Interview | 'The digital, kinetic façade represents India on the move': Dikshu Kukreja on India Pavilion at Dubai Expo

Aimed at “Connecting Minds and Creating the Future” through “sustainability, mobility and opportunity”, the ongoing (1 October 2021 through 31 March 2022) Dubai Expo, 2020, is hosting 192 countries’ pavilions. Among them the most striking and futuristic is the India Pavilion — India@75: Openness, Opportunities, Growth — designed by the CP Kukreja Architects (CPKA). Established in 1969, CPKA, a firm that boasts a portfolio of more than 1,000 projects and having worked with clients from 30 countries, has designed a façade that has over 600 rotating screens narrating India’s journey over the years and showcasing stories of its chameleon-like qualities — ‘constant change’ and ‘timeless endurance’. CPKA was selected through an international competition organised by the overall project manager for the Indian Pavilion project, the National Buildings Construction Corporation (NBCC), appointed by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, government of India, to represent India at the prestigious expo. In an interview, Harvard-trained Dikshu Kukreja, managing principal architect, CPKA, talks about the India Pavilion project. Edited excerpts: What input was given to the competitors for this project? The design brief was challenging on multiple fronts. First, the Indian government wanted to build one of the largest pavilions at the Dubai Expo and utilise every square inch of the permissible floor space index (FSI) for this project. Second, it wanted this building to be a permanent legacy-building instead of a temporary pavilion, thus adding an extra layer of complexity to the design. Third, the site that was given to us was in the shape of a trapezoid instead of the usual rectangle, and to make matters more complicated, part of the built structure from one portion of the trapezoidal site was to be removed once the Expo was over. Therefore, we had to design the permanent part of the pavilion in such a way that it wouldn’t be affected once the temporary part was removed. What according to you stood out in your proposal? In addition to successfully addressing the government’s brief, our design for the India Pavilion reflects the three themes of the Dubai Expo — sustainability, opportunity, and mobility — both in the building’s façade and its interiors. Why this kinetic architecture? Tell us more about the design and what role you think it is playing in the ongoing expo. It was a conscious choice to integrate elements of kinetic architecture in the building façade. There were multiple reasons for this. Given the diversity that India has to offer and the myriad ways through which India can be represented, we wanted to develop a theme that would enable us to showcase the multiple facets of India. We also wanted the design to reflect India’s transformation over the years. To express these aspects architecturally, we felt that a kinetic façade would be apt as it can move and transform, thus representing India on the move. Being a large, one-lakh-square-foot building, it was important for us to think of how the building would be reused once the expo is over. As we were unaware of what the future use of the pavilion was going to be, ensuring adaptability through the second skin gives the building the flexibility to be put to an array of uses, be it as an office, a museum, a library, or a cultural centre. The lighting and ventilation allowed through the façade can be changed as per the future function of the building and the requirements of the inhabitants, thereby enabling a very sustainable, optimisable, and dynamic design. What inspired you to create this façade? The inspiration to create a façade came from a need to convey the diverse stories of a transforming India. Therefore, rather than designing a building inspired by the history or culture of a particular state or region, the façade acts as a blank canvas to portray unique and varied stories of Indian culture. What image of India did you want the visitors or investors to take with themselves, and how did your design facilitate that? Every visitor takes back with them a vast array of experiences and memories, whether it is India’s culture, architectural legacy, forays into technology, or the country’s beautiful natural landscape. This uniqueness is what we wanted to showcase through our design for the India Pavilion, which transcends the boundaries of time and region and encapsulates India’s vibrant diversity. Arundhati Roy once commented that India exists in several centuries at once. And it does, so were you particularly invested in showcasing all that India stands for — its celebratory technological advancements while demonstrating its rootedness in the culture, something that we all are tethered to? If yes, how did you manage to showcase this with the façade and its internal architecture? India is placed in this unique position where at one end, we are bestowed with a rich culture and historical legacy, and, at the other end, our rapid advances in technology and innovation have positioned our country as a global leader. Our design responds to this duality by creating two distinct wings inside the building to showcase these aspects. Wing A represents India’s culture and legacy, while Wing B showcases India’s advancements on many fronts, including the medical field, space, tourism, and entrepreneurship. Together, this represents India as a land of limitless opportunities. How, then, did you select the 75 stories to tell the overarching growth story of India? The creation of the India Pavilion is the result of teamwork. We worked closely with the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, and other government bodies such as the NBCC and Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI). These government agencies have spent a lot of time curating the 75 stories of India’s journey being showcased at the pavilion in Dubai. Do you have feedback from the visitors and investors on the design and architecture of the façade? The feedback that we have received from the visitors and investors of the India Pavilion has been exceptional. It is great to hear that not only Indians, but citizens from around the world are awestruck by the pavilion’s dynamic interiors as well as its digital, kinetic façade, showcasing the breadth and depth of all that India has to offer, all woven very sensitively and intelligently into one building experience. What does the future of design look like to you? What are the exciting opportunities you find in this field? Also, any new projects that you are working on that you are enthusiastic about? The future of design is extremely exciting. From a design viewpoint, India is placed in an unparalleled position. Historically, we have been known for our architectural wonders. Today, considering we have the best technology and design tools available to us, I feel that India is poised to create many more such wonders that will be celebrated for times to come. There is also a greater understanding and awareness of new ideas amongst clients. In fact, the response towards architecture and design from the society at large is much more welcoming than ever before. We are grateful that at CPKA, we have been receiving many opportunities and accolades for designing vital projects that put Indian architecture on the global map. Some of the upcoming projects that we’re really excited about include the East Delhi Hub, which is going to be India’s first transit-oriented development, the India International Convention Centre, the headquarters for the Indian Army in New Delhi, which is designed at the scale of the Pentagon in the US, and the design for the renowned UK-based Harrow School’s advent in India. Read all the Latest News , Trending News , Cricket News , Bollywood News , India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.