Infosys Gec Mysore for Design Today march 2010

Taj mt road chennai- 2009

Infosys Park 4, Mysore

In the existing premise of Mysore, the SDB - 4 building stands erect, reiterating the debonair of the site. The building is again thoughtfully designed by Ar. Hafeez Contractor, considering the Japanese traditional concept of Origami. Origami is an old and traditional art of folding paper in an artistic fashion in Japan.



He got inspired by this traditional concept when he saw the length of the building going unexpectedly long. He then thought to match the profile of the building along the profile of the site. Also his ideology while designing was that – the building should stand out as an interface of imagination of the software developers working for Infosys.

The parameters on which the building was designed had been very challenging from the beginning. Right from the tremendous contours on which the building is constructed, to the extremely horizontal profile, till its buoyant interiors, everything was carefully designed. The inspiration of the shape of the structure was drawn from the jaggedness of the site, especially the flow of contours. The harmonious combination just blend with the surrounding as if this was the structure the land had been waiting for.

The most important was the length of the building, which was turning out to be linear and horizontal. That is when the idea of origami struck him and then he saw that the concept blended very well with the profile of the site. He then decided to implement the principles of this traditional art and make the building stand out amidst the premise as a piece of art in itself.

The base of the building moves enigmatically, which with use of origami, just falls in as pieces of paper, and every fold perfectly falls side by side without any overlaps. Though it’s a 5 storeyed structure, the interiors are just a perfect blend to the form adopted for the building, with thoughtful pockets serving as atriums. These atriums act as blending zone for the rectilinear work spaces within the building to the sheathed glazed outer skin.

In front of the building is a football court encircled by bright red running track which again helps to let the building stand out acting as its base, giving a definite bottom-line. Though the building is located on one of the peripherals, yet it makes a striking difference in the premise standing alone and making a different. Thus we can say that inspite all odds faced initially, the project is a great success and ads up to the journey of the Architect as one the finest designers of the Country.

Taj Mount Road, Chennai.

With crisp rectilinear lines and sleek glass walls, Taj Mount road in Chennai, stands redefining the architectural style. The hotel is situated in the heart of Chennai, conveniently located on Clubhouse Road, just off Mount Road, Chennai’s business district. The signature look of Taj Mount Road is a 45,000 sq. feet sheer blue facade that encases seven floors of the hotel. Specially designed frosted glass boxes lighted at irregular sizes and intervals on the Northern façade of the building which acts as a special identity to the building which is thoughtfully created and designed by Architect Hafeez Contractor.

With usage of modern day building materials like glass, steel, aluminium cladding and the grandeur of marble, the building derives its stunning aesthetics with a complete contemporary expression. The transparency of the glass at ground level provides an ideal overview of the internal spaces which are normally not seen from outside.

To cater to the needs of today’s cosmopolitan traveler, the hotel offers 220 rooms including 16 suites and one elegant presidential suite with ultra modern facilities to offer that rare experience of style and sophistication.

Taj Mount Road comprises full suite of contemporary conferencing and banquet amenities, making it the perfect choice for any kind of business meets and social occasions. The main banquet hall which covers an area of 3,300 sq feet has elegantly designed with wall paneling and stylish chandeliers. The business facilities at Taj Mount Road are geared up for the discerning business traveler complementing the ease of access with wireless connectivity and state-of-the-art board rooms.

Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces is renowned for their eclectic culinary experiences. To enhance the dining experience there are 3 uniquely designed restaurants – Indus, kefi and Deli, covering a wide gamut of palettes and choices. The Club House is an all-day dining restaurant that serves European fare with an Asian twist.

The renowned Thom Catallo of Catallo+MacKenzie Designphase Hospitality Pte. Ltd., Singapore, has designed the interiors of the hotel. They have enriched the spaces with texture, and the play of light within the hotel designed to vary the mood from day to night and enhance the experience.

The styling is contemporary with marble and wood on floors and columns combined with stainless steel accents and blue glass which all blends to perfect harmony.

The benignancy of the rooms is further punctuated with high-tech internet access, plasma TVs, unique custom lighting, spacious bathrooms and excellent storage creating a plush “lived in” environment for business travelers. The living spaces in the suites area are a blend of comfort and style, with Italian-inspired designer furniture, unique area rugs and distinctive bedrooms with concealed lighting on the headboards. The Deluxe suites at Taj Mount Road feature walk in closets and a spacious bar creating a feel of being in a stylish apartment rather than a hotel room.

A lap pool on the rooftop with a picturesque view of the city and a gym overlooking the pool has a yoga room - all engineered to invigorate and relax.

Rich in cutting-edge design and complete with aesthetic appeal, Taj Mount Road, reinterprets the tradition of hospitality in a refreshingly modern way to create unique experiences and lifelong memories.

Infosys – Pune

On approach to the Infosys campus, the buildings that steal a glance and demands for several glances are the software development blocks.

The two elliptical shaped buildings standing high in the premise, leading one to a completely different world. Another signature design by Architect Hafeez Contractor for the software development blocks – 3 & 5.the concept derived for designing this building have been inspired by germinating seeds, which meant to epitomize the idea of evolution. Tapering columns that support the structure at the ground level along with usage of other modern day materials like metal framework, metal purlins, double-glazing and most importantly Kalzip. The extensive glazing with its clearness allows one to move through the interior spaces revealing its vantage points that illustrate the dynamic interiors of the building. The double height entrance lobby has glass elevators that enhance the experience of transparent atriums offering expansive vistas of the outdoors. The office spaces of the 1^st and 2^nd floor overlooks the clear glass entrance plaza. The remaining three floors take the shape of the structure, diminishing towards the top.

Between the two elliptical SDB lies the food court. This food court was designed to cater 1500 people at a time. The site for the food court was an undulating one due to which the design concept thought over by Mr. Contractor was to move with the flow in stepped form. The main point that arouses interest is that this building is not air-conditioned but has special air cooling system. The glazed walls are sliding in nature. The food court, though is an informal building but it has been designed with firm rectilinear lines, with vibrant pastel shades for the interiors.

The Progeon buildings are the BPO buildings located opposite to the food court and SDB 3 & 5. The outlines of the buildings have crisp rectilinear lines, unlike the SDB buildings. Externally, the simplistic geometry oriented is incredibly powerful expression of technologically advanced facility. Based on the requirements provided by Mr. Pei, Infosys, of which the most important ones were:

a. Ease of construction in short time duration and,

b. One should be able to move through the building, through the central corridor, provided on either side of the core.

Another demand in the list of requirement was for the food court for staff, which has been designed at the topmost level with 800 seating space and self-sufficient kitchen. As one side of the core has been transformed into food court with room height of 7 mts., the other side of the core remains the corporate zone. The floor plate being 60,000 sq. ft.for Progeon allots 80 sq. ft. to every staff.

Last but not the least is the ECC building i.e. Employee Care Centre. Having been provided with a narrow patch of land, the rectilinear mass stands out with circular bands provided at intervals to break the monotony of the structure. This building is one of the tallest one in the premise.

The design of this building was done keeping in mind the three major activities like training, recreation and accommodation.

The building has a central double height entrance lobby with a glass canopy. The entrance lobby divides the floor having facilities like swimming pool, gymnasium, Indoor badminton court, squash court serves as a place breakout after extensive training on one side where as on the other side is the office area, training hall and lecture hall, auditorium, conference room, foyer - as a breakout area in between the conference room and lecture hall.

A mini super market was designed within the building keeping in mind the general and daily needs of the occupants.

Finally, for the accommodation facility, the upper level of the building has been planned with single and double occupancy rooms for women and gents and suites for special guests and families. There are 1000 rooms in total. The accommodation facilities have been designed on the upper levels to provide the occupants a soothing view of the surrounding areas and to allow them to enjoy the pleasant climate of the place.

Thus, all four different types of buildings are very different in design from one another, and each of them stands defining its functions through its unique aesthetics.