This building is informed by Ikebana principles

By Beverly Pereira

Photography: Andre Fanthome; courtesy DFI

Read Time: 2 mins

Neemrana Experience Centre (inset)(l to r) Principal Architects Goonmeet Singh Chauhan, Anand Sharma & Anoj Tevatia

Design Forum International designs a nature-inspired curtain raiser to an upcoming residential development by Novell Group in Neemrana…

To spend time at Novell Group’s Ikebana Experience Centre in Neemrana in the town of Alwar, Rajasthan, is to get a taste of the lifestyle that accompanies owning an apartment in the Novell Ikebana condominium towers. Sitting on the NH8 highway, far from the hustle and bustle of the city, the eye-catching structure, resembling a leaf, borrows from Ikebana, the Japanese art of arranging flowers. 

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The project team led by Ar. Anand Sharma and interior designer, Aneel Constantine focussed on ushering in an organisational set-up by employing the awe-inspiring geometry of nature as a bridge between the sky, man and the earth. The result is a panacea for jaded city folk. The 400 sq. m. curvilinear building adopts a form with free-flowing curves that engulf and merge with the surrounding landscape. 

The Delhi-based architectural practice was given free reign for its design, provided they fulfilled its core function as a promotional space. Thus, the Experience Centre houses Novell Ikebana’s marketing and sales office and a show flat, all of which captures the essence of the upcoming residential development. 

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Intended to reflect the design philosophy adopted in Novell Group’s monumental residential project, it taps the mesmerising rhythm and form of nature to give visitors an experience that they might someday be able to call their own.  

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The nature-inspired exterior extends to the interior as prospective apartment owners are privy to a languid pool and entry puddle. Aiding the gradual harmony between the outdoors and indoors is the ceiling of the central atrium that takes the form of a leaf-shaped canopy captured in a state of unfurling. 

The structure adopts a material palette of glass, metal, timber and aluminium composite panels (ACP), and techniques including spider glazing supported through glass fins. 

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Acting like a preface to the development that lies ahead, the iconic experience centre integrates the beauty of the landscape in its architecture and design. 

Fact File:

Client: Novell Group

Design Firm: Design Forum International

Principal Architects: Anand Sharma, Goonmeet Singh Chauhan & Anoj Tevatia  
Design team for this project: Anand Sharma & Aneel Constantine

Carpet Area: Approx. 350 sq. m.

Location: Neemrana, Rajasthan, India