version of something in the rest of India. It was entirely in the fitness of things, therefore, that I saw Sharanam, a rural development training centre being built by the Sri Aurobindo Society in Tamil Nadu's Villupuram district and the gigantic soon-to-open ITC Grand Chola in Chennai,
both landmarks in their own way. First, the differences. One is an open-to-nature building, with a large meeting space and several smaller satellite buildings, on a 5 acre plot. The other is a gargantuan 600 room hotel of 1.6 million square feet on a 8 acre plot. One cost Rs 2-3 crore, the other, Rs 1,000 crore. Then, the similarities. Both capture the zeitgeist of this century: eco-friendliness; both try to incorporate that into their buildings and their philosophies; and by so doing, both want to make a statement. Apart from the soaring vaulted roof - weighing just 180 tonnes! - Sharanam's true wow factor hit me only up close, and only after one of its architects, Jateen Lad, gave me the lowdown one scorching mid-afternoon last week. I prepared to be amazed, for the specialness of the building became evident the moment I stepped into its timeless brick superstructure. I was suddenly reminded of the angular structures excavated in Harappa, Dholavira and other Indus Valley cities - a brilliant blend of nature and technology.
Source
Commis II Indian - Jobs in India
both landmarks in their own way. First, the differences. One is an open-to-nature building, with a large meeting space and several smaller satellite buildings, on a 5 acre plot. The other is a gargantuan 600 room hotel of 1.6 million square feet on a 8 acre plot. One cost Rs 2-3 crore, the other, Rs 1,000 crore. Then, the similarities. Both capture the zeitgeist of this century: eco-friendliness; both try to incorporate that into their buildings and their philosophies; and by so doing, both want to make a statement. Apart from the soaring vaulted roof - weighing just 180 tonnes! - Sharanam's true wow factor hit me only up close, and only after one of its architects, Jateen Lad, gave me the lowdown one scorching mid-afternoon last week. I prepared to be amazed, for the specialness of the building became evident the moment I stepped into its timeless brick superstructure. I was suddenly reminded of the angular structures excavated in Harappa, Dholavira and other Indus Valley cities - a brilliant blend of nature and technology.
Source
Commis II Indian - Jobs in India