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PUNJAB MANDI BOARD HEAD OFFICE, MOHALI

Ar Sarbjit Singh Bahga

bahga.sarbjit@gmail.com

Sarbjit Singh Bahga is a Chandigarh-based Architect, Urbanist, Author and Photo-Artist. He graduated in Architecture from Panjab University, Chandigarh in 1979 and was conferred with Doctorate in Architectural Science (DAS) in 2000. He is presently working on deputation as Senior Architect in the Punjab Mandi Board, Chandigarh. His completed works include an impressive range of medical, educational, administrative, commercial, recreational and residential buildings. His buildings are responsive to function, climate and materials. He is a staunch modernist and an ardent, yet not blind, admirer of Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeanneret and Louis Kahn. Sarbjit is also a keen researcher, a prolific architectural writer, and a Fellow of United Writers' Association of India. His contribution to architecture has been largely recognized and his buildings/articles have been widely published in many architectural journals and books.

Exterior view

Punjab State Agricultural Marketing Board is a semi-government corporate body established in 1961 with an objective to control and supervise the marketing network of sale, purchase, storage and processing of agriculture produce in the state.

Presently, the Board is functioning from its own head office building in Sector-17, Chandigarh. With the growth of its activities and increase in staff strength, its office space became inadequate. The Board thus decided to construct its bigger corporate office building in Sector-65, Mohali adjacent to Chandigarh.

The new Head Office Building becomes part of large multi-utility complex comprising state-of-the- art fruit

and vegetable market, commercial shops and showrooms established by the Board on a 20-acre plot. The Head Office Building is located on a plot of two acres on the south-west fringe of the complex. It is approachable from two sides, one from main road on north-west and the other from side road on the south-west side.

Challenges before the architect were:

To design the office building which will match in comfort and ambience with modern corporate offices being built now-a-days.

To evolve an architectural vocabulary which will be a blend of those of Corbusian era as well as latest trends

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Side view with ramp

in office buildings viz-a-viz new materials and technologies.

To make building energy efficient and potray the energy efficient measures on its exterior expression.

The building having an area of 152000 sft plus 57000 sft basement comprises six floors above ground. Basement is meant for parking of 150 cars and requisite services. Two circular ramps provide ingress and egress to the basement. The ground floor accommodates mainly entrance foyer, multipurpose hall and miscellaneous services like bank, health clinic, gymnasium, maintenance stores, etc. All the main offices are on upper five stories.

The built-form of the office building has been evolved

ingeniously keeping in view all the constraints and goals. In plan, the block is fragmented into three parts. Two square blocks of 75 x75 feet size each at the ends have been rotated at an angle of 45 degrees. By doing this major portion of the office building made to align in north-south direction which is considered good orientation. These blocks which accommodate the major chunk of the offices draw natural light mainly from north or south side. East and west facades have been made largely blank. The central block which accommodates rooms of senior officers remained in south-west and north-east directions -the orientation dictated by the lay of the plot. Out of these two directions, the north-east side is considered good as it receives morning sun which is always welcome. Hence no special treatment was required. The unwanted sun on the south-west side has

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Front fascade

been cut off by a combination of vertical louvers and horizontal roof overhangs. This vocabulary has been inherited from Le Corbusier, as the architect wanted to incorporate it in the design of this building as a mark of reverence to the master especially when it falls in close vicinity to his works.

As per the client's brief, the building has to incorporate the latest innovations for human comfort and ambience. As a result the architect has to go in for a fully air-conditioned building with ultra modern gadgets, lighting, furniture, etc. Since the building has to be hi-tech and

Facade detail on north-east

Geometric Order

fully air-conditioned, the need to incorporate energy efficient measures becomes even more important. The following measures were taken to reduce the energy consumption in the building:

Orienting the building in right direction.

Exploring the concept of mutual shading.

Minimizing the penetration of sun by vertical louvers and horizontal roof overhangs.

Emphasis on natural light.

Drawing maximum day light from north and south directions.

Making east and west facades predominantly blank.

Use of cavity walls on outer façade.

U s e o f d o u b l e - s k i n s o l a r c o n t r o l g l a s s (6mm+12mm+6mm) which blocks upto 73% of solar heat by reflecting it to the outside.

All solid portions of external façade are clad in aluminium panels which also reflect the solar heat outside. Also the gap in between the structural wall and cladding acts as cavity which further cut off the solar heat.

Special efforts have been made to minimize the impact of heat from terrace. Use of foam concrete has contributed a lot in this regard.

Incorporation of Building Management System (BMS) and Light Management System (LMS) for optimal use of air conditioning and artificial lighting.

The building is a showcase of architect's accumulated philosophy and incorporates salient features like 'strict geometric order', ' symmetry', 'clarity in structural systems and services' and 'use of contemporary materials and technology'.

Project Details:

Area of plot : 2.08 Acres.

Covered area : 2, 09,335 Sft.

Project team : Baljit Kaur, Kulwinderjeet Kaur, Ravinder Kaur, Parwinder Kaur, Deeksha, Darshan Singh.

Contractor : Deepak Builders, Ludhiana.

Structure : Harbhajan Singh, Techpecific, Mohali.

HVAC : Anuj Aggarwal, Ambience, Panchkula.

Electrical : NK Jain, Panchkula.

Networking : RK Dhanda, Ludhiana.

Project coordination : Engineering Wing of PMB

and supervision headed by Chief Engineer RP Bhatti.

Cost : Rs. 66.00 crores.

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Combination of horizontal and vertical lourers Internal courtyard Sky light providing light to internal corridors

Projecting block on north-east accommodate conference hall

Provision for light in basement

Skylight Ribbon windows

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Layout Plan

Ground Floor Plan

Section-Model