Police Bhawan HQ
Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India
Indian Civic Building Cast in a Fresh Image
Indian State funded civic buildings, when mentioned, conjure up a typical image of post-colonial typology and Lucknow, the capital of the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, is preceded by its own well-preserved reputation of old Nawabi culture and Mughal era influences. The design for this Police Head Quarters building in Lucknow makes a conscious departure from these preset perceptions to articulate the present generation’s aspirational mindset, while remaining substantially loyal to climatic and functional context and character.
Builtup Area : 6,43,535 SF
Services : Master Planning, Architecture, Landscape Design, MEP Engineering, (Competitive Bid Entry)
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Laid out on a wedge-shaped footprint at a site surrounded by roads on three sides, it skews from the traditional quadrangular dispensation of such buildings. Consequently, its arched front wing, though symmetrically resolved like in its colonial counterparts, has an end tilted backward making its grand entrance porch facing almost the site’s corner, but simultaneously making place for an elaborately landscaped ceremonial fore- court. An expansive wedge-shaped courtyard, surrounded by the three wings and rear rotunda, is equally elaborately landscaped, marked by a stepped amphitheater stretched out end-to-end, emphasizing the institutional scale and nurturing interpersonal interactions at the same time. .
Mixing Contemporary and Traditional Climate Responses
A tree laden, paved sunken central courtyard that allows cross breezes through all parts, colonnades holding up deep shady canopies protecting surface fenestration from the harsh sun – these are traditional Indian climate response systems used here in a contemporary avatar. Passive cooling and shading devices like high performance glazing, technically designed shading fins, mix of passive and active energy management systems including motion sensor-based lighting, VRV air conditioning for individual zone control, automated control of openings, alternative energy sources like solar and bio- gas make this a highly energy efficient campus. Additionally, water management systems like rainwater harvesting, grey water recycling and others boost its sustainability.
Impactful, Efficient and Relatable
The glazed façade fronted by an elegant row of tall, slender columns, the elliptical drum shaped central block clad with metallic shingles articulate the inherent aura of democracy and grandeur in a contemporary language. The Lucknow Police HQ design employs state-of-the-art technology in every aspect of functioning to facilitate the work efficacy desired of contemporary progressive institutions. A pan-generational relatability is achieved by this design’s harmonious blend of old-school and new- age elements.
The Young Indian State Expressed in a New Architectural Language
"Authority, Efficiency and Accessibility Blended in Young India’s Architectural Articulation"