Bhoomika Khanna

USAP 2 nd Year

India Habitat Centre

Why is this space feel isolated from Delhi? What elements make it distinct?

India Habitat Centre is like a mini city. It is a centre for cultural, economic and social activities. It has a certain urban essence to it which is missing in the hustle bustel of the city outside its walls. The building has got a combination of natural colours-the greens of the trees and the planters, the blue of the water fountains,the pargola and the sky, along with the red of the building. The space inside the complex is a refreshing change from the dust, crowd and the pollution overpowering Delhi. Its proportions, scale, colour and the design infuses in it a distinct quality, which seperates IHC's inside from the 'outside'. Every aspect of the building is designed with a lot of thought put into it. Whether it is its height of the building v/s the quality of open space , the material used, the division and transition of spaces, the flooring and paving pattern forming the desired paths for us to move from one place to another-all these factors collectively give IHC a certain character that is so different from Delhi.

How it is sufficiently designed? How does the building take care of different kinds of users?

The building of IHC focuses on the human psychology. It functions as a mini city and

contributes to the urban level functions and also creates a healthy and pleasant environment for the working employees. The building complex has been designed keeping in mind various comfort nuances so that one indulges with the 'habitat' or the environment created.

The grand height and the space of the building is punctured with certain elements which breaks the place down to human scale and one does not feel lost.

Every corner in the complex has also been well thought of. It has been covered with a planter or a sculpture to eliminate negative spaces. These sculptures along with the paving pattern direct the user giving them the orientation of where to walk.

Desired paths leading to the various cores are created using the planters and the floorings. Some of the areas smoothly pour into open spaces, provided with seating, for people to sit and relax.

How and what elements in the space guide movement and encourage legibility?

The elements such as the steps, the paving patterns, the sculptures and the tree planters have been oriented in such a manner that no right angles are created and we, as users, can avoid sharp turns and smoothly flow from one space to another. These elements guide our movement and direct us to different spaces spontaneously.

This encourages legibility of the space to some extent, but, I think, the space is very confusing for a new user.

Do you find any negative space?

I won’t say that there are negative spaces in IHC, though some places may not be safe at odd hours of the day, like the intimate space created by the enclosure of palm trees and the building in the palm court.

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