basements. the conference block
is the only one that allows entry to
vehicles.building volumes are articulated to
form interconnected internal courtyards
that are the major public spaces.
another factor that governs the design was
the effort to modify the climate as much as
possible by non-mechanical means. thus,
the top two floors have been projected
twice. this results in a building shadow that
is larger than its footprint it also creates a
classical order of the pediment.

SCREENING FOR SUN PROTECTION

TO
PALM COURT

THE COMPLEX IS PLANNED AND

DIVIDED INTO TWO BLOCKS:
north block
south block
THE NORTH BLOCK
the block adjoining the lodhi road and on the
northern side of the site is this block. north block is
further divided into four zones 4, 5, 6 and 7. this
block primarily comprises of office places
supported by different areas like lift lobby,
staircase, a.h.u. etc.
THE SOUTH BLOCK
this block is further divided into `two zones 1 & 2, and
houses most of ancillary facilities for the north block like
residential guest rooms, conference, library, health club,
swimming pool and restaurant etc. the zone 3 comprises of a
400 seats auditorium.
the ihc contains a variety of functions that cater to almost all
types of requirements. major office spaces are located in the
blocks adjacent to the main streets; the associated functions
such as guest rooms, staff quarters and the auditorium are
adjacent to the lodhi colony housing. the blocks housing the
offices are articulated to form the three courtyards, the ground
floor of which contain public functions such as exhibition
spaces, fast-food restaurants, banks,etc and access to the
vertical cores. the blocks adjacent to the housing area have
been progressively reduced in volume and the auditorium is set
back substantially from the plot ine to create a distinct entry.

THE NORTHBLOCK

THE SOUTH BLOCK

AUDITORIUM BLOCK
this block comprises of auditoriums of
varying capacities and basement
theatres being used forth conference
purposes.
MAIN AUDITORIUM
main auditorium has the
translation system for three
languages. it is easily operable by the
user as selection can be done from
the seats itself. there is a provision for
controlling volume too.
main auditorium is also provided
with mahagony room, a hall suited forAUDITORIUM PLAN
OFFICE BLOCK
small gathering with attached
kitchenette and washroom apart
general office spaces are located
from control rooms and projector
mainly in the blocks adjacent to the
room on the first floor.
green room lacks the usual
main streets, and are provided as free
flowing spaces without internal
requirement of toilets.
ground floor also has offices &
partitions.
service core consisting of two lifts,
coffee lounge.
the level difference between twoone staircase, a.h.u. room, electric
and telephone connections
seat platforms is 16 which makes
(adjustable), duct and toilets for both
viewing bsolutely obstruction free.
sexes- serve the office space.
this auditorium has been provided
all office spaces have the flexibility
with balcony seating too.
double wall system avoids sounds
of providing their own wet areas
apart from those provided in the
disturbance from outside.
area of this auditorium is 6200 sq. ft. central court.
and it has a capacity of 537 persons office spaces measure
approximately 14.15 m x 14.15 m,
and 33.1 m x 14.75 m.
the entire building is air-conditioned
and the basements are mechanically
ventilated. ceiling, ceiling reduces to
3.0 m.
OFFICE BLOCK
the floor-to-floor height is 3.75 m,
but with a.c. ducts running across the

THE CONVENTION CENTRE

THE BUSSINESS CENTRE

JACARANDA

the convention centre provides the

following:
several halls with varied capacities,
multimedia and audio visual equipment.
*20 concurrent sessions are possible.
*inbuilt archival system.
*built in projection facilities.
*secretariat and documentation centre.
*finest banquets and innovative theme
parties.
cultural and entertainment events diary
covered parking for 1000 cars and 2000
two wheelers.
a 535-seat auditorium apart from the
following meeting rooms has been provided.

documentation centre has 6

cabins or 6 workstatio an be hired
for variable periods of time. fitted
with all modern business
documentation centre provides an
ideal setting for a , international
conference basement areas.

elegantly carpeted
jacaranda could be
used as one large
space or further
divided into
independent units for
corporate meetings,
seminars, workshops
and parties.

jacaranda 1 1290sq.ft
jacaranda 2
1290sq.ft

THE CONVENTION CENTRE

THE TRINITV(IN BASEMENT)

kadamba, rudraksha and amaltas
are extremely flexible set with
individual as well as combined
usage possibilities. these can be
used for workshops,
boardmeetings, theatres and
cultural performances.

TRINITV

JACARANDA

CASUARINA

CASUARINA

a fixed seating hall

equipped with state of
the art, multimedia
facilities and each
table equipped with a
set of mike, ideal for
seminars, corporate
presentations, product
launches.
casuarinas 1520sq.ft
MAGNOLIA
a free seating h all
allowing flexible
seating options
suited for both
conferences and
party usage.

THE CONVENTION CENTRE INSIDE VIEW THE BUSSINESS CENTRE

THE ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTERISTICS

THE OUTDOOR VENUE

AREAS

AREA

The Hub

Margosa Lawn

Silk Cotton Garden

Emerald Garden

Cascade Court

Palm Court

The Plaza

Silver Oak Garden

650
5200
2700
2800
12583

SEATING
160
85
80
-

THE BRIDGES
the buildings are grouped around semi-covered courts and
linked at the 5th and 6th floor level and above by bridges to
form huge gateways for entrance into various zones/ courts.
these multi level bridges provide office spaces as well as
links between various building zones. the bridges form
framed views and vistas and complete the character of the
enclosed courts.
SHADING DEVICES

shading devices that reject and reflect the unwanted solar

energy provide a pleasant climate at low cost without
BRIDGES
consumption of energy in their operation. although it is
4000
450
difficult to create energy it is easy to deflect, absorb or even
reject energy.
6000
a system of open to sky, shaded canopies over the large
thee beautifully landscaped environs of india paved courts, provide relief from tropical sun with fixed
habitat centre provide brilliant outdoor party shade casting elements, devised to shade the courtyards in
and performance venues that could bestow summer, and the let in the sun in the winter.
such a shading device reduces load on air conditioning
that extra sparkle upon any function.
system.
a 1.2m deep galvanized steel tubular framework stretches
edge to edge across the courtyard and is anchored to
SCREENING
concrete overhangs at the edges. shade casting leaves of
pvc coated nylon fabric, approximately 1.6x1.4m in size are
anchored at the predetermined angles within this framework
to
provide shading element.
16170

FINISHES

THE OUTDOOR GATHERING

the external finish for the building was originally visualized

in brushed aggregate (grit), carefully controlled to result in a
dark base that became a progressively lighter as the
building was viewed against the sky. this could not be
implemented because of the lack of skilled labour.
exposed brickwork with exposed r.c.c in cantilevered
corridors

FAADE FINISH


THE BUILT FROM
the i.h.c. has different building volumes articulated to form
interconnected internal courtyards, which are the major public spacethe
service cores rise to maximum height above rest of the structure creating
interesting blocking
building blocks are linked at the fifth and sixth floor level and above by
bridges to form framed huge gateways for entrance to various
zones/court. the bridges form framed view & vistas and complete the
character of the enclosed courts.
the roof of the building is designed as a series of terraces accessible
from various offices and restaurants.

LANDSCAPING

LANDSCAPING

WATER BODY TO CUT THE RIGIDITY OF HARSH

MATERIALS

each internal courtyard has been designed to impart a distinct-identity

to the spaces and is conducive to the type of functions or activities that
can be anticipated. this has been achieved by paving patterns in different
materials, the use of water, a play of levels and plants
plate no 3.1.9.5.a water bodies provided to cut the rigidity of harsh
material
stepped planters serve as sitting space too. palm trees have
been planted to create a refreshing
environment inside.
sculptures have been placed at strategic points creating an
element of interest.

water ponds are provided to cut the rigidity of harsh materials.

the roof of the building, too, is designed as a series of terraces, which

have been entirely converted into roof
gardens.
the external spaces have a more formal quality, to act as a foreground
for the building.

plate no 3.1.9.b landscaped courtyards

the facades abound in window boxes, where plants further soften the
wall surfaces.

2. JEWISH MUSEUM, BERLIN GERMANY

ANALYTICAL DIAGRAM

(DENIAL LIBISKIND) .

SUBTRACTIVE
MASSING
Separation of a rectangle into
There are 10 polygons with
different sizes create voids that different sizes unite to form the
disturb the circulation by allowingzig-zag plan of the building.
the visitors to stop and reflect.

CONCEPT
between the lines. it comprise of two
lines, one is a straight line, the other is a
tortuous line. These two lines were merge
together creating a zig-zag pattern with a
winding angular ground plan. Voids
created by the fragments of the straight
lines punctuate through the building
The staircase connects the axis of NATURAL LIGHT
symbolize the incarnation of the final
continuity to the exhibition above. The interior lid by the linear
judism, a sense of emptiness.
It emphasizes on continuity and windows allow visitors to see the
verticality. One goes through the glimpses of the city. The voids lid
terror finally finds hope.
by the sky lights above give sense
of hope.

JOURNEY OF THE 5 SENSES

ENTRANCE
In the old building.
Symbolize interwining of history
of Jews and German.
Large entrance with untreated
concrete and sharp angle.
Dark and narrow pathway.

TRIANGLE ISLAND
3 axes emphasise by the
lines of artificial lights
above.
It allows two can be seen
at one time.
Ones feel lose of
direction.

AXIS OF HOLOCAUST
Ends with tower of holocaust with a
black door.
Black wall and total silence.
Lid y natural lighting from a small
opening,.
Can barely hear the sound from
outside.

AXIS OF EXILE
Lead to a garden with 49
pillars. Tilted to double 10
degrees.
Gives the feeling of disorient
and instability.
Visitor looks up to the sky
gives them hope.

UNIT TO WHOLE
The entrance, garden, tower and
the staircase intersect to become
the main circulation for visitors.

AXIS OF CONTINUITY
Longest pathway ends with
staircase.
Slanted beam hold apart two
walls.
Enhance movement from
dark, tightly enclosed to
large, naturally lit.
Escape from dark, hard, and
uncomfortable space.
MEMORY VOID
Built of untreated reinforced
concrete.
Space lighted up through sky
light.
Echo from metal faces cause
eerie sensation.
Ones feeling cold, trapped,

2. JEWISH MUSEUM, BERLIN GERMANY (DENIAL

LIBISKIND)
THE
LIBESKIND BUILDING
the modern architectural elements of the
libeskind building comprise the zincfaade,
the garden of exile, the three axes of the
german-jewish experience, and the voids.
together these pieces form a visual and
spatial language rich with history and
symbolism. they not only house the museum
with its exhibits, but they also provide visitors
with their own unique experience as they
walk through the spaces.

"BETWEEN THE LINES": THE

GROUNDPLAN
"the official name of the project is 'jewish
museum' but i have named it 'between the lines'
because for me it is about two lines of thinking,
organization and relationship. one is a straight
line, but broken into many fragments, the other
is a tortuous line, but continuing indefinitely."
(daniel libeskind, 1998)
zig-zag best describes the form of the jewish
museum's new building. the architect daniel
libeskind's design is based on two linear
structures which, combined, form the body of
the building.
the first line is a winding one with several kinks
while the second line cuts through the whole
building. at the intersections of these lines are
empty spaces "voids" which rise vertically

LINES WITHOUT ORDER? THE FAADE

OF THE NEW BUILDING
"an irrational and invisible matrix" (daniel
libeskind, 1995)
the faade of the libeskind building barely
enables conclusions to be drawn as to the
building's interior, the division of neither levels
nor rooms being apparent to the observer.
nevertheless, the positioning of the windows
primarily narrow slits follows a precise matrix.
during the design process, the architect daniel
libeskind plotted the addresses of prominent
jewish and german citizens on a map of pre-war
berlin and joined the points to form an
"irrational and invisible matrix" on which he
based the language of form, the geometry and
shape of the building.
the positioning of windows in the new building
was also based on this network of connections.
the whole of the new building is coated in zinc,
a material that has a long tradition in berlin's
architectural history. over the years, the
untreated alloy of titanium and zinc will oxidize
and change color through exposure to light and
weather.

THE VOIDS
a void "is not really a museum
space." (daniel libeskind, 1999)
the voids represent the central
structural element of the new
building and the connection to the
old building. from the old building, a
staircase leads down to the
basement through a void of bare
concrete which joins the two
buildings.
five cavernous voids run vertically
through the new building. they have
walls of bare concrete, are not
heated or air-conditioned and are
largely without artificial light, quite
separate from the rest of the
building. on the upper levels of the
exhibition, the voids are clearly
visible with black exterior walls. the
israeli artist menashe kadishman's

PATHS OF GERMAN JEWS: THE

UNDERGROUND AXES
an underground passageway links the old building with
the libeskind building which has no official entrance.
visitors who pass through the great void down to the
end of the staircase from the old building will find the
rafael roth learning center on their right, while ahead of
them lies a path system made up of three axes
symbolizing three realities in the history of german
jews.
the first and longest of these axes is the "axis of
continuity." it connects the old building with the main
staircase (sackler staircase) which leads up to the
exhibition levels. the architect describes the axis of
continuity as the continuation of berlin's history, the
connecting path from which the other axes branch off.
the "axis of emigration" leads outside to daylight and
the garden of exile. on the way there, the walls are
slightly slanted and close in the further one goes, while
the floor is uneven and ascends gradually. a heavy door
must be opened before the crucial step into the garden
can be taken.
the "axis of the holocaust" is a dead end. it becomes
ever narrower and darker and ends at the holocaust
tower. the glass cases on the way display documents
and personal possessions testifying to the private and
public life of their owners who were killed.
all three of the underground axes intersect, symbolizing
the connection between the three realities of jewish life
in germany

CONCLUSION

EXIT IN CONFUSION: THE

GARDEN OF EXILE
the garden of exile attempts "to
completely disorient the visitor. it
represents a shipwreck of history."
(daniel libeskind, 1999)
the garden of exile is reached after
leaving the axes. forty-nine concrete
stelae rise out of the square plot. the
whole garden is on a 12 gradient and
disorients visitors, giving them a sense
of the total instability and lack of
orientation experienced by those
driven out of germany. russian willow
oak grows on top of the pillars
symbolizing hope.

daniel libeskinds addition to the jewish

museum berlin utilizes symbolism and
metaphor, including fragmentation,
void, and disorientation, in order to
create a
more substantial museum experience
for the visitor. rather than presenting
information
as museums often do, libeskinds jewish
museum berlin uses these effects
to communicate the aspects of jewish
history, especially the holocaust, which
cannot
be expressed in only words.

3. CENTRE LE CORBUSIER,SWITZERLAND (LE

The building is composed of two major

CORBUSIER)
volumetric elements: a floating parasol roofstructure and beneath it, a two-story
rectilinear volume sitting on a concrete
pavilion floor. Modular steel frame cubes with
a standard dimension of
226cmx226cmx226cm (about 7.5 cubic feet)
make up the structural framework of the base
volume. Two sets of these cubes are stacked
on top of one another to achieve the twostory height of the building. All necessary
Iconic for its floating steel roof and brightly
elements, including walls, windows, doors,
coloured panels, the Centre Le Corbusier is the
etc., are bolted into these frames. The nature
last building Le Corbusier designed before his
of these prefabricated cubes make for a
death in 1965. Completed in 1967, the building
stands as a testament to Corbusiers renaissance completely open ground plan that can be
divided at will, a convenience well attuned for
genius as an architect, painter, and sculptor. It
a hybrid exhibition/dwelling space. In this
does so both intentionally, as it is an exhibition
way, Le Corbusier used standardized parts to
space for his lifes work, and naturally, as it is a
building masterfully designed. Interestingly, the create individual forms instead of uniform
repetitions, a technique Jorn tzon famously
building diverges in some ways from the style
explored.
responsible for his renown concrete, stone,
uniform repetition, etc. It celebrates the use of
steel, with which he explored prefabrication and
assembly, and a freedom through modularity, in
The roof structure, which stands on four
which the plan is completely open but infinitely
rectangular supports, consists of two
adaptable.
12mx12m square elements made of welded
steel sheets. Each square is in the shape of
a parasol, one facing up and the other
down. The entire structure is prefabricated:
produced by the steel manufacture, brought
to the site in the biggest possible pieces,
Heidi Weber, a successful interior designer and so assembled to its final state on the ground,
called great patron of Corbusier, commissioned
and finally lifted into place. The two parasols
the building in 1960 to be both a small home for
provided cover from sun and rain during
herself, and a building to house Le Corbusiers
construction and continue to provide cover
artwork, which she had already spent years
for the entire pavilion, while also acting as a
patronizing (most notably, his chaise longue). The dominant aesthetic element of the building.
project, then, was to be a complete work of art,
or a Gesamtkunstwerk as it were, where
Corbusier would design a building for the sake of
his own art. This was a fitting task for Corbusier
as, according to Sigfried Giedion, It is essentially
INTERIOR

Enamel panels in primary colours and glass

envelope the main volume of the building. In
the language of the rest of the building, the
panels are of a standard dimension, one-third
the size of the steel cubes. The panels and their
respective colours are distributed throughout
the buildings exterior with a perceptible
rhythm.

Despite what seems to be a major focus

towards the building itself, the pavilion does
not neglect its site. Pivoting doors and
windows that open to the outside help to blur
the boundary between outside and inside;
and a roof garden beneath the parasol
structure allows for appreciation of its
beautiful site, which includes a small pond
adjacent to the pavilion.

4. MUSEUM OF WESTERN ART,TOKYO (LE CORBUSIER)

THE MUSEUM OF UNLIMITED GROWTH

In 1929 Le Corbusier designed a model of
Unlimited Growth Museum(Muse
croissance illimite)for the mundaneumin
Geneva.It was a square spiral that would
eventually develop and grow according to the
needs of the project.

The building has 3 levels and a

basement.

Following the concept of unlimited museum,

the proposed square stands on pilotis.The
facade, almost blind with no windows,
emphasizes the horizontality of the
composition, covered by greenish pebbles on

At one end of the main facade lies a large

screen that leads to a balcony.Similar
detail is observed on the lateral side as
well.

The organization of the building is based

into two parts: the main building based
on a square layout and the new
administration wing that is located to the
north.Both buildings are organized
around their own courtyards; in the case
of the main building is a covered space,
while the new wing encloses a garden.

Le Corbusier, a master of light, achieved a

dramatic effect when composing this
overhead window, defined by cross beams
at the center of the triangular skylights
and supported by a central column.

The first level, is organized on a 6.35 x 6.35 m. grid

columns supporting the galleries.

Here we are welcomed by

an impressive doubleheight space (the Hall of
the nineteenth century),
illuminated by a skylight.