Submitted for

Canadian Architect
2008 Awards of Excellence
16 September, 2008

Knowledge Park
Survam
Gurgaon, India
Introduction

This 1.8 million-square foot multi-tenant office building complex

strives to represent the spirit of advanced technology which is a major
focus of the Gurgaon area. A dynamic yet sophisticated arrangement
of three interconnected office towers with varied façade treatements,
combined with considerable attention to interior and exterior employee
amenities, creates an international-level office environment. Advanced
sustainable design features show a full commitment to environmentally-
sustainable architecture.

Canadian Architect 2008 Awards of Excellence Survam Knowledge Park Gurgaon, India
Description
Gurgaon, the sixth largest city in India, has become the preferred location
for many technology-based companies involved in outsourcing due to its
proximity to Indira Gandhi International Airport. High-tech and high value
projects involving foreign collaboration with huge investment have grown
tremendously during the last decade. The city is emerging as an internet
technology hub with approximately 400 IT and IT Enabled Service compa-
nies operating in the district such as HP, Dell, Microsoft, IBM, Siemens,
Oracle, and Google.
The 13.707-acre site is located near Highway 8, which is the major through-
fare to the Airport, and is connected to this highway by Knowledge Avenue.
The site has a compressed and mirrored L-shape with a triangular top and
thick base. A large green space on the site’s north edge provides shade in
the early afternoon and amenities such as a pergola structure, water fea-
tures, grass fields and gardens. Landscaping also features prominently on
the east and south edges of the buildings, providing a softened boundary
to the development.
The complex is composed of three connected buildings, varying in height
from 9 to 13 storeys, provide a total area of 1.8 million square feet. Their
efficient integration provides large office spaces that range from 9,600
square feet to 168,000 square feet. The “Spine” colonnade on the ground
floor unites the office towers, enhancing the concept of ‘connectivity’ and
creating social settings on the perimeter for employees. Many broad ter-
races and decks with pergolas along the ground level serve the same func-
tion, while roof terraces provide views of nearby green spaces. These pub-
lic spaces are all designed to foster a sense of community.
The architecture has an expressive quality with elegant crystalline trans-
lucency. A graceful undulating curtain wall flows along the mid-section
Canadian Architect 2008 Awards of Excellence Survam Knowledge Park
along the east elevation. Highlighted patterns on the curtain wall create a
picturesque composition of illuminated water waves. At the north end of
the wall, a long curve ties two buildings together with one vibrant stroke.
On the south building, another slightly curved glass wall forms an approach
feature to the development. The large glass walls have horizontal striated
lines with a shuffled pattern of scattered shades to produce a sophisti-
cated yet vibrant elevation. On the west elevation, articulated vertical fins
are located in the facade to reduce low-angle solar gain. The juxtaposition
of the horizontal and vertical, along with the canted orientation of the three
structures, breaks down the large volume into smaller elements to create
a dynamic compostion.
The building is designed to achieve Indian Green Building Council Silver
Certification. Sustainable design features storm water management to
channel paved area and roof runoff into ponds for reuse. These ponds
surround the building to provide cooling. Parking surfaces are paved with
special bricks to filter storm water and reduce pollutant loadings. The high-
efficiency building envelope optimizes building energy performance with
the utilization of integrated building volumes, roof pergola (roof sun shades
which are also referred to as a “double roof”), horizontal window shades,
vertical fins, inset windows, tinted glass, and a photovoltaic system with
most of spandrel glass including PV cells. Dark grey tinted glass walls re-
duce solar gain on the interior. On the east and south sides, double-layered
flue walls (double skins) acts as a ventilating space. This arrangement
exhausts air in between two skins to reduce solar gain. In the lobbies, a
“green wall” provides biofiltration, cooling and an aesthetic feature. Three
levels of underground parking, beyond accommodating approximately
3,000 cars, is installed with water pipes to transfer the earth’s natural
coolness to the building.
Gurgaon, India
 Perspective
East Elevation

Canadian Architect 2008 Awards of Excellence Survam Knowledge Park Gurgaon, India
 Perspective
East Elevation

Canadian Architect 2008 Awards of Excellence Survam Knowledge Park Gurgaon, India
 Perspective
West Elevation

Canadian Architect 2008 Awards of Excellence Survam Knowledge Park Gurgaon, India
 Perspective Perspective
Southwest Elevation East Elevation

Canadian Architect 2008 Awards of Excellence Survam Knowledge Park Gurgaon, India
 Perspective
West Elevation

Canadian Architect 2008 Awards of Excellence Survam Knowledge Park Gurgaon, India
 Aerial View of Site

Canadian Architect 2008 Awards of Excellence Survam Knowledge Park Gurgaon, India
 Site Plan

Canadian Architect 2008 Awards of Excellence Survam Knowledge Park Gurgaon, India
 Ground Floor Plan

Canadian Architect 2008 Awards of Excellence Survam Knowledge Park Gurgaon, India
 Typical Floor Plan

Canadian Architect 2008 Awards of Excellence Survam Knowledge Park Gurgaon, India
 Section

Canadian Architect 2008 Awards of Excellence Survam Knowledge Park Gurgaon, India
Canadian Architect 2008 Awards of Excellence Survam Knowledge Park Gurgaon, India
Canadian Architect 2008 Awards of Excellence Survam Knowledge Park Gurgaon, India