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CASE STUDY
ARCHITECTURE DESIGN l THESIS
ROHIT ARORA
ARC-1025
10TH. SEMESTER
RPIIT,KARNAL
29.03.2015

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CASE STUDY
ARCHITECTURE DESIGN l THESIS
INTENT OF STUDY
• 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,
façade 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
provided and the parking for vehicles.
INTERNAL VIEW IF IHC
ABOUT IHC
The India Habitat Centre (IHC) is located along the
Lodhi Road on the fringes of Lutyen’s 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.
LODHI ROAD
VARDHAMAN ROAD
ACCESS
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
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 multi-channel 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.

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CASE STUDY
ARCHITECTURE DESIGN l THESIS
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.
NORTH BLOCK
(OFFICES ON TOP &
PUBLIC FACILITIES ON
GROUND FLOOR)
SOUTH BLOCK
(AUDITORIUM, LIBRARY,
CONFERENCE CENTER)
BLOCKS OF IHC
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.
GREEN SPACES-PALM COURT
SCREENING FOR SUN PROTECTION TO
PALM COURT

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CASE STUDY
ARCHITECTURE DESIGN l THESIS
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 for small
gathering with attached kitchenette and
washroom apart from control rooms
and projector room on the first floor.
•Green room lacks the usual
requirement of toilets.
• Ground floor also has offices & coffee
lounge.
• The level difference between two-seat
platforms is 1–6 which makes viewing
bsolutely obstruction free. This
auditorium has been provided with
balcony seating too.
• Double wall system avoids sounds
disturbance from outside.
Area of this auditorium is 6200 sq. ft.
and it has a capacity of 537 persons
AUDITORIUM PLAN
OFFICE BLOCK
OFFICE BLOCK
• General office spaces are located
mainly in the blocks adjacent to the
main streets, and are provided as free
flowing spaces without internal
partitions.
• Service core consisting of two lifts,
one staircase, A.H.U. room, electric and
telephone connections (adjustable),
duct and toilets for both sexes- serve
the office space.
• All office spaces have the flexibility of
providing their own wet areas apart
from those provided in the central
court.
• 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.
• The floor-to-floor height is 3.75 m, but
with A.C. Ducts running across the

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CASE STUDY
ARCHITECTURE DESIGN l THESIS
THE CONVENTION CENTRE
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.
THE CONVENTION CENTRE
THE CONVENTION CENTRE INSIDE VIEW
TRINITV
THE BUSSINESS CENTRE
THE BUSSINESS CENTRE
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.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. JACARANDA
CASUARINA
JACARANDA
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
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.

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CASE STUDY
ARCHITECTURE DESIGN l THESIS
THE OUTDOOR VENUE
AREAS AREA SEATING
The Hub 650 -
Margosa Lawn 5200 160
Silk Cotton Garden 2700 85
Emerald Garden 2800 80
Cascade Court 12583 -
Palm Court 16170 -
The Plaza 4000 450
Silver Oak Garden 6000 -
Thee beautifully landscaped environs of India
Habitat Centre provide brilliant outdoor party and
performance venues that could bestow that extra
sparkle upon any function.
THE OUTDOOR GATHERING
THE ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTERISTICS
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
consumption of energy in their operation. Although it is difficult to
create energy it is easy to deflect, absorb or even reject energy.
•A system of open to sky, shaded canopies over the large paved
courts, provide relief from tropical sun with fixed shade casting
elements, devised to shade the courtyards in summer, and the
let in the sun in the winter.
•Such a shading device reduces load on air conditioning system.
• A 1.2m deep galvanized steel tubular framework stretches edge
to edge across the courtyard and is anchored to 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.
FINISHES
• 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
• Ceramic Tiles-Green, Red & Grey used in extensions to defne
verticality and also in interiors of lobby and lifts are used to give
an effect of flow
BRIDGES
SCREENING
FAÇADE FINISH

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CASE STUDY
ARCHITECTURE DESIGN l THESIS
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
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.
WATER BODY TO CUT THE RIGIDITY OF HARSH
MATERIALS
LANDSCAPING