Bangkok--5 Feb--Delivering Asia Communications
REIMAGINING INDIA: HB DESIGN MAKES GIANT STRIDES ONSUBCONTINENT WITH OVER 13 MILLION SQUARE FEET OF LANDMARKRESIDENTIAL AND OFFICE TOWERS TAKING SHAPE
"The Indian market is one of the most exciting and dynamic in the world at the moment, with incredible opportunities for designers and great challenges as well," - Hans Brouwer, founder of HB Design.
Asian architecture powerhouse HB Design has developed into a force to be reckoned with in India, with over 20 skyscrapers - and one 'groundscraper' - under construction or soon to begin in Mumbai, New Delhi, Bangalore and Pune totaling over 13 million square feet of saleable area.
In less than two years since deciding to make a push into India, HB Design is reshaping Indian cities' skylines apace as a raft of iconic, innovative and beautifully designed towers for developers including Marvel, Peninsula Land, Sheth Creators and Tata Housing begin to thrust skywards.
HB Design's visionary founder and architect, Hans Brouwer, said the Indian market was one of the most exciting and dynamic in the world at the moment, with incredible opportunities for designers and great challenges as well.
"Sustainable development is something I feel very strongly about," Mr Brouwer said. "The highly speculative real estate markets of the subcontinent might not seem the natural habitat of sustainable development, but incredibly, it is possible to achieve genuine advances in sustainability in these high-pressured urban environments."
Mr Brouwer said one project in particular, Edge - a 'curvilinear groundscraper' conceived by HB Design for India's Marvel group in Pune, has seen the challenges of pursuing sustainable design give rise to some ingenious solutions and design innovations.
"Pune is a highly speculative scene within India's speculative market, and Edge is also a highly speculative project in that it breaks the traditional office building, property leasing model and offers a more 'condominiumised' approach. So instead of having one building owner leasing out office space, each of the office units in Edge will be sold to buyers separately, just like a residential condo.
"This should have made Marvel a tough customer to sell green thinking to, as Return on Investment (ROI) is viewed in the very short term. However to their credit, a range of genuinely sustainable features have been included without pushing Edge over into the abyss of cost blowouts. Notably, with Marvel's full support, we have been working with Meinhard ESD (environmental sustainable design) in Melbourne to develop a number of key strategies to achieve LEED Platinum pre-certification (final certification is only awarded after completion and on-site assessments)."
Mr Brouwer added that Edge had been extensively designed around 'green thinking' with a view to LEED Platinum certification, including a layered facade design - with a double glazed curtain wall, terraces and a system of screens.
"Many of the existing trees on the site have been preserved to create an urban park at the rear of the building (a city amenity) as well as many 'urban voids' with planting and trees incorporated, and roof terraces incorporate landscaping, pools, health club, spa and restaurants, features you would not normally associate with small offices.
"Edge is now almost topped out, its concrete frame almost complete, and it is scheduled for completion in 2014. The screens we are using for shade and insulation are perforated metal with a 50-60% open area ratio. In addition, we are cutting out horizontal vision strips to allow unimpeded views out from the balconies. This is what gives the building its distinctive outer appearance.
"The notion of green goes far beyond the facile insertion of vegetation. True ESD design means looking at a wider spectrum of issues, including construction materials chosen for low embedded energy, easy recycle-ability, and emissions-friendly; cost-in-use efficiency (as simple as it sounds); carbon footprint; and human health impact, including natural lighting, access to open spaces, and green zones.
"The truly unique aspect of Edge is that it has an approach to a holistic workplace usually only associated with owner-occupied, high-end multinational buildings: open spaces, gardens, lots of support facilities, roof terraces, private balconies and more. The key was convincing the client that these elements are mission-critical for the success of the project."
Other projects by HB Design for Marvel in Pune include Sangria, an 18-storey luxury residential condominium, Kyra, a 20-storey luxury high-rise apartment project, and Verano, a 24-storey luxury residential tower.
In Bangalore, HB Design is creating a 27-storey high-rise condominium tower for Peninsula Land; in Mumbai, a 50-storey high rise with over 1,000 units for Sheth Creators, and in New Delhi, a 26-storey high-rise residential development is underway for Tata, at this time referred to as Tata Sector 13.
HB Design's success story in India is unfolding against an equally striking backdrop of past projects now coming to fruition as iconic high-rise landmarks in Thailand: The River, Bangkok's finest waterfront condominium, recently reached completion, collecting the South East Asia Property Award for Best Condominium Architecture on the way, and Northpoint, Pattaya's most prestigious and innovative beachfront condominium was completed in 2010.
HB Design also created Unixx, Raimon Land's new Pattaya project - an ambitious 1,207-room mid-tier condominium on Pratumnak Hill, and the flagship 185 Rajadamri luxury condominium built on the last freeholdsite on prestigious Rajadamri Road.