Gurajada Kalakshetram is a cultural centre and auditorium in Visakhapatnam, started in 1986 in the remembrance to a famous playwright, poet, and writer Sri Gurajada Apparao (1862-1915) in Telugu Theatre. Sri Gurajada Apparao inspired many theatre artists in Telugu language greatest play “Kanyasulkam”. Gurajada Kalakshetram was set up in 1986 like an open-air theatre with a stage and fixed seating with stone benches with a capacity of 3000. This auditorium has been renovated in 2018 for a total capacity 2300 and the area is 3000sqm. Sri Harsha Consulting Engineers Private Limited (SHPL) were the structural designers for this prestigious project and feel proud to be the part of this project.
The overall dimensions of the auditorium are 54m x 68 m. With this presentation one can understand how the total transformation happened from old open theatre to a modern auditorium with enhanced facilities with a beautiful entrance arch. We visited the site along with Ar.Vijaya Bhaskar and they explained us that they wanted to retain the seating profile and columns to be provided only on the periphery with clear span of 48m and extended cantilevers of 7m on either side.
Concept The main columns are taken as ‘Y’ type columns. The bottom portion of the ‘Y’ has taken in RCC and above portion taken in Steel with a member size 355.6 (OD) of 8.0 thick mainly to reduce the overall span of the truss and also to give aesthetically a better view. The truss has been designed as triangular truss with equilateral triangle of size 2m with pipe size of 139.7 (OD) of 5.4 thick joined by 88.9(OD) of 4.8 thick. The beauty of this truss is that it is equilateral triangle even in elevation. The clear height at the centre of the auditorium is 7m. The column spacing is 5.4m along the length direction except at entrance area, which is 9.6m. The purlins of RHS of 122 x 61 x 3.6 thick are used throughout.
At the entrance area of 9.6m, also designed as triangular lattice on which main truss has been placed to have uniformity in the overall inner view of the auditorium. As it was an open-air theatre seating arrangement, and the architect wanted to retain the same profile, a level difference lattice also designed in triangular truss.
The main advantage of triangular truss is that it is strong against bending both longitudinally and laterally.
The erection of the truss is also relatively easy. The grade of steel of Y-310 has been used for the entire structure procured from TATA Steel.
The Architect had proposed to use multicellular polycarbonate sheets with standing seam profile, which reduces the temperature inside the auditorium and pleasing appearance from the bottom.
The total flooring pattern has been changed and provided with colourful chairs which enhanced the ambience of the auditorium.
This auditorium is being used widely for all the cultural festivals, government sponsored programs and very well acclaimed by one and all.
The proposed terminal building for Captain of Ports is designed in front of the newly constructed Jetty in Panjim, Goa. The proposed building comprises of ground floor and two upper floor levels.
There was already existing Jetty which has three arms from the land till the jetty. The building was to be planned between land and jetty and the positioning of three arms had to be considered while designing the building.
The requirement of the client was to have immigration offices, large lobby with atrium for cruise passengers, administrative offices, barge owner’s offices, Amphitheatre with restaurants and control room.
Initial Thought Since this building was for captain of ports and in the water the initial thought process was to make the building which resembled a ship.
The construction is over water and the building profile slopes outward above the ground floor. This would have been difficult with concrete. Hence steel was selected as the structural material, to enable a lighter construction and used with profiled decking eliminating the major requirements of formwork.
Madhav Kamat Partner, Madhav Kamat & Associates
Using Steel The construction is over water and the building profile slopes outward above the ground floor. This would have been difficult with concrete. Hence steel was selected as the structural material, to enable a lighter construction and used with profiled decking eliminating the major requirements of formwork.
Features The shape of the building resembles a ship. The building has steel columns which are at an angle. The building façade is covered by zinc perforated jail which hides all the services which are running behind the jail. The total area of the building is 3880 sq. m. The ground floor has a double- height Lobby for Passengers, with café on one side and staircase, lifts, and washrooms on the other side. The ground floor also comprises of immigration and custom department.
The first floor has captain of Ports Office Space, Accounts Department, Marine Department, Light House Department, Hydrographic Department, Drafting Sections, International ship port security Department, Server Room, Washrooms and Cabins for Officers. The building has an unusual geometry where in plan the building is tapering and is curved with different diameters at both ends. In elevation also the building is expanding as it goes higher.
The software used are: – AutoCAD – SAP 2000 for Structural Analysis and Design
Learning The client gave consultant flexibility to design. It was an unusual project to design in water where the reflection of building can be seen in water. The timeline of the project was two years.
Dell ‘Orto is a world known manufacturing company housing a patent of fuel injection systems. Being an Italian based Company, the client always expected the building to have an innovative form preferably in steel.
Ideation A provision for expansion was a prime demand from the client. The idea was to have the office building attached to production unit, so designed that a visual link is provided between the production shop and the administration unit. Clients desired to have a column free workspace of 44mspan, with sufficient natural light, ventilation and good quality flooring. The services and utilities needed to be streamlined.
After, the brief was given it was thoroughly analysed and the outline of the project was pinned down. It is necessary for any building to blend with the surrounding. So, the basic thought process was that the building should stand out as well as to blend in.
Steeling Structure As steel is durable, and offers architects more design freedom in colour, texture, shape, etc. Its ability for long spanned areas gives rise to long and clear open spaces. It is a lightweight material related to other framing materials. And moreover, the malleability gives architects broader parameters to explore ideas and develop fresh solutions.
Structural designing saves construction time and costs. Due to numerous pros of steel, steel as a material is selected for this project. The architects decided to design a form in steel which could be easily extendable for expansion, easily erected for achieving compact time frame and the design shall be unique. This is achieved by extending the portal frame with curved bracket on both the ends. The crimped curves add distinctive beauty to the structure while giving voluminous space within the production shop floor.
The Production unit is uniquely designed in pre-engineered building system with curved profile for the enclosure. The steel work was executed by Zamil steels and the detailing justified our intentions of making it light and effective structure.
Features The 44m span portal trusses spaced at 7.5m centre to centre with projecting out curves, gives a very right look to structure flanked by the office building with simple straight lines geometrically clubbed between the glass and ACP cladding.
The curved profile of building was used as an enclosure, it was uniquely designed for production unit area. The structure is enveloped with Galvalume roofing sheets.
A QC lab is provided suitably located on the shop floor. It is done in steel frame with a false ceiling. The structure was embellished with trimix flooring and landscape. Use of conventional or traditional material like bricks, stone and concrete was avoided and use of aluminium and glass was highly prioritize.
The Italian business group Dell Orto, patenting fuel injections expected a dynamic form-based design that shall stand out in the densely populated industrial complex at Chakan. Versatility of steel made it all possible as we converted triangular roof into curve that blends with glazed verticals and crimping of the sheets decorating the surface with the frills. And the inspiration continues…….
Prashant Deshmukh Principal Architect, Prashant Deshmukh and Associates
The geometry of the structure revolves around the curved profile over the structure which are covered in galvalume roofing sheets. The portal truss span with projecting curves gives a very right look to structure flanked by the office building with simple straight lines. The crimped curves gives a distinctive beauty to the structure.
The softwares used for Architectural Drawing is AutoCAD and 3DViews and rendering are Sketchup and Lumion respectively. The project has a strategic design approach towards the requirements of the clients.
Fact File
Client: Dell ‘Orto India Pvt Ltd Architect & Consultant: Prashant Deshmukh and Associates Steel Tonnage: Zamil steels Current status: Phase 1 completed & Phase 2 (About to Start)
The global leader of the roofing industry who have pioneered steel in almost every walk of life – be it infrastructure, institutional buildings, top notch manufacturing facilities, commercial structures or even contemporary residential segments is contributing their best in making steel the prime material of construction.
To speak about the current achievements and future plans of Tata BlueScope we have with us the man of the hour,
How has been the journey of Tata BlueScope Steel over the years? It was in the year 2003, when two global steel players discovered an opportunity to collaborate and bring to the Indian market the latest globally accepted technology and products. BlueScope Steel was the global leader in metal coated and color coated steel, with iconic brands like ZINCALUME®, COLORBOND® and LYSAGHT®. They were also the largest PEB manufacturer in North America, with brands like BUTLER® and MR24. Tata Steel was the largest private sector manufacturer of steel in India, with a 100-year legacy.
In 2005 an iconic JV between Tata Steel and BlueScope Steel set the tone for innovative, new age, quality driven steel building products and solutions. Since then, the journey has truly been an exhilarating one. Initially we launched our range of products imported from BlueScope Steel. Subsequently our first downstream facility was setup at Pune in 2006. Facilities at Bhiwandi and Chennai were set up in quick succession. We commissioned our state-of-art metal and color coating lines at Jamshedpur in 2012. The manufacturing plant at Jamshedpur was incorporated with equipment supplied by technology leaders Siemens VAI and was one of the most modern plants within the BlueScope family.
With all the right ingredients in place – plants, people and processes; we have constantly been working towards introducing, high quality, well researched steel products manufactured in 4 strategically located facilities; made available through a wide network of sales offices and multiple touch points. Today, you will find Tata BlueScope Steel in almost every walk of life – be it infrastructure, institutional buildings, top notch manufacturing facilities, commercial structures or even contemporary residential segments.
What is your take on the current Indian steel roofing industry? Indian Roofing industry is witnessing an improved acceptance for steel roofing, majorly dominated by pre-painted coated sheets which contributes around 55 per cent of the total steel roofing market. The products sold in the market include GI, GL, PPGI and PPGL coated sheets. The total market is estimated to grow to 3 million tons by FY25 at a CAGR of ~ 6 per cent. Customers from various segments such as industrial, commercial, institutional and residential are increasingly becoming conscious of quality of the coated steel cladding.
The market which was initially dominated by Zn coated (Galvanized) steel sheets, has gradually moved to Zn-Al coated steel sheets owing to superior performance over various parameters. The selection of profiles is also a key criterion, especially in Industrial and Infra Projects. Due to increase in awareness levels, concealed fix profiles are gaining acceptance over pierced fixing profiles especially in the Industrial segment due to better water resistance and performance. However, the industry is still struggling with non-adherence to correct installation and maintenance practices, which eventually results in reduced life of the structure. Color Coated Steel enables an architect to transform his dreams into a reality. Over the years we have witnessed a surge in the usage of steel for architecturally superior structures.
Being one of the premium roofing solution providers, how do you stand out from the rest? At Tata BlueScope we have always focused on our end user for addressing their requirements. Through customization for every application or segment, we assure customers, architects, consultants, engineers or even normal house builders about quality and performance-oriented products and solutions. We collaborate with the world’s leading paint companies to jointly develop paint systems which provide eco-friendly, long lasting solutions. The products which are brought to the market have been tested for years under actual site conditions. We make our products available even in the remotest areas of our country through our well-established network of channel partners and currently have over 5000 touch points.
We offer value added services such as design, detailing, construction and maintenance which provide end to end solutions to our customers. The legacy of our two promoters and the product and service experience we offer, has helped us build a strong bond of trust with our customers.
What are the challenges faced by the roofing industry as of today? Quality – A major concern today is awareness about the right kind of material bought from genuine manufacturers. We have seen a large influx of substandard color coated steel into the country. It has an adverse impact not only on manufacturers but also to the end user. We have come across poor quality imported material being locally branded and shown to be produced by reputed domestic steel companies, thus misleading consumers who unknowingly buy them.
Unorganized sector- Due to low entry barriers, many roll formers are entering markets setting up shops in an unorganized way without proper technical support like design and engineering.
Lack of Safety practices and advanced construction capabilities – Due to compromised quality in machinery or equipment sourced, inadequate safety training programs and absence of safety culture, has led to increased fatalities on project sites. Unskilled workforces and inappropriate installation practices affect the overall structural instability, corrosion, leakages and longevity of the product / building in the long run.
Material planning – Customers especially from PEB segment expect agility from suppliers in terms of shorter delivery lead times, variety of colors etc. However, steel plants accustomed to produce bulk volumes in standard sizes need to drive a mind-set change to cater to these expectations. At times this affects the overall project completion timelines.
Lack of awareness of material storage and handling- While stakeholders (steel mill, reputed PEB manufacturers and roll formers) take complete care of the quality of material supplies. However, when it reaches to the project site (especially remote locations), due to lack of adequate loading and unloading equipment and storage facilities, material may get damaged which adversely affects the overall aesthetics and durability of the building.
Maintenance- Proactive maintenance is a significant aspect which is widely ignored leading to high maintenance costs in the long term. Regular interventions are necessary for greater aesthetics and durability.
What is your take on the latest technology coming into the roofing system? Roofing industry has undergone immense transformation. Consumers today are moving away from conventional choices and opting for modern, value driven products and solutions. New technologies that promise faster construction, enable ease of installation, are well insulated – sound and thermally, are durable and fulfil green credentials norms; have wooed customers of recent.
With green movement gaining immense attention, solar compatible roofs are the next big trend. Further boosting sustainability are the green roof construction technologies that are lead free and can be used for rainwater harvesting.
While thermal efficiency is an important consideration, it can also be achieved through innovative paint system like Tata BlueScope Steel’s THERMATECH™ solar reflectance technology incorporated in COLORBOND® steel that helps reduce inside temperature making it thermally efficient. Our roofing systems are lead free and can be used for rainwater harvesting.
Could you please elaborate about your manufacturing facility and its production capacity? Tata BlueScope Steel set up its state-of-art manufacturing facility in Jamshedpur in 2012, with a capacity of 250,000 tonne per annum for Metal Coating Line (MCL) and 150,000 tonne per annum for Color Coating Line (CCL) and is fully equipped with Level 3 automation solutions and equipment from global suppliers. Tata Steel’s acquisition of Bhushan steel has further added another 450,000tpa metal coating capacity at a group level.
Additionally, we have 4 strategically located plants in each zone of our country, for roll forming of coated sheets and other building products. This ensures proximity to site locations pan-India, enabling on-time delivery.
What are your plans for the next 5 years? We are focusing on further enhancing our customer experience by offering differential value propositions. We further plan to augment our mid-stream and downstream capacities for a sustained growth. Over the next three years we plan to double our color coating capacity.
What is your success Mantra that you can share with our readers? Focus on long term strategic objectives while achieving short term goals and keep customer centricity at the core of your business. Develop an environment of excellence and entrepreneurship amongst employees. Strive to be the market leaders by delivering value to your customers and focus on operational efficacy.
The design translates the philosophy of creating sustainable buildings along with a contemporary form, thus creating a balance and a global design for the future.
Half of the stadium sites on contoured land thus generating interest through the play of levels and offering a panoramic view of the hills.
The form of the design compliments the natural beauty of the site and its fluidity creates a natural flow within.
Creative group’s role in the project was that of a design consultant and formulating the vision for the conceptual design – from the master planning of the site to the selection of material specification who further collaborated with Populous Architect for this project.
Material Bifurcation The project proposal is for a cricket stadium and hence the choice of structural materials becomes primary in developing a large-scale design. The structural materials for the project have been carefully selected keeping in mind using advanced but sustainable materials:
Multi Cell Polycarbonate Skylight Use of multi cell polycarbonate skylight – 16mm thick & 1040 mm wide, fitted on MS purlins, provides the necessary structure while the maximizing the daylight.
Double Skin Stand Up Seam Roofing System The aluminium roofing system designed and installed to withstand the expansion and contraction forces resulting from an atmospheric temperature range 5 to 45 degrees Celsius. The complete roofing system meets the required thermal (U) performance of maximum 0.32 W/m2K. Compact Laminated Board Wall Cladding
Use of compact laminated board wall cladding is durable and ensures good performance throughout its lifecycle. It also uses 60 per cent raw materials which are recyclable, hence making it environmentally friendly.
We believe that a building can be made sustainable by understanding the nature and choosing the materials wisely, thus focusing on its performance and primarily responding to its ecology and available resources. Our firm has strongly believed in the philosophy that “buildings are more than just a mass of brick and concrete; they are a living organism.” As living organisms evolve, our buildings should also transform with the need and the understanding to create a more sustainable yet creative design. This project proposal was aimed at taking forward this ideology and developing a climate responsive yet contemporary design CHARANJIT SHAH & GURPREET SHAH Principal Architects, Creative Group
Architectural Features It is a general trend and perception that large buildings are biggest guzzlers of energy, but keeping in mind basic design strategies, then it is possible to reduce the energy load and make them sustainable. Solar movement became a decisive factor in orientation of the building and creation of a building envelope to protect against the harsh west sun.
The design is part of a contoured landscape, which provides an excellent opportunity to place the building to provide a clear view of the mountains. The dynamic and fluid form of the design aims at integrating it with the natural surroundings itself, making it a part of the landscape. The proposal also includes a practice field for the players to utilize, thus making the facility a fully functional sports arena.
The entire stadium has been planned in a radial pattern with multiple egress points to enable shortest travel distance. The entry points for visitors, players and VIPs have been clearly defined, thus making the circulation and movement pattern easier. Apart from the stands, a green hill was also designed as a part of the project to provide the spectators a more casual setting towards viewing cricket.
Keeping the approach towards sustainability at its core, the design uses various active and passive strategies to make the project energy efficient and save almost 60 per cent of the energy. Over years due to rapid infrastructure development and building work the open spaces for ground water recharge has reduced considerably. Water table is dropping every year and is cause for immense concern. Grass track with over 90 per cent porosity helps in ground water recharge. Hard surfaces like asphalt and concrete have 95 per cent water runoff and no percolation. Thus, using green grass pavers for parking serve dual purpose of landscaping and ground water recharge.
Adoption of active water saving strategies like – waste water treated on site for irrigation and recycling as flushing water using STP and ETP, use of low flow sanitary fixtures, enable water saving of up to 50 per cent.
Uniqueness The design translates the philosophy of creating sustainable buildings along with a contemporary form, thus creating a balance and a global design for the future.
Half of the stadium sites on contoured land thus generating interest through the play of levels and offering a panoramic view of the hills. The form of the design compliments the natural beauty of the site and its fluidity creates a natural flow within.
The use of skylights creates a transparency, while the double skin stands up seam aluminium roofing gives dynamism to the large span structure. Further, the use of advanced energy saving techniques and passive design strategies make the project unique in its approach and a model for future such projects.
Bridges plays a major role in boosting the use of steel in India and therefore maintenance of the same is required. RDSO the development organisation under the Ministry of Railways of India, which functions as a technical adviser and consultant to the Railway Board respect of design and standardization of railway equipment and problems related to railway construction, operation and maintenance of bridges. Talking about RDSO’s major work at hand we have the man of the hour with rich experience over many years in the field is here to talk about the bridge industry advances and future plans. RAJEEV VERMA Executive Director- B&S, RDSO…
What as per you is the future of steel bridges in our country? As per the present report, the steel consumption in infrastructure is 10 per cent, which is targeted to reach 30 per cent by 2030. The steel bridges will play a major role in achieving this target. Hence, the future of steel bridges is considered bright in our country.
How has steel been a revolution in construction of modern-day bridges? Modern steel bridges are taking advantage of the latest advances in automated fabrication and construction techniques can provide economic solutions to the demands of safety, rapid construction, aesthetics, shallow construction depth, minimal maintenance and flexibility in future use. Steel also scores well on all the sustainability measures and offers a broad range of benefits addressing the economic, environmental, and social priorities of the ‘triple bottom line’ of sustainability.
Which steel project that you’ve been involved in has impacted you the most? And why? RDSO is involved in planning, design and fabrication aspects of bridges being built across Indian Railways. So, it is difficult to name any one project, however recently commissioned 4.9 Km. long fully welded Bogibeel bridge, across mighty Brahmaputra river is one such project. RDSO, has not only been involved in planning stage, but it has done the fabrication inspection of this iconic bridge of Indian Railways.
What is the inspiration that helps you to keep going even in the toughest of times? The long history of Indian Railways as an organization and the responsibility which this great organisation has bestowed on me keeps me going in toughest of time.
What is your take on steel v/s concrete bridges? Being a railway man, it is a natural choice of steel bridges considering the heavy fatigue loading it is subjected to. The Indian Railways is using concrete bridges for smaller spans upto 20 m. or so but for longer spans steel is the natural choice.
What are the recent developments in the steel fabrication segment as far as Indian Railways is concerned? As mentioned above, Indian Railways has recently completed construction of Bogibeel bridge which was fully welded. As a measure to increase output from fabricators and increase automation in bridge fabrication, Schedule of technical requirement has been revised to incorporate CNC cutting, CNC drilling, Automatic beam welding machines and other machines for bridge girder fabrication.
The railway & metro stations abroad are mostly built in steel with great aesthetics. What stops us from following the suit? Indian Railways is looking forward to such opportunities. Recently, it has resorted to construction of Stainless-steel Foot Over Bridges in some coastal areas, to have better corrosion resistant construction material as well as good aesthetics.
What plans does Indian Railways have to push the Indian infrastructure? Railways is expected to receive a financial outlay of Rs 10-12 trillion over the next five years. For the railways, the major works will be a conversion of all viable rail tracks to broad gauge, electrification of all railway tracks, and completion of the two dedicated freight corridor projects by 2022. Indian Railways will contribute a lot to the growth of Indian Infrastructure.
One of the prime steel suppliers of the country having their name established across all the sectors of the industry is none other than the trailblazer – Tata Steel. They have rightly achieved their vision of value creation and corporate citizenship with their brand name ‘’Tata Strcutura’.
With the belief that steel is a versatile material for construction, and, will remain the main growth engine for the country’s development. They aspire to set bring international best practices for Steel application/usage in construction….
We have with us the man-of-the hour PRAVEEN SHRIVASTAVA, CHIEF OF MARKETING & SALES TUBES SBU, TATA STEEL who will spill some more beans about the leading steel supplier… Read on to know more…
Being one of the pioneers of the Steel Industry, what is your take on the future of Construction in India? Traditionally, Indian construction was based on masonry and RCC (Reinforced Cement Concrete). RCC requires natural minerals like sand & coarse aggregates, which are gradually depleting. The problem is compounded by increasing water scarcity across the country.
In addition, technology continues to evolve towards new, less-resource intensive and more sustainable forms of construction. In this scenario, steel with its inherent advantages, assumes greater importance. The future is expected to be ‘greener’ and it is predicted that composite construction will play a greater role.
How does Tata Steel stand out from the rest of its combatants? Tata Steel stands out from other steel companies because, it continues to innovate and develop new technologies and advanced products for sustainable construction to ensure optimum usage of natural resources.
What role has Tata Structura’s innovative products have played in changing the industry scenario? India has a very low per capita steel consumption, and, typically uses RCC or conventional steel sections. In such a scenario, Tata Steel introduced steel hollow sections for structural use, under the brand name ‘Tata Structura’.
After a decade usage, the market size of this product has increased exponentially and achieved the intent for aesthetically wonderful structures. It continues to define the skylines around the country. We are the market leaders in chosen segments like infrastructure and major industrial projects.
How would you describe Tata Structura’s success story? With changing times, Tata Structura’s innovative products have played an important role in the industrial scenario. This is a premium brand in hollow sections market and as pioneers in structural steel, Tata Steel continues to create demand by enabling usage.
Major infrastructural projects viz. airports, stadiums & metro rail stations are built with steel hollow sections and we are an integral part of these projects, not only as the material supplier, but also by supporting the AEC community. Our in-house team of structural experts for steel hollow sections support the efforts of stakeholders in project construction through customised services.
What are the key challenges faced by our Steel Suppliers today? How do we plan to overcome it? The main challenges faced by steel suppliers today are urgent requirements of non-standard sections & MOQ issues. Also, the limited knowledge of steel design and fabrication with hollow sections in the industry, is compelling lesser usage of steel in construction segment. The Indian Standards for Design are not fully in line with international practices.
Steel has been popularly used in commercial structures. What steps should be taken to encourage builders to use steel in their major projects? As steel availability has increased in the country, the builder community needs to switch over to steel frame construction, for achieving faster construction timelines. This will help them to achieve in early revenue generations of the facility & steel as an option will provide better life cost of the facility due its usage will lead to higher column free spaces, carpet area & faster project completion at targeted quality and life of the structure.
Please state about your novel products such as H&I Sections and Fire Resistance Steel? In steel frame buildings, the fire protection of the steel frame is one of the major cost component and hence steel buildings are becoming uneconomical. Our R&D has developed an innovative steel grade which will meet the requirements of the structural engineers for fire protection without any coatings or may be in some case with minimal fire resistance coatings. With this grade, the steel structures will become more economical and meet the customer requirements.
In order to reduce the work at project sites and give more customised products to our project customers, we have launched factory-welded H&I sections which are being manufactured under factory-controlled conditions instead of site fabrications. This helps consumers to access better quality product, with less project lead time.
What steps should be taken by the government to promote steel construction in India? With Government of India focusing on using on developing infrastructure (Airports, Railways, Roads & Waterways) Smart Cities and ‘Make in India’ initiative, will boost steel demand in the country. However, the codal provisions and BIS standards need to be updated in line with international codes. Also, focus is required for skill development and for steel fabrication & erection works.
What is Tata Steel’s plan of action for the next 5 years? We at Tata Steel as always shall focus on developing value added & Innovative products for the construction segment. Also, we are trying to facilitate and bring international best practices for Steel application/usage in construction.
What Message would you like to give our readers? Steel is a versatile material for construction and will remain the main growth engine for the country’s development. It is a material with high strength to weight ratio and will remain the main construction material for decades to come.
Sattva Group being a real estate king over the last three decades, what is your take on the journey of our Indian Construction Industry? To a large extent the real estate market is influenced by changing trends. The price and value of a property majorly fluctuates due to multiple influencing factors. In the residential sector the growth is coming from the middle-class/middle-income space. The construction of an excess of luxury homes led to an overkill in the segment. However, we saw three or four years ago that real estate was facing massive consolidation. The customer turned more discerning than ever and this brought a slew of developers of greater scale and higher quality. The economy is now doing well, and the overwhelming young population needs a place to call home. So, we can expect a great turnaround.
While 2018 was a year of reforms, 2019 looks stable with a strong government in the centre, and the real estate industry is poised for growth. It looks like the industry is bent on coming back with a bang. Underperformance is a thing of the past. Prices are rising in commercial and residential real estate. Demand by the way of inward investment is on the rise from blue-chip US corporates. The next big step will be listed onshore real estate investment trusts, which will come into force in 2019.
There’s been a huge leap in Indian companies leasing space. The share of domestic firms leasing out space in 2015, has met the numbers of US companies. The IT-ITES sector has continued to remain on the top in terms of share of office occupancy across major Indian cities. This indicates that with a good government the sky is the limit for our industry.
What has been the role of steel in changing the construction dynamics? How? Steel has brought about a paradigm shift in the way buildings are being planned and executed. Steel structures call for finalization of a whole lot of details well in advance, stake holders get to sit across the table and go through a lot of details, making the entire project more well planned, helping the team to understand the scheme in totality. The various benefits of meticulous pre-planning result in efficiency and ease of execution, planning and procurement of allied material well in advance, and give builders better control on the project execution. Steel buildings are now being made in factories and only assembled at site. Hence, steel is ushering the Industry towards mechanization and making it less labour intensive and reducing uncertainties in project execution and completion.
Sattva Group the Real Estate Giant. What has been the secret of Sattva being at the top of the game? Salarpuria Sattva stands for complete transparency and financial discipline. We are committed to on-time delivery of our projects and don’t miss deadlines. Our focus is on futuristic, energy efficient designs to reduce operational cost for our clients.
Above all, we are the ‘one stop solution’ for all our client’s needs. These are some of the factors that have helped us gain a leadership position and provide cutting-edge commercial spaces that are on par with the best in the world.
According to you what are the key challenges faced by the Developers? The main challenges faced by the developers is disproportionate development. There is too much development in IT-Tech Parks and over-supply coming in from the unorganised sector. The confidence of customers has slipped due to the unscrupulous methods deployed by many developers. Unfortunately, customers tend to measure all developers by the same yardstick. Another roadblock is the prolonged time periods that sanctioning authorities take, which further stalls constructions. This is mostly due to lack of training techniques.
It is time that we as developers move away from a low-cost labour mind set and embrace technology. The need of the hour is to raise skill levels, provide better welfare measures to our workforce and ensuring greater safety on sites, so that they are motivated to take up our projects.
With technology being an important aid in major projects, how has it helped the real estate sector? Technology increases precision in work execution, reduces dependency on labour, reduces uncertainties in projects and facilitates faster execution of works. Steel frame buildings are factory fabricated with the best of technology available and under strict quality control at the steel fabricator’s facility.
This not only reduces a lot of on-site labour-oriented work, but it also comes with a very high degree of precision that enables fast track construction at site. A major take away is that the number of labourers on site can be drastically reduced.
Where do we lack in terms of real estate sector as compared to the other developed countries? As a country we don’t lag behind in any way. The best of technology available anywhere in the world in the construction industry, is available in India. It is just a matter of how much, of it we use and how we use it. Yes, at times, we may be resistant to change, but it’s more a mind-set. Once the industry understands the life cycle cost of a project and its dependencies, the change to adapt to better systems will invariably get accepted.
In our Knowledge Park project comprising 5 million sq ft in Hyderabad, we have made a major shift and adopted steel frame structures. We undertook the rigorous exercise of getting all our stake holders together and meticulously planned the design and execution of the project. We can proudly say that this project will turn out to be as good or better than any others.
Do you believe we have the right kind of structural steel supply to cater various demands of clients? Yes, in terms of steel built up sections, we have the right kind of steel supply, however we have limitation in terms of range of availability of rolled sections. As of now this can be addressed by opting for built up sections, but I believe that soon, we shall conquer this challenge also.
India has steel manufactures like JSW Steel, Tata Steel etc. who manufacture the required grades and thickness to cater to the demand. We also have a few world class structural steel fabricators in India.
What outstanding newness does Sattva Group plan in the next 5 years? Salarpuria Sattva is strengthening its core expertise in IT Tech Parks and residences and extending its presence in hospitality as well, by entering the Resorts arena. We are all set to put up 8 million sq ft of cutting-edge IT Tech Parks across the IT capital – Bengaluru, in various locations. We also set up the Oracle Tech Hub Phase 1 in record time. Beginning 2019, we entered into affordable housing with around 6 new projects underway across Bengaluru.
In Hyderabad, we have delivered 6.5 million Sq. Ft. of cutting-edge space that is occupied by the cream of corporates. Another 16 million Sq.Ft. is in the pipeline, coming up in the growth corridor of the city. These include Knowledge Capital of 2.4 million Sq.Ft. and Knowledge Park comprising 3.2 million Sq.Ft. Our flagship IT Tech Park Knowledge City – an IGBC Platinum rated green Building of 7 million Sq.Ft. is touted to be the best in Asia. The Group also tied up with the Telangana government to build Image Towers, a world class animation, gaming and visual effects centre of more than 2 million Sq.Ft.
What message would you like to give our readers? Work with integrity and transparency. Financial discipline is what pays in the long term and developers who can understand the pulse of the market, keep abreast of changing trends and meet deadlines can win customer confidence in the long term. Integrity is everything in this business.
The ambitious vision of Honorable Prime Minister Shri. Narendra Modi in transforming railway stations to epicenters and intermodal hubs, giving global integrated solutions to futuristic developments is what has been visualized for the entire redevelopment of Charbagh Railway station.
Ideation The Mughal architectural marvel of 18th Century from Lucknow, the Charbagh Railway station is on the benches of serious discussions and contemplations on the basis of “Redevelopment” to serve the surge in population and the futuristic requirements in stipulations of facilities and infrastructure.
The term redevelopment holds subdued interpretations in the case of railway station which needs to be very much functional throughout, without any interruption. So the real challenge is to revamp, redevelop or amend the functional infrastructure.
The gigantic horizontal mass encompassing the land, with the heritage and culture reflecting the reverberated visually and holistically with its sturdy incarnations and red renderings.
One of the main railway stations amongst the 10 stations selected by the Ministry of Railways in collaboration, with NBCC happens to be Charbagh, which falls under the Northern Railways. The inception towards the notional redevelopment is subject to partake with the travelers, as an intermodal hub is envisioned to be established in the realistic grounds of Charbagh.
Station Specifics To withhold the human dynamism in terms of spatial composition, widespread and height of clearance concourse with GI metal double standing seam roofs are planned to be deliberated on the first level, above ground. The concourses will host spaces for multiple functional modules that primarily serves commercial stalls, food courts, sophisticated seating spaces, charging portals, X-Ray scanning zones, kiosks, cloakrooms, ATM, VIP lounge, green spaces and other general spaces. The concourse being widespread and huge in terms of space, the traipse ought to be eased for which, travellators are included as a mean of vertical circulation. The concourse is connected to the ground level and further below as well as above by elevators, lifts and wide staircases. From the concourses, foot over bridges (FOB) lead ways to exit the railway station. This relaxes the basement arrivals as multiple options to exit the station complex are enabled.
Facets and Geometrics In the circumferential periphery of the station, six discrete plots have been identified for centripetal neighborhood up-gradation with noble and introspective functional services. The first and foremost pre-requisite, is to elevate the overall morale and standards of the railway station to global superiority in terms of its services, circulatory convenience, materialistic finishing, aesthetic and population holding functional caliber without the tedious rush and push that the orthodox Indian railway stations portray.
The platforms are congested with the flow of people to and from the platforms, in and out of the station. With notions to tackle this collision of passenger traffic, entry and exit points are planned to be bifurcated into two different and separate domains of spaces. The entry of the building is subjected to be through the ground level whereas the parking could relatively go to the basement, so as to enable freedom in the drop off services in the ground level.
The current access points to the railway station would be comprehensively made for the approaching crowd, as it by default leads to various platforms and ticket counters by the parent planning. The arrivals are equally mighty in terms of the populace, hence they are taken to the basement, thereby defining the exit. To the South of the existing railway station, lies the streak of railway tracks. Further beyond the tracks, plot 2 has been formulated to serve the function as a rear entry edifice to the Charbagh station.
This holistic and broad visional version of approach with sustainable, future adaptable and people user-friendly measures to the Charbagh railway station, undeniably garner public appreciation with active participation. Such advanced architectural interventions are very much in command to cater to the future needs of the rapidly developing population and subsequent global metaphorical expressions of growth.
CHARANJIT Shah and Gurpreet Shah Principal Architect, Creative Group
The rear entry building is connected to the concourse of the main building through FOB and concourse above the rail level. The metro station is also connected to the primary concourse that is behind the existing Charbagh railway station concourse and FOBs. This facilitates passengers travelling through metros to directly enter the railway station without taking the additional pain of stepping onto the road to cross and reach the railway station. An FOB provisioning change in levels with a connective concourse enhances the passenger movement expeditiously. Alongside, on other neighboring plots that are identified as plot 3, building complexes with commercial spaces, showrooms, corporate offices, hospital and different range of hotels are visualized to be designed as a part of redevelopment agenda. These services are identified to be the most indigenous necessities of public interest.
The commercial spaces feed and quench the needy, wherein, the hospital helps the defendants from not being forced to travel into the city in search of medical services. Incoming patients from other regions would be benefited with a hospital about the railway station. The corporate offices nevertheless comfort the floating population of workforce floating into the city of Lucknow, by providing ease in access to the workspace within the periphery of city’s significant railway station. The plot 4 serves as residential quarters for the railway staffs, alongside hotels and accommodation facilities. Plots 5 and 6 nonetheless offer built spaces for similar functions as of the building on plot 3 does, by mean, corporate offices, commercial shopping corridors, showrooms, etc. All these plots are cohesively connected through concourses above the rail and road levels, hence relieving the pressure on roads by pedestrian interruptions as well as vehicular ruckus.
The basic drawings are prepared in AutoCAD after conceptualizing it with hand sketches for the basic idea, the design is developed in BIM interface like Sketch up where each, and, every part of the drawings responds collectively. Also, the animation and renders are being prepared in 3dsMax.
Learnings In simple dictums, a new and noble set of built attachments to the existing railway station unit, not only advances to quench the needs of future but also defines and magnifies the overall morale of the city fabrics. The concept of sustainability is substantially overlooked to reduce the carbon footprints to meet ends in the future, hence lush green spaces are gushed into various regions of the intermodal hub.
Plantations in the basement serve aid to the fumes let out by vehicles. Similarly, trees and plants are subjected to be plotted in and around the glass, steel and concrete structures. Solar panels could serve the basic electricity dependence of the multifunctional concourses, while potted plants can nourish and create a holistic aura in the waiting lounge.
Fact File
Client: RLDA, NBCC
Architect: Creative Group
Consultant: Ahluwalia Developers and Contractors
Steel Tonnage: 9968 MT
Status: Ongoing
The new Passenger Terminal Building at Ozar Airfield is an initiative by the Government of Maharashtra and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) to provide civil aviation facility to the city of Nashik. This modestly sized terminal will provide complete Departure and Arrival services for commercial airlines while using the existing airstrip originally built for and used by the Indian Air Force.
Capturing the Inspiration
Man has always endeavoured to fly and the birds have been the key inspiration to famous scholars such as Archytas and Leonardo Di Vinci. Drawing upon the visual of a bird’s wings in flight, the modular façade of Nashik Airport Terminal Building seeks to capture the same stance and spirit of momentum.
Design of the terminal building was an amalgamation of two contradictory influences – the historic & religious heritage of Nashik City and the context of HAL’s fighter aircraft facility being used for civil aviation. The underlying philosophy has been to create an ‘iconic gateway to the city’ and the age-old precedent of an arched entrance gate to a community. The ‘arch’, apart from being a historic element, is also one of the most efficient long-spanning structures.
Design of the terminal building was an amalgamation of two contradictory influences – the historic & religious heritage of Nashik City and the context of HAL’s fighter aircraft facility being used for civil aviation. The underlying philosophy has been to resemble the age-old arched gateways marking a city’s entrance, however, with modern iconicity that transcends into the future.
JAYESH HARIYANI, Senior Principal, INI Design Studio (formerly Stantec Consulting Pvt. Ltd.)
Simplified Design to Execute
A bunch of steel arches spring out from one point in 8 directions creating conical columns at 32m spans. A series of these arches create the skeleton for a doubly curved roof with the low points at each of the columns and the high points at the tip of the arches. The modular and repetitive circular geometry simplifies the fabrication process and controls construction cost. This dramatic steel structure thus efficiently provides long un-interrupted spans and has an inherent monumentality. However, in contrast to this monumental grandeur, use of modernistic materials like steel and glass was proposed to introduce an industrial and futuristic character at the same time.
Creating Sense of Transparency
The exterior envelope is expressed as a minimal glass curtain wall which thermally encloses the interior spaces, however, is transparent enough to not interfere with the predominant structure and roof. The internal cabins and offices are expressed as independent structures underneath the roof and most of the passenger areas are accommodated in open concourses divided with glass partitions only.
Passenger facilities planned within the terminal comprise of departure concourse with check-in desks, baggage handling, security check area, departure holding area, VIP and frequent flyer lounges, arrival concourse with baggage reclaim belts along with other amenities such as retail and restrooms. The primarily single storied building has a roof area admeasuring 8267 sqm, out of which 5472 sqm is enclosed on the ground floor with an additional 970 sqm on a mezzanine level, and the rest is available as canopies on all 4 sides. Designed for a peak-hour-passenger count of 300 pax, the space planning complies with IATA congestion standard ‘D’.
Building Highlights:
Airport terminal building for peak hour density for 300 passengers (150 arrival & 150 departure)
Building size is 64.40 m x 128.40 m
Roof is designed with special aesthetics to have international elevation standards
Two lane drive way to airport terminal building with suitable landscape
Proper parking facility opposite to airport terminal building and plaza
Value-Engineering The Building System
The Nashik Airport project started off with ambitious goals to create a state-of-the-art passenger terminal, although with tight budgets and schedule. Given the constraints, a holistic design is created while aggressively value-engineering the building systems and specifications without compromising on the passenger experience. With national security constraints at the HAL premises, the siting of the building was pre-determined and the Apron was only accessible via transporter buses and no aerobridges could be planned.
The philosophy has been to resemble the age-old arched gateways marking a city’s entrance, however, with modern iconicity that transcends into the future. The building was completed at a cost of INR 84 crore including civil works, building services, basic interiors and site development within a time-period of 18 months. Stantec’s multi-disciplinary office with all design disciplines such as architecture, interior design, landscape architecture and building engineering under one roof, played an important role in achieving the same.
Sustainable design has also been an important goal and some of the most effective solutions such as optimum U-value building envelope, VRF air-conditioning, and building management systems have been incorporated. Clerestory windows bring natural daylight into the centre of the departure concourse minimising the energy demand for lighting.
Wise Use of Steel
The tubular steel used for the roof weighs only about 250 metric tonnes since the use of steel has been limited to purlins and trusses. The primary load carrying members (columns and beams) are in reinforced concrete, thus, saving the cost of fire-proofing structural steel. The landside canopy cantilevers out by 8m with the help of a 112m long triangular truss in the transverse direction supported at every 16m.
The roof has insulation sandwiched between the standing seam aluminium top sheet and trapezoidal bottom sheet (galvalume coated steel) which is perforated for good acoustics inside the large concourse space. The façade consists of high performance DGU glazing, zinc and granite dry-cladding. Use of natural and recyclable materials such as glass, granite, and metal roofing and ceiling systems has also been maximised. The parabolic landside and airside canopy features, till date, one of India’s longest standing seam aluminium roof panels (122m) without any joints.
The existing runway was upgraded to 3500m length and is now able to handle large aircrafts. With additional parking, improved fire-fighting equipment and medical facilities, HAL has already started air cargo operations. The terminal building was completed and inaugurated on 3rd March 2014.
Features within the Building
Airport terminal building is ground floor structure with part mezzanine. The building is having all the sophisticated equipment and facilities like HVAC, electricals, fire protections system, CCTV surveillance, public address system another automotive machineries and equipments including sewage treatment plant. The overall length and breadth of airport terminal building including extended roof structure and pavement is 128.40 m x 64.40 m = 8268.96 sq. m. + overhang area 2860.92 sq. m.
In addition to airport terminal building, separate services building of ground floor structure (34.70 m x 10.60 m) to accommodate various electrical equipments, sewage treatment plant, underground sump, HVAC plant & basement of area 334.92 sq. m is provided. The wall structure is in external glazing of height 11 m, glass partition 3.6 m and 230mm & 110mm thick brick work. The airport building is provided with latest technology baggage handling system to meet international standards.
