Header: Vinay Panjwani
The Stella office building in Nagpur, Maharashtra, provides 5,575 sq. m. of office space, with four offices per floor spanning 14 levels. To optimise its usability, at a restricted plot size of 836.07 sq.m and add mandatory open spaces, the building Sanjay Puri Architects opted for a vertical configuration.
Mitigating the climate impact
Controlling the heat proved to be an additional challenge, as Stella is located in one of India’s hottest cities with temperatures that go up to 48°C. To reduce the impact of the heat, the façade is used as a responsive barrier. Semi-circular open decks are juxtaposed with planters covered with aluminium louvres, both vertically and horizontally. This alternating structure reduces the heating alongside greenery planted around the building, which cools down the interior offices.
Illumination with indirect sunlight
The trees planted around the building serve as an organic buffer. They wrap the façade to improve thermal protection, but also add visual comfort to the aesthetic. Situated on the eastern edge, the service and circulation core allows all three other sides to open up, which enables natural light to enter the workspace. The greenery creates shade, cooling the building and shielding it from the sun.
The front and rear parts of the building are occupied by the larger offices, which allows them to enjoy the benefits of constant daylight, cross ventilation, and last but not least, an eye-grabbing panoramic view that enhances the comfort of the employees. A traditional typology of office design was rejected as improper for the tropical climate of Nagpur. Designed to minimise heat gain, the project also reduces operational energy consumption and provides sheltered, well-lit, productive working space. Illumination with indirect sunlight ensures that the office is perfectly illuminated without the excessive heat.
Sanjay Puri Architects
Known for its contextual designs, Sanjay Puri Architects focuses on sustainable architecture that explores the spatial perception of innovative explorations. A globally recognised Mumbai-based company has won over 500 international awards and has been featured in numerous publications. Sanjay Puri, the founder of the namesake company, also works as an expert juror on numerous architecture awards in Europe, Asia, Australia and the Americas.
The design of Stella is a perfect example of a site-specific and environmentally-friendly office building. Created as a contextual architectural project, it is much determined by its surroundings. The Stella building mixes passive strategies, vegetation, and modern expression to create a sustainable working premises rooted in its climatic context.
Project info
Project Name: Stella
Location: Nagpur, Maharashtra, India
Construction Company: Prestige Builders
Size of the Project: 60,000 sq.ft. (5574.14 sq.m.)
Design Company: Sanjay Puri Architects
Lead Architect: Mr Sanjay Puri
Design Team: Ruchika Gupta, Tanushree Jayakar, Sheetal Tharwal, Bahar Patil, Sumit Khandelwal
