The Polycab Experience Centre, located between Vadodara and Halol, serves as an office space, an experiential hub and an auditorium for employees, positioned beside Polycab’s existing factories. Sustainability, a core pillar for Polycab, shapes its aesthetic and functional identity through the facade design, solar panels, and eco-conscious features. This dynamic and engaging space enhances the employee experience and stands as a statement of Polycab’s values, seamlessly blending design with practicality.
Inspired by Vadodara’s meaning, ‘banyan forest,’ the design features a triple-height entry lobby with a copper mural symbolising both the banyan tree and an electrical circuit, paying homage to copper’s significance in the cable industry. A chandelier of floating symbolic leaves adds a sculptural touch, creating a striking and meaningful welcome for visitors.
Sriram Ramakrishnan, Principal Architect of FHD India and Chirag Patel, Owner of Vikram Builders highlight the project’s integration of indoor and outdoor spaces. Designed to maximise shading and provide spillover areas, these outdoor zones enhance employee comfort while fostering a dynamic and engaging work environment.
Crafted Crest
The experience centre was awarded by Polycab India Ltd in 2018 with a competitive 12 month timeline and a total project value of Rs 15 crore (excluding cement and reinforcement steel). The building follows a G+2 configuration with a distinctive semi-circular shape, featuring a striking glass facade at the front. Its entrance showcases a 11 m high ribbed beam construction with columns placed 12 m apart.
A standout feature is the 15 m cantilevered entry gate, an unconventional choice in an industrial area where framed gates are the norm for accommodating heavy vehicles. Positioned along a highway, this bold design element immediately captures attention, setting the tone for the innovative architecture within.
Monumental Mastery
Despite the project being an RCC structure, steel plays a critical role in the project’s sustainability, aesthetics, and structural integrity. The solar panels are mounted on a steel framework, ensuring workability, aesthetics and easy maintenance while making them a prominent part of the elevation.
The cantilevered entry gate relies entirely on steel for its bold design, establishing the building as a landmark in the industrial town. Steel also supports the aluminium box sections that form the facade, providing essential structural stability, while the maintenance members for the facade are also made of steel for durability.
The design is made possible by strategic steel integration, including the curved coffer beams within the RCC structure that support the auditorium from below. These beams not only ensure structural integrity but also serve as an aesthetic ceiling in the entry atrium, seamlessly blending function with design.
Sustainable Showcase
The project also showcases the innovative use of materials, incorporating aluminium facade fins, copper accents in the interiors, and Low-E double glass to reduce solar radiation. The parametrically designed facade system strategically shades the glass, which is only used on the east and south sides to preserve views, while the west and north remain mostly opaque.
This design maximises daylight, enhances energy efficiency, and ensures unobstructed views of the surrounding hills. Stone and texture paint are used for finishes, creating a refined yet durable aesthetic. Despite its contemporary material palette, approximately 70 per cent of the construction materials are locally sourced within 100 km of the site, reducing the energy footprint, ensuring sustainability and regional integration.
The project minimises direct sun exposure while ensuring ample daylight through internal courtyards. A 190 kW solar roof meets 50-60 per cent of the building’s energy needs and includes water pipes for easy maintenance. Along with solar panels on neighbouring buildings, the project moves close to Net Zero. Efficient water management and waste management strategies further enhance sustainability.
Energy during construction is a major challenge, with diesel generators often used. In this project, solar panels were installed after the slabs, providing sustainable energy for completing the facade and interiors and reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
Transformative Timeline
In order to ensure smooth and uninterrupted construction, the contractors, Vikram Builders, deployed a team of experienced engineers, including three site engineers, four supervisors, and additional support staff, all personally monitored by a senior official.
Given the project’s significance to Polycab, the contractor’s management team conducted weekly reviews in close coordination with the architects and structural consultants, minimising bottlenecks and ensuring steady progress on-site.
Materials such as cement and reinforcement steel were estimated based on GFC drawings, with Polycab ensuring seamless delivery to prevent shortages. VB ensured that the construction materials were available and stacked on-site in advance of the consumption matrix, preventing any shortages. Additionally, they also engaged various trade technical agencies to meet the tight schedule and consistently kept construction ahead of targets.
During the project, two major interruptions had to be managed – the Holi festival and the heavy monsoon, with delayed downpours during August-September 2018-19. These challenges slowed progress, the lost time was recovered by working extended hours. Precise estimations by structural consultants, Padaria Associates, ensured minimal overruns in key materials. While changes during the execution were inevitable, strong coordination between the Polycab team, structural consultants, and contractors kept the project on track, making it a success for all stakeholders.
With the building height exceeding 15 m, safety requirements and compliance were of utmost importance. The contractor’s team ensured that all workmen used the required PPE, while agencies received regular training on potential site hazards. These measures helped successfully complete the project without a single fatal incident.
Fact File
Project: Polycab Experience Centre, Halol
Client: Polycab India Ltd
Architect: FHD India
Structural Consultant: Padaria Associates
Contractor: Vikram Builders
Fabricator: Alustruct Glazing
Supplier: Jindal Steel
Tonnage: 125 tonne approximately
Current Status: Completed
Quote
“Sustainability is often seen as an add-on to a finished design, but at FHD India, we strongly believe that it must be integral at every stage of design — from early concept to final execution. This project stands as an icon for Halol and is recognised as one of the best sustainable and commercial typology designs across India. I am deeply grateful to the client and all stakeholders who helped turn this vision into reality.”
– Sriram Ramakrishnan, Principal Architect, FHD India
“This building essentially serves as Polycab’s main corporate office and product display centre. With close coordination between the team, architects, and structural consultants, construction progressed smoothly with minimal bottlenecks. As a green building with unique architectural and display features, it was an exciting challenge to construct it in the shortest possible time.”
– Chirag Patel, Owner, Vikram Builders
– Vanshika Raigaga
