DXN Manufacturing (India) Pvt Ltd, a company that manufactures and markets health food supplements and Ganoderma (Mushroom) business has set up a factory complex near Siddipet, Telangana. The company wanted to have a gated complex that would be both unique and functional.
The resulting gated complex is made up of elements that resemble mushrooms. The stalks of these steel mushrooms are vertical shafts that are 17 m tall. Each shaft has a central steel core and an outer lattice structure.
The ring-type core of each mushroom is built with plates and has an annular space bounded by inner and outer rings with diameters of 1.2 m and 2.5 m, respectively. The central space of the inner core is used as a lift shaft. A staircase is housed in the annular space of each mushroom.
The DXN Mushrooms gate complex is a testament to creativity and innovation. It is a one-of-a-kind structure that is sure to impress visitors to the Siddipet factory complex.
Steel Mushroom
The outer layer of each steel mushroom’s stalk isn’t just a smooth surface. Imagine it as a forest of slender metal trunks, each one a Circular Hollow Section (CHS), OD 219.1 x 6 mm thickness mullion column spaced evenly around the circumference. These columns provide both strength and visual interest, like supporting trees for the mushroom’s cap.
But these aren’t solitary saplings. At regular intervals, the columns are interlaced with horizontal steel tubes, like branches reaching out and weaving a web of support. This creates a lattice structure that adds rigidity and helps distribute the weight of the mushroom’s cap above.
These CHS mullions aren’t mere ornaments, though. They grow with purpose. Starting as 3 m sprouts at the ground, they gradually enlarged to a wide 4.7 m by the time they reached the 7.2 m level. This expansion is no coincidence, for it allows them to seamlessly support the office complex terrace, resting atop the mushroom’s head like a wide, flat brim.
This terrace, the ‘gill’ of the steel mushroom, isn’t just a platform. It’s a marvel of structural ingenuity. Steel Rectangular Hollow Section (RHS) beams, 300 x 150 x 8 mm in size, radiate outwards from the centre like spokes on a wheel. These sturdy beams form the skeleton of the terrace, providing a firm foundation for a steel deck. And upon this deck lies the final touch: Weatherproofed Steel (WPS) composite panels, interlocking to create a durable and weather-resistant roof. This terrace houses an office complex.
Multifunctionality
Two terraces, nestled upon the heads of these metallic fungi, serve as living quarters. Below, the mullions fan outwards, supporting the first tier. Above, the second tier blossoms, a 6.8 m circle cradled by beams like sunbeams. And over it all, a crowning cap protects, sheltering the life within.
As if painted on the sky, an elliptical steel arcs above the tower. Measuring 28 m, it stretches 16 m outwards, a silent guardian at 17.5 m above the earth. This is the roof of the mushroom tower, the ‘cap’ of steel mushroom a canvas for the sun and moon to play their light upon.
The structure resembles a leaf mushroom and structurally it is a steel core-supported platform with overhang projection.
The structure stands tall at a height of 17.5 m, featuring a distinctive elliptical 3-dimensional overhang with a major axis length of 28.70 m and a minor axis length of 26 m. Supporting this unique design is a central core crafted from circular hollow steel sections. Initially, from ground level to 10.5 m, the core boasts a diameter of 2.8 m, while from 10.5 m to 16 m, it tapers down to a diameter of 2 m.
Conforming to the rigorous standards outlined in IS 6533.1.1989, the main shaft, or steel core, has been meticulously engineered. The remaining elements of the structure have been meticulously designed using advanced analytical and design software, such as STAAD Pro. Meanwhile, the foundation has been expertly crafted through manual calculation, facilitated by a custom-developed spreadsheet. This harmonious blend of traditional and cutting-edge methodologies ensures the structural integrity and stability of the entire edifice.
Quote
“The DXN Mushrooms gate complex is a testament to creativity and innovation. It is a one-of-a-kind structure that is sure to impress visitors to the Siddipet factory complex. The structure stands tall at a height of 17.5 m, featuring a distinctive elliptical 3-dimensional overhang with a major axis length of 28.70 m and a minor axis length of 26 m. Supporting this unique design is a central core crafted from circular hollow steel sections.”
– Dr LS Jayagopal, Managing Director, Mithran Structures
Fact File
Client: DXN Manufacturing India (P) Ltd, Telangana
Architect: Arch Project Consultants (P) Ltd
Structural Consultant: Mithran Structures (P) Ltd
Steel Construction: Armour Steels Building India (P) Ltd
Tonnage: 300 MT
