Phoenix-based Orcutt|Winslow (O|W) has been hired to design a verdant, green residential tower that will soar into the sky above Mumbai, India. The project, currently in a conceptual phase, addresses India’s burgeoning housing demand by creating an alternative to Mumbai’s densely-packed extensive horizontal communities, which have erased the once-lush tropical landscape. Embracing a trend toward vertical development, the design provides opportunities to re- introduce nature at the ground plane and improve the quality of life for Mumbai residents. Offering breathtaking views of the Bandra-Worli Sea Link to one side, as well as panoramic views of the city, Sahana Pride at Sion encompasses a challenging and compact footprint. O|W focused the building design on allowing residents to reconnect with nature, despite being located in the center of a bustling city such as Mumbai. Rising from a strong base, surrounded with vegetation, the proposed building expands to provide a wide range of activity spaces.
O|W initially set up a project team comprised of two architects from the United States and two from India that created the model. A series of nested modules was then developed, as the project called for a set number of two, three and four bedroom units. “We designed the units to stack on top of each other so that the structural system seamlessly followed the design,” said lead architect, Saravanan Balasubramanian. “In ArchiCAD we were able to create floor plans and replicate them to the number of stories needed to meet the client’s requirements. The adjustments going forward were simplified that way.” Facilitating easy adjustments proved critical on this project, which went through as many as ten versions before a final design was selected. O|W has been asked to refine the design a little further to address the client’s wish to build a 200-meter tower. Each jurisdiction in India has a local height restriction that requires aviation clearance.
