By Beverly Pereira
Plans & 3-D Renders: Courtesy the architects
Read Time: 2 mins
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| Proposed Mumbai Cruise Terminal (inset) Architects Santha Gaur & Kalhan Mattoo |
The iconic design of the all-new cruise terminal in Mumbai will be among the vast repertoire of visual images that the international tourist carries back home from India...
Mumbai is poised to become India’s cruise capital, when its new international cargo shipping and passenger cruise terminal replaces the current structure at Ballard Pier in 2019. Envisioned to match global transportation hubs, aesthetically and functionally, the project, initiated by the Mumbai Port Trust, is being helmed by multidisciplinary design practice, Planet 3 Studios.
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| (bottom) Master plan (top) Longitudinal section |
Initially planned as a refurbishment project, it is now envisaged from the ground up with retail zones, banquet facilities, and restaurants with sweeping views of the bay of Mumbai. Such top-notch amenities, open to both cruise passengers and the public, aim to encourage water transport, bringing in more financial assistance to the port trust.
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| Lateral Section |
At 237m, the building assumes a linear built form, divided into smaller vertical fragments that interrupt the monotony of its linearity. Restrictions by the Navy and Coastal Regulation Zone define the rectilinear structure’s height and size, while the rear west-facing façade is visually sealed.
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Flanked by water on one side and the navy on the other, the new terminal is housed in Indira Dock, one of the city’s three wet docks. Drawing inspiration from its watery surroundings and capitalising on the on-site openness, the structure ingeniously employs a material palette of glass, reinforced concrete, tensile fabric and double-glazed glass. Thus, not only does it have a fluid form, reminiscent of lashing waves, but it also resembles the sails of marine vessels.
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But the façade design is more than just a visually appealing landmark; parameters of the sun’s path, climate control and wind velocity, determined using parametric software, also inform its iconic design. Considering the fact that cruise ships depart from the port in the evening, the structure takes on a whole new character after sunset, thanks to the façade-enhancing lighting design.
By giving Mumbai a new waterfront icon, the flamboyant new terminal harnesses the potential of an undermined eastern waterfront, besides changing the way public buildings are perceived in the city.
Fact File:
Client: Mumbai Port Trust
Design Firm: Planet 3 Studios Architecture Pvt. Ltd.
Principal Designers/Architects: Santha Gour & Kalhan Mattoo
Design Team: Santha Gour, Kalhan Mattoo, Priyanki Singh, Harshita Vishway, Shahab Ahmad, Gaurav, Henal, Hemchandra, Dhiraj Chaudhari and Dhiraj Narang.
Structural Consultants: Bahubali Dhamane
MEP: Ajit Kulkarni and Associates
Area: 5,00,000 sq. ft.
Location: Indira Dock, Ballard Pier, Mumbai
Cool design!! It is so innovative.
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