KANCHENJUNGA APARTMENT : CASE STUDY

The structure, made predominantly of concrete, occupies a plot size of 5260 sq.m. with a tower footprint of 436 sq.m. The apartments, located in an upscale suburban setting southwest of downtown Mumbai, benefit from road connectivity via a separate road linked to Pedder Road, accessible from both the east and west. The strategic orientation of buildings in Mumbai, including Kanchenjunga, is east-west to capture prevailing sea breezes and scenic views of the Arabian Sea and harbor. Additionally, the apartment's climatic response incorporates principles from traditional Indian bungalows, providing a defense against the elements. The historical significance lies in Kanchenjunga being one of the first high-rise buildings in its area of Bombay. The structural overview highlights a reinforced concrete construction, a central core for vertical circulation, and a unique tube-in-tube system for stability. The site planning includes surface and basement parking, a clubhouse, and a pool, catering to diverse strata. The color choices, influenced by sunlight, climate, and culture, reflect a preference for blues in the West and reds and yellows in India and other Asian countries. The Kanchenjunga Apartment, with its blend of modern design and traditional elements, stands as a landmark in the architectural landscape of Mumbai. Introduction - Name: Kanchenjunga Apartment Construction Period: 1970 - 1983 Architect: Charles Correa Associate Structure Engineer: Shirish Patel & Association Construction Pvt. Ltd. Structure Type: High Rise Building Height: 84 meters Number of Storeys: 32 Function: Housing (Residential) Type: Skyscraper Multifamily Housing Material: Concrete Architecture Style: Modern, Brutalism Plot Size: 5260 sq.m. Tower Footprint: 436 sq.m. Climate: Hot and Humid Location - -Cumballa Hill, Mumbai, Maharashtra -The apartments are located southwest of downtown Mumbai in an upscale suburban setting -Bombay lies on the western coast of India and is a major commercial center for the country. -In Mumbai, buildings are ideally orientated east-west to catch the prevailing sea-breezes, and views out to the Arabian Sea on one side and the harbor on the other: the same directions as the hot afternoon sun and heavy monsoon rains. Road Connectivity - -The site has a separate road for individual approach connected to the main road called Pedder Road. -Building is approachable from two opposite sides, one from east and one from west. Accessibility - -Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus – 15 mins. -Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport – 1 hr. 15 mins. Sun Path Study - -Study time: Mean day, 08:30 In the morning, the eastern skyscrapers project big shadows on Kanchenjunga. During the morning, sun-bathing is only possible for residents of the highest apartment. -Study time: Mean day, 13:00 Halfway through the day, all loggias in the southeastern and southwestern get sun. That is possible because there is no near skyscraper in the south. -Study time: Mean day, 17:30 In the end of the afternoon, northwestern and southwestern facades get the sunlight. In the evening, the western skyscraper throws shadow on Kanchenjunga. The loggias in the southwestern façade get almost always sunlight. Climatic Responses - -In Bombay, a building has to be oriented east-west to catch the prevailing sea breezes and to open up the best views in the city; the Arabian Sea on one side and the harbor on the other. But these unfortunately are also the directions of the hot sun and the heavy monsoon rains. -Old bungalows solved this problem by wrapping a protective layer of verandas around the main living areas, thus providing the occupants with two lines of defense against the elements. -Kanchenjunga, an attempt to apply these principles to a high-rise building, a condominium of 32 luxury apartments of 4 different types, varying from 2-6 bedrooms each. -The interlock of these variations is expressed externally by the shear end walls that hold up the cantilevers. Historic Overview - The Kanchenjunga is one of the first high-rise buildings in (this area of) Bombay. Almost all other skyscrapers are built after Kanchenjunga. Concept Development - -He mainly worked on the sectional displacement by bringing changes in the floor surfaces. -He applied cellular planning by using interlocks in one and a half story 3 and 4 bedroom units with two and a half story 5-6 bedroom units. -Small displacements in levels differentiated the external earth-filled terraces with internal elevated living volumes. -The shaping of towers: The building is a square tower. Charles Correa created gaps in that tower. The two floors high loggias are created to keep out the sun and take in the cool sea breeze. Analysis - -There are two apartments on each floor with the tower core as vertical circulation, with split-level dwellings. -The apartments vary from 180 to 420 square meters with bedrooms ranging from 3 to 6. All apartments have servant rooms that are directly connecting to the kitchen. -The opening up of the apartments in the tower happens with a central core for vertical transport. -The tower is placed on a heightened ground level with the parking beneath. -Entrance and a central core with staircase and elevator. Site Planning - -Surface parking: 20 -Basement parking: 30 -Clubhouse and pool -A, B, C, and D type apartments. -Elevator stops at alternate floors. -Provided for all strata of people. Structural Overview - -It is made from reinforced concrete. -32 stories high with a 6.3 m cantilevered terrace garden. -Central core of 7.8x6.9 m house the lifts and service areas. -This central core also acts as a main structural element in resisting lateral loads -Central core was constructed ahead of the main structure using slip method of construction. -The dual concrete construction forms a tube-in-tube system adding to the stability of the whole tower. Material and Color - -With its concrete construction and large areas of white panels, it bears a strong resemblance to modern apartment buildings in the West. -However, the garden terraces of Kanchenjunga Apartments are actually a modern interpretation of a feature of the traditional Indian bungalow: the veranda. -In a bungalow, the veranda wraps the main living area. -The color expert says that the quality of sunlight, climate, and culture influence color choices: hence one would observe a preference for blue and its shades in the West while in India and other Asian countries one finds a predominance of reds and yellows, white panels, and concrete construction. Services- Electrical, plumbing, stormwater drainage, and fire safety. Terrace Garden - -Garden terraces are a modern interpretation of the veranda of the traditional bungalow. -Its minimalist unbroken surfaces are cut away to open up the double-height terrace garden at the corners, revealing the complex spatial organization of living spaces that lie within the tower. -62.5% get the view of the harbor and remaining the Arabian Sea. Drawbacks- -Water seepage from the veranda. -Noise from Peddar Road. -Structural inapt for the ground.