Introduction: Amidst the historic backdrop of the Teen Murti Estate stands an architectural marvel that does more than just house history, it embodies the spirit of a nation in the making. The Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya, conceived and crafted by Sikka Associates Architects, is not just a museum, but a monumental tribute to India’s journey under the stewardship of its Prime Ministers. Inspired by the metaphor of a potter’s wheel, the building emerges from the land with poetic force and steel resolve, blending symbolism, storytelling, and structural mastery.
CRAFTED BY TIME, SHAPED BY LEGACY
The metaphor of the potter’s wheel forms the architectural and conceptual spine of the Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya. It signifies not only a continuous process of shaping and refining but also the intimate interplay between human will and form, much like the democratic shaping of India itself. This metaphor materializes architecturally in the form of dynamic circular geometries, radial planning, and rotational movement embedded into the spatial progression. Visitors are led through a fluid, uninterrupted sequence of galleries that reflect the organic and ever-evolving journey of the nation. Structurally, the museum’s sweeping curves and radiating axes further reinforce this idea of a form taking shape and rising from the earth, a nation emerging with vision and unity.
| Architect’s Voice:
“Our vision was for the museum to embody the nation’s spirit – not as a structure placed on the land, but as one that emerges from it, shaped by its history and people.” – RAMAN SIKKA, Partner, Sikka Associates Architects |
THE GEOMETRY OF GOVERNANCE
More than a mere container of artefacts, the Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya is a sculptural narrative that pays homage to India’s Prime Ministers. At its core lies the metaphor of leadership shaping the nation, an architectural manifestation of vision and collective action. Taking inspiration from the Ashoka Chakra and its 24 spokes, the museum encapsulates the idea of holistic development and relentless forward momentum. Every spatial decision, every turn and curve, is a conscious nod to this legacy. The architecture does not just tell stories; but it embodies them, standing as a powerful and modern expression of India’s evolving identity.
FLUID GEOMETRY, FIRM RESOLVE
Translating a fluid metaphor into a tangible and stable structure posed significant engineering challenges. The design called for curved surfaces, radial spans, and rotational geometries, none of which follow conventional structural norms. Steel emerged as the hero material, its inherent strength and flexibility allowing for bold, column-free spaces and sweeping rooflines. These forms, seemingly floating, became physical manifestations of upliftment and progress. Steel enabled the architects to marry form and function without compromise, while the complex integration of cladding systems including double-curved zinc-titanium panels, expanded the envelope of fabrication and detail.
“Steel gave us the freedom to sculpt an architecture of upliftment, both literal and symbolic.”
TEXTURAL SYNERGY
The material palette of the museum is a deliberate interplay of contrast and continuity. While steel introduces modernity, precision, and structural finesse, the use of pink sandstone on the exterior firmly roots the building in India’s cultural legacy. This juxtaposition evokes both time-honoured tradition and bold modernity. Zinc-titanium panels, with their contemporary sheen, add another layer of depth and craft. The landscape sensitively integrated into the architectural form, acts as both a visual and ecological buffer. It softens the museum’s monumental language, ensuring it rises not in opposition to, but in dialogue with, the site it inhabits.
CONTEXTUAL CHOREOGRAPHY
Sited within the historically rich Teen Murti Estate, once the residence of India’s first Prime Minister, the museum was conceived as an extension of both memory and terrain. The design refrains from overpowering its context; instead, it appears to emerge naturally from the earth, like an artefact being unearthed. This sculptural emergence is carefully choreographed through the building’s rising form and layered landscape. Every existing tree has been preserved, every contour respected, and every transition from built to unbuilt thoughtfully mediated. The result is a harmony of structure and site that feels both intuitive and inevitable.
The Metaphor in Motion
The potter’s wheel central to the museum’s concept is more than a metaphor. It is a planning device, a formal strategy, and an experiential rhythm.
- Circular Geometries: Evoke continuity and evolution
- Radial Planning: Mirrors the Ashoka Chakra’s symbolism
- Rotational Movement: Guides visitors through history in motion
This spatial language ensures that the museum doesn’t just display India’s story, but it moves you through it.
DESIGNED TO GROW
In keeping with the spirit of an ever-evolving nation, the Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya has been master planned for expansion. A dedicated area to the south has been earmarked for a future Phase 2, envisioned to integrate seamlessly with the current structure via an underground link. This foresight ensures that the museum remains responsive to the changing narrative of India’s leadership and allows it to continue growing, physically and symbolically with time. The flexibility embedded in the masterplan is a testament to architecture that acknowledges the unfinished nature of a nation’s story.
WHORLS OF HISTORY
Returning to its conceptual root, the potter’s wheel is not simply a metaphor, it is a generator of form, movement, and experience. The rotational logic permeates the planning, guiding visitors through spirals and whorls of history. Anchored by a central conceptual axis, the galleries unfold like layers of clay shaped over time. This rotational movement does not just guide footsteps, it invokes a sense of participation, making each visitor a co-traveller in the nation’s unfolding journey.
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ENGINEERING FEAT Form vs Force: Where Steel Triumphs The museum’s long-span roof structures with their floating, curve-hugging profiles would not have been possible without the versatility of steel. Its use allowed for:
This structural agility translated vision into volumetric poetry. |
SPACES THAT STIR
More than its form, it is the atmosphere of the museum that leaves a lasting impression. Designed to inspire awe and contemplation in equal measure, the visitor journey is marked by carefully orchestrated pauses, immersive storytelling, and dramatic spatial volumes. Every gallery is a capsule of legacy, every corridor a quiet moment of reflection. The museum moves beyond nostalgia, it becomes a forward-looking space that honours leadership, instils pride, and ignites curiosity about what lies ahead.
“Every gallery is a capsule of legacy; every corridor a quiet moment of reflection.”
WHERE STEEL WHISPERS AND LIGHT LEADS
The design of the interiors is rooted in sensorial refinement. Materials are not only chosen for their aesthetics or utility but for how they communicate mood. Light is choreographed to glide gently over walls and exhibits, never competing with the content but amplifying its emotional resonance. The tactile quality of steel, the warmth of wood, and the softness of stretch-fabric ceilings coalesce to create a dialogue between the past and present. Interstitial spaces offer moments to breathe, to linger thus, balancing intensity with calm. This is a museum where materials speak, and light leads.
Editor’s Note
In a time where architecture often chases spectacle, the Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya stands apart as an eloquent balance of symbolism and structure, history and ambition. Through its thoughtful integration of form, material, and metaphor, it demonstrates how steel can serve not just as a structural medium but as an instrument of storytelling. Sikka Associates Architects have created not merely a building, but a national gesture in form, one that will continue to resonate through decades of visitors, thinkers, and citizens. This is architecture that not only celebrates legacy but creates one.
