The Indian architectural community is abuzz with a renewed interest in public architecture. Late last year, the Government of India held an open global competition for an Indian National War Museum and Memorial in Lutyens Delhi, near India Gate. Earlier this month, Mumbai-based sP+a Studio’s proposal for the War Museum was announced as the winning design. Chennai-based WeBe Design Lab delivered the winning pitch for the Memorial. The proposed scheme is located within the C Hexagon of Delhi’s heritage district, and is possibly one of the largest projects to be constructed within these boundaries in recent years.

The winning designs for both, the Museum and Memorial, are confidential and cannot be shared with the public at this time, and neither has the project timeline been confirmed. However, sP+a’s principal Sameep Padora gave us a brief overview of the scheme. The studio’s proposal reflects an astute understanding of the competition dossier, paying natural regard to the objectives and concerns raised. A detailed list of the number of trees on the site in many ways facilitated the final pitch, which is a porous structure that allows the site to breathe. With only 11 points-of-ground contact, the entire structure floats over the site, with cut-outs throughout that offers the existing trees their own space.

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