Milan Mela

Institutional Public

The Future is past perfect.

A paradigm shift in needed in architecture design to achieve sustainable development. The solution lies in perfecting the lessons of the past Permanence should give way to Impermanence.

India has been celebrating impermanence in architecture through ages. Our melas (temporary fairs) are the forerunners of design for confluence and they truly mark the approach towards sustainable design.

Through Milan Mela (a trade fair and exposition complex) we forward this notion of impermanence.

The imagery of trade ships at the port and of the mela grounds adjacent, comes nostalgic to Kolkata since pre British Era. It renders a vibrant sketch of an Indian Trade Mela. A pop up (reusable, recyclable) architecture adaptive, responsive and sustainable!

This project steers fundamental objectives:

Environmental Sensitivity and Integration for Urban Realm (humility to integrate)

Universal Design considerations and Biophilic Response (be humane)

Pandemic Responsive Design (a parameter for future design)

Reusable, Recyclable and sustainable (future becomes affordable)

Occupational Versatility (adaptability) and Economic Sustainability (architecture is a living unit)

Embodied Digital Technology (ephemeral identity)

Area

340000 Sq.Ft

Typology

Institutional Public

Location

Newtown Kolkata

Year

2021

Discipline

Architecture, Landscape Design, Interior Design, Masterplan, Signage, Product design

Photography Credits

Vivek Singh Rathore

Response to Civic and Community needs (more than what it is for)

Empower Fast Forward Construction methods (and deconstruction too )

The new approach to timelessness (changes with time)

Note on facility:

Conceived on a campus of over 22 acres, the facility has a capacity of hosting over 2,50,000 guests a day and over 1000 exhibitors.

The iconic campus integrates outdoor and indoor exhibition spaces, hospitality facilities, guest amenities, business and networking facilities, multilevel car parking facilities, trade museum, an iconic Bangla trade tower, break away green pocket parks, musical fountain plazas, celebration plazas etc. in a strong visual geometry creating landmark proportions .It boasts of an architectural and engineering marvel and pilot in improving the public realm of the area.

The design consists of 2 large format column free pavilions of approximately 100,000 sq. ft. each. These trade pavilions are self-sufficient and include guest’s services, emergency facilities, media spaces, stores etc. The integrated business block consists of networking and conferencing facilities, media briefing halls, event offices, centralised office etc and a air conditioned global cuisine food court of 20,000 sq. ft.

The campus also hosts in celebrating Kolkata street food in a dedicated plaza food court with a unique experience in over 20,000 sq. ft. of area. For augmenting the experience quotient of the guests MM provides 3D facade projection AV shows using mapping technology, engaging green zones, sculpture plaza, amphitheatre, harmonic fountain shows, museums, 6m dia. spherical screen , the iconic 65m Biswa Bangla tower etc.

Planning involves resolving traffic and circulation both in and around the facility either by technology or by creating dedicated spaces like inner drop off streets of over 400 m in length, dedicated public bus bays for 5 buses, car park for over 1400 cars etc. A high end state of the art technology for security, safety, protection and firefighting has been provided in the campus including dedicated fire tender bays, multiplex ray scanners for people, luggage and cars, CCTV surveillance etc.

Milan Mela shall surely is the lead iconic infrastructure in the vision of Bengal trade promotion and trade integration.

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