What’s Special About Odisha’s Krushi Bhawan Shortlisted For Global Architecture Award

Bhubaneswar: Odisha has always grabbed eyeballs for architectural finesse exhibited in its Jain rock-cut caves to Hindu temples to Buddhist stupas. Now, a modern architecture from the state – Krushi Bhawan – has been shortlisted for the World Architecture Festival (WAF) Award 2019.

Taking to his official Twitter handle, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Saturday wrote: “Designed for sustainability, the 1.3 lakh sq ft administrative centre features an expressive combination of regional materials & vernacular narratives.”

The Rs 70-crore project was commissioned, in 2013, to Studio Lotus, an architectural firm based in Delhi, and opened to the public on September 20, 2018.

Krushi Bhawan has emerged as an example of how regional crafts can be integrated in a contemporary environment. It is a statement on the unique qualities of Odisha.

The Structure

The façade of the office of the Odisha State Department for Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment has been modelled on the distinctive ikat weave of Odisha expressed in pigmented bricks, signifying geographical diversity of the region. This brick-louvered screen acts as a solar shading device.

The light fixtures and metal screens in the corridors exhibit the best of tribal craft of Dhokra. Locally-sourced locally-sourced laterite and khondalite stones have been used in the building. It has beautifully hand-carved khondalite lattices and bas-relief carvings in the Odia Pattachitra style in laterite stone, depicting agricultural motifs.

An invigorated urban realm has been created by opening up the ground floor as an extension of the street, raised on stilts to create a public plaza for community engagement. The rooftop has been designed to house urban farming exhibits and demonstration of agricultural best practices.

The offices are housed on the upper floors. Passive cooling strategies and intelligent night-purging systems have been used to create a comfortable yet energy-efficient indoor environment.

The building has been shortlisted in WAF’s Building Category. The festival will be held from December 4 to 6 in Amsterdam.