SEEPZ++, Mumbai

Encouraged by the phenomenal success of the Santacruz Electronic Export Promotion Zone (SEEPZ) in Mumbai and propelled by the additional requirement of such space for the Information technology (IT) industry, Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) decided to construct another software complex on an 11 acre plot in Andheri (East) in Mumbai, designated as SEEPZ++. This building design, originally planned for the IT industry was extended to accommodate the high potential, non-polluting Gems and Jewellery industry. Thus the project was a building for the development and export of electronic goods and services and of Gems and Jewellery located on Jogeshwari Vikhroli Link Road in close proximity to the airport.

Visualised to function at par with the best in the world and compete globally, SEEPZ++ was named an “intelligent building” designed with state-of–the-art infrastructure like CAT 6, a structured cabling system permitting telephone, data, voice connectivity with a power back-up, a dedicated earth station connecting the IT park to undersea cables terminating at Prabhadevi through optic fibres and a computerized management system (CMS) to monitor and control the services such as air-conditioning, elevators, lighting, water, electricity, fire alarm, security and other functions. High speed data connectivity, a dedicated telephone exchange, central EPABX intercom and other core facilities like metered chilled water to individual units, food kiosks, coffee shops and internet cafes make up the special services in this InfoTech building. Being an export oriented unit it is located close to the airport.

Being close to the airport, the height is restricted to 7 floors making way for horizontal expansion instead of going vertical. In its final scheme, the building design consists of individual blocks for each industry, each block a square in plan surrounding a service core at each centre. Each block designed in a square to maximize the effective working area, has an individual main entrance and service entry, but the two are interconnected through the central plaza, which is a vehicle-free pedestrian space in the centre. An additional basement is tucked in part of the site to take advantage of the natural level difference. The central plaza sits over a double level car park accommodating over 400 cars, thus avoiding the need to provide parking under the main buildings. A common bank and training centre are detached from the main buildings and a restaurant-cum-recreation facility surrounded by a green plaza is aptly located at the centre of the Info Tech Park. The glass curtain-wall covering the entire façade and the giant space frame visually connecting the two individual blocks in the sky lend the hi-tech aesthetics to this striking example of modern architecture in the Indian cityscape. The stepped treatment of the glass façade helps to break the mass and carries off the series of necessary openings avoiding a visual monotony.