PROJECT PREAMBLE
The Proposed International Trade Hub, HHEC, Chennai, has been envisaged as an iconic building/complex within the rapidly growind neighbourhood of Guindy, Chennai.
The Location is characterised by an interplay between local forces, climate, area and site exisgencies. The influence of these conditions is manifest in the resultant design, which attempts to incorporate parallel complexities into a single functional and aesthetic entity.
LOCATION & SITE
Project Location Assessment
Guindy and its surrounds form an urban landscape with multiple gradations in scale,infrastructure and economy. As evidenced by studies of the location – Ambedkar Nagar, the given site is framed by some large plots and buildings in the area, exacerbated by the proximity to the Jawaharlal Nehru Road and the Olympia Tech Park in the west of the site. The infrastructure of the Road and the presence of Olympia Tech Park have acted as triggers,resulting in an EW axis with higher incidence of existing and projected large scale commercial/industrial developments, which taper off into smaller scales in the immediate north and south. This puts the HHEC site at the crossroads of two contrasting and layered urban characters, whose influence is to be acknowledged.
Project Site Assessment
This layered property extends into the site itself, with low rise factories, overhead watertanks, service buildings and an office building of indeterminate character already present in a section of the site. Hence, incorporation and absorption and assimilation of these structures into the proposed building and negotiating the existing, without compromising on the iconicity of the proposal, becomes a key aspect of the design.
Climate Assessment
The major axis of the site is NNE-SSW, however, the bulk of the usable area is centred around an axis in the EES-WWN direction. This results in widely varying levels of exposure of each facade of the proposed building. As a result, every surface of the proposed structure has been audited both separately, quantizing and optimising its individual performance, as well as holistically, to provide a consistent yet comfortable aesthetic experience.
SITE STRATEGIES
Setbacks and Access
The front setback proposed is 8 meters, and side setbacks proposed is 6 meters, in conformance to (and exceeding) the Development Regulations specified in the Second Master Plan for Chennai Metropolitan Area, 2026. The existing gate of the HHEC factory (facing East) has been retained, and two gates have been proposed along the Northern and Eastern edges of the site. Separate entry and exit has been proposed to avoid cul-de-sac and promote streamlined traffic movement through the site. Two security cabins at the entry to the site, abutting the site edges, have been proposed.
Site Services
The rear side of the building, adjacent to the Water Tank, consists of stack parking, DG sets (Silent type), Compact substation, Electric room and rainwater harvesting pit.
Parking
In accordance with the Second Master Plan for Chennai Metropolitan Area, 2026, the total parking units proposed are 70 four wheelers and 239 two wheelers. Dedicated four wheeler parking has been proposed adjacent to the internal roads in the North
and East edges of the site. Two Wheeler parking spaces have been allocated in the South and South West edges of the site, in proximity to the factory. Additionally, a row of dedicated two wheeler parking spaces has been proposed along the Western edge of the site. In order to preserve ground space and maximise parking, Stack parking has been proposed for the site in two locations, in addition to regular outdoor parking. In total, there are 12 units of stack parking, each being able to accomodate 3 vehicles. Parking spaces are paved green to reduce hard surface and surface heat.
BUILDING DESIGN STRATEGIES
Building Footprint
The existing office building restricts the building footprint on the ground floor to a rectangular area bordering the NNW site edge. This limitation has been the causative agent for the proposed buildings organizational and structural raison d’ etre – to make design a pragmatic yet unconventional structual system that allows the proposed building to extend into the airspace above the existing building.
Building Structure
To facilitate a structure that non-invasively interacts with the existing building that is structurally independent but aesthetically and programmatically connected – – Floor-to-floor Vierendeel trusses have been used to create floating bays that span across over the existing office building without the need for any columns resting on the existing structure, aside from in the periphery. The system of Vierendeels, a direct product of the internal site condition, projects a regularised grid throughout the site, within which the programmatic spaces are configured. Piling has been proposed in the peripheral columns in order to avoid fouling the foundation of the existing building.
Building Massing
The building massing is a derivative of 1) the building footprint that encourages vertical extrusion and 2) the truss floors which manifest as a horizontal block. These characteristics of the massing are enhanced and aestheticised through the emphasis/de-emphasis of structural members, transparencies, surface treatment and extrusions.
Building Facade
The determinant factors in choice of building facade have been –
Orientation of the building – North and North east faces are articulated by structural glazing and high degree of transparency. South and South West faces have been configured to have smaller apertures, deeply recessed windows and brise soleil (sunbreakers). These multiple strategies, traditional and contemporay, impart a heterogenity to the buildings aesthetic.
Functional considerations – Library and gallery spaces, as well as the Atrium, have been modulated to work in conjunction with the facade of the building to ensure optimum availability of light. Strategies include large double height glazed spaces in the north direction to maximise throw of natural light.
BUILDING SERVICES ORGANIZATION
The building programme was diagrammed to amplify and modulate the aforementioned characteristics of massing, structure and footprint. The following concepts of organizations have been used to structure the building –
Central Atrium Spine
An atrium spine is introduced between the vertical extrusion and the horizontal Vierendeel masses. This spine centralizes the services common to functions in both masses, hence having an adhesive action on the building. Simultaneously, the double and triple height spaces introduce a separation between unlike spaces by creating a shared void. This conceptually unites the building, whilst, at the same time discretisizing its component parts. In addition, in the lower floors, the Atrium and service core acts as a separation between the proposed building and existing structure.
Central Services
A single service core, consisting of washrooms, toilets for differently abled, AHU and panel room, main staircase connects both building masses.
Peripheral Services
The central service core is supplemented by preipheral service cores on either side of the building. These contain fire stairs, freight and food lifts, toilets and service shafts. The peripheral cores have been located to optimise fire exit and reduce evacuation time. Two
staircases have been provided as per the norms of the national building code where for a fully sprinklered building where the travel
distance is stipulated at 30 M plus 50% =45M.
Toilets
The toilet blocks consist of gent toilets, ladies and handicap toilet as per the requirements of the national building code. All the toilets and wet areas are on external walls or facing shafts.
BUILDING PROGRAM ORGANIZATION
The main programme elements of the building have been classified on a floor-by-floor basis, in accordance with frequency and nature of use. Constituent programmes have been allocated on a ‘Stacking’ principle as follows –
Basement – Common Store, Plant Room
The common store is a mechanically ventilated loft space ( with additional ventilation through peripheral ventilator windows) , at which both the Central service core and one Peripheral service core terminate.
Ground Floor/Raised Plinth – Showroom
The showroom floor is adjacent to the existing structure. Its location on the ground floor ensures easy access and maximum visibility. The Showroom has also been provided with a separate double height entrance atrium for direct access, bypassing the Atrium and service cores of the main Building. The Showroom is flanked on one side by the peripheral service core.
First Floor – Showrooms
Showroom on the first floor is internally connected to the ground floor, and hence becomes an extension of the spaces below.
Second & Third Floor – Library and Gallery
Both these spaces have similar Institutional characteristics, and have been proposed on the same floors. In addition, both the library and Gallery have substantial double height spaces, leading to a high degree of visual permeability within the spaces.
The Gallery has been located within the Vierendeel structure to take advantage of the regular structural grid and large span lofts. One-third of the floor space in the upper Gallery floor has been made into a double height space adjacent to the building edge – a strategy that gives the Gallery the flexibility to accomodate large as well as small exhibits – ranging from small scale artifacts to long, flowing carpets, fabric etc.
Fourth Floor – Auditorium and Convention Centre
The Auditorium has been located with its slope working in conjunction with the double height of the library below. In anticipation of periodically increased usage, the Auditorium has been provided with an independent entry, lobby and separate lifts. In addition, it has been connected directly to the central and peripheral service cores. The exit of the auditorium has been designed such that movement of crowds is streamlined and directed into the main atrium, hence avoiding clashes in the auditorium entry lobby.
The auditorium has been optimally located keeping in mind egress routes for fire escape, and is directly connected to the fire escape staircase.
The Convention Centre has been designed in accordance with the projects requirement to be an International Trade Hub. It consists of a large primary convention centre, housing 80 to 100 occupants, two conference rooms, and a full fledged restaurant and kitchen, directly connected to the service core and food lift. All these spaces are linked to a large common prefunction area.
Fifth Floor – Office & Terrace
The fifth floor houses the first level of offices. The office layout has been designed in conjunction with the structural system, to ensure column free and flexible workspaces. The northern side of the office opens into an earth filled garden terrace which also functions as a refuge area. The Vierendeel Structure terminates at this level, forming an extensive terrace, which is further
utilized to be a green roof. The structure would be designed to accommodate future vertical expansion.
Sixth Floor – Office
The sixth floor continues the offices from the previous level, with a similar column free layout.
Terrace & Mumty
The terrace houses the terrace garden, service areas and cooling towers. This helps to create a recreation zone at the terrace level and also cuts down the heat load on the roof. The terrace area on the south has been proposed with a pergola at the roof level as spill out space for occasional open air gathering space. Solar panels have been provided at the terrace level for hot water requirement in pantries. This has been proposed as an aesthetic element also. The mumty houses the overhead tanks and other ancillary services.