48 landscape no. 21 | monsoon 2008

Madhup Mazumder

olkata, of late, has become afast growing IT destinationputting the Salt Lake City

Sector-V, prominently into the IT mapof the country. The changing urbancharacter is amply evident in this part,which is a complete departure from themundane urban locales usuallyassociated with the city. Glitzy towers,modernist forms, designed urbanspaces, planted avenues and goodinfrastructure are attracting the ITmajors of the country to investaggressively in the eastern zone.

One of the first big IT majors, IBMfeatures along with the other corporatehouses at Millennium City, anarchitectural landmark at Salt Lakesector-V, dating back to 2003. Variousother IT firms have already plantedthemselves in Sector V since 2000. In2006, ‘Technopolis, a 6.75 lacs sq.ft.state-of-the-art IT Park, was developedby Phoenix software as the first greenbuilding project of the city.

Millennium City

The two towers of Millennium City siton a raised podium as the car parkinggoes below the deck at ground floorlevel. Hence, the major portion of thelandscape is experienced as aforeground to the two imposing towersat the deck level leaving aside the widedriveways, entry plaza and animpressive front elevation of the deckwhere the ramp goes up. As the rampnegotiates between the ground andpodium level across the frontal lengthof the podium structure, the blank

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sidewall of the ramp has been utilizedto create feature walls, waterspoutsand cascades. The brightly lit sparkleof watersheets and spouts at nightpresent an inviting image of the entirecampus from the main road.

The hard paved plaza on the podium isthe most dominating component of theentire landscape. Apart from providingample space for comfortablemaneuvering and parking of cars, ithas been designed as a massiveforeground, setting off the imposingscale of the 19-storied tower block inthe front, and the stocky 12 storiedIBM block on the left. The pavingpattern presents an interesting abstractcanvas visible from the higher floors.Symbolically, it suggests an emergingembryo of brighter generation (theelliptical solar pattern), from aconfluence of innovative thought flows(stream-like pattern) and support ofTechnology (the paving grid).

The foodcourt terrace that looksoutside the campus has been designedas an interesting mix of planters, smalldecks and heavily planted greenpatches all connected by grass-jointedpavers. It provides a variety of partialenclosures and seating configurations.

The landscape treatment has beenportrayed as an extension of thearchitectural expression…the materialselection being guided by the steel,glass and grey colors of building.Hence it is mostly restricted to subtlevariations of polished / sandblastedKota, flamed & polished grey graniteand occasional splash of ochre inJaisalmer stone. The planting themeuses lots of colors and thick variegatedfoliage thus softening the stark feel ofthe extensive hardscape works. Thedesigned pavilions and landscapestructures resonate the futuristic feel ofthe campus.

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50 landscape no. 21 | monsoon 2008

THIS PAGE : MILLENNIUM CITY

TOP: Plan

BELOW RIGHT: The hard paved plaza on the podium

is the most dominating component of the entire

landscape. The flooring pattern suggests an

emerging embryo of brighter generation from a

confluence of innovative thought flows and

support of technology.

FACING PAGE: TECHNOPOLIS

ABOVE: Plan

BELOW: The canopy was landscaped from the top

to reduce the ‘heat island’ effect of the complex.

Technopolis

Technopolis marks the gatewayto Salt Lake ElectronicsComplex, as one approaches thecity from the airport aftercrossing ‘Rajarhat’, the newtown in the making.

Abundant natural light, use ofrecyclable products, water-harvesting systems, CO2monitoring and treated freshindoor air with heat recoverywheel, 100% waste waterrecycling, integrated BMSsystem and many other pathbreaking technologies ensure35% reduction in energyconsumption and hence saves87.5 lakh units of power per year.The gold rated Technopolisproject is one of the mostcoveted IT parks in the country.

A very constricted sitedemanded the landscape detailsto be more refined not only toserve the purpose of clearcirculation, access management,parking load etc but also tomaximize the green potential ofevery corner. Technopolis isknown for its unique feature of agrand canopy that floats over itswide drive-in plaza below, 10mwide, 15m wide & 85 m long.The double height slanted

glazing wall of the atrium landing on a waterstrip that connects the inside to the outside, thetripod supporting the lofty metal canopy, theplaza extending out into an inward slopinggreen lawn guarding off the view of parking –all combine to enhance the scale and splendorof the drive-in experience at Technopolis.

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As a requirement of a green buildingproject, every exposed terrace surfacehad to be converted into green. Hence,the canopy was landscaped from thetop to reduce the ‘heat island’ effect ofthe complex. Careful detailing anddrainage system was worked out tosupport the green bed and wet soil on ametal decking. Danodrain boards andgrass cell structures have been used tosupport planting beds within a shallowdepth of soil, both on the canopy aswell as on the basement slab-toplandscaping at the driveway level.

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52 landscape no. 21 | monsoon 2008

Landscape architect Madhup Mazumderpractices in New Delhi. He can be contacted at:

designaccord@rediffmail.com

Plans and images courtesy the author

Millennium City

Project Name Millennium City

Location Salt Lake City, Kolkata

Total Area 2.4 Acres

Developer Rungta Group, Kolkata

Landscape ArchitectDesign Accord Consultants

DesignTeamMadhup Mazumder,Vipul Singh, Danish Ahmad, Vivek Verma

Architect J.P. Agarwal, Kolkata

Year of Completion 2004

Project Cost (Landscape Civil & Horticulture)98 Lacs

Technopolis

Project Name Technopolis

Location Salt Lake City, Kolkata

Total Area 1.7 Acres

Developer Phoenix Software

Landscape ArchitectDesign Accord Consultants

Design TeamMadhup MazumderVipul Singh, Rohit Joshi, Santanu Saha

Architects J.P. Agarwal, Kolkata

Year of Completion 2006

Project Cost (Landscape Civil & Horticulture)137 Lacs

The security gatestructure, the signagewalls, automated slidinggates, the crisp pavinggrid, the curved lightingpoles customized for theproject by Keselec – allthese designedhardscape features addup to refine thearchitectural statement ofTechnopolis.

Landscape lightingdesign plays an importantrole in this project.Intelligent use of strongflood uplighters mountedatop the customizedpoles light up the entirecanopy from below, andthe reflected glow issufficient for the greenspace beyond thedriveway. The systemnot only adheres to thestrict regulations set byLEED but alsosuccessfully reduces thecumulative loadrequirement of individuallandscape light fixtures.

Water efficient plantingdesign, 100% stormwater management andtheir re-cycling, reduced‘heat island’ effect,carefully monitorederosion control measures

during construction, innovative waste water use forirrigation along with lighting pollution controls add upthe credit points to achieve Gold rating for Technopolis.

Environmental conservation is fast becoming a part ofthe corporate social responsibility of Kolkata builders.As many as nine ‘Green Buildings’ are coming up in thecity in the next two decades, where landscape designwill definitely play an important role to the cause ofenergy management and eco-friendly environments.

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