SITE:

The project is located in the state of Andhra Pradesh, which was bifurcated into A.P. and Telangana. As Hyderabad, now part of Telangana, contained the lions share of international level business and commercial facilities it is a priority of the A.P. government to upgrade existing towns to major urban centers. This project is one of the outcomes for this initiative.

 

The project is a greenfield site south of Vizag along the coast accessed via the beautiful beach road. The site is approximately 50 acres located on a hilltop offering 360 degree views of the sea and the hinterland. It is part of a larger site that is proposed as a Cultural and Entertainment District.

 

CONCEPT / PROCESS:

The steep topography and the existing approach road along with views towards the sea formulated the overall strategy for site placement.

The site had steep slopes towards the South-West and West with more gradual slope towards the North and a gentle slope towards the East which also faces the sea and the approach road. The top of the hill was a generally flat top.

Apostrophe A+uD created a site strategy to preserve relatively flat parts of the site for terraces and courtyards while the slopes would be used by buildings. The buildings therefore function to stabilize the slope and are devices for retention along with their programmatic function. The buildings also serve to mediate between the different site levels via internal and external stairs and circulation.

This proved to be an efficient strategy for maximizing the potential of using the site and especially for incorporating a constructed landscape as integral to the building mass. Further this strategy also reduced costs by multitasking structural elements. Finally, we could exploit some of the constructed terraces for water conservation and rain water harvesting systems which were of massive benefit not only to the Convention Center site but also to the overall development for the cultural – tourist complex.

Architecturally the building blocks radiate out from a central plaza at the top of the hill with view corridors opening between the large building structures. There are additional plazas / terraces / courtyards that are located in the next ring beyond the inner circle. These plazas are at a lower level and have secondary programs attached to them.

Hospitality and Retail blocks are located to the South-East of the main Convention Center and follow the same strategy of terracing landscape / building mass.

 

 

MATERIALITY:

Apostrophe has specified the project to have a combination of metal fabrication and pre-fabricated concrete panels for the facade.

The terraced landscape is an integral part of the constructed structure.