Studio Lotus designs a dynamic mixed-use community hub that activates Chennai’s largest IT Park

Block 12 was conceptualised by Studio Lotus as the central hub for DLF Cybercity–Grade-A office space in Chennai’s most prominent IT SEZ, aiming to create a lively and appealing destination for office-goers and visitors alike. A close collaboration with the client helped determine the necessary amenities, carefully considering the spatial relationships between the Amenity Block and the Office Block. The Office Block showcases varying dark tones of curtain-wall glazing and dramatic filleted corners, while the Amenity Block exhibits container box cladding and polycarbonate sheet roofs, with several open terraces breaking up the solid mass. The curved profile of the office block and the dark-coloured mass of the overall campus intentionally stand in stark contrast to the sharp white facades of the surrounding IT office buildings.

The site presented a unique challenge that shifted the design focus equally to what lay below ground as to what lay above it. The placement of the IT Park’s existing STP and fire water tanks directly below the site necessitated special attention to structural loading. The challenge above ground was to create a structure that complemented the existing office buildings whilst also retaining a distinct identity. The entire steel structure was completed on an accelerated timeline to meet project requirements.

Despite the formal and material disparities between the Amenity and Office Blocks, the two structures are visually united through the use of a concrete plinth, serving as an anchor at the ground level. These blocks are further linked by a light and airy Market Street—a boulevard that features casual and intimate seating pockets. Aligned with the axis of the broader master plan, it channels pedestrian movement in a way that activates the space and fosters sociability. Landscape interventions, developed with ROHA Landscape, incorporate stepped seating on the ground floor plinth, creating an inviting after-hours urban oasis for relaxation and socialization. While the terraces feature an open-to-sky garden with wooden seating, the firstfloor podium comprises landscaped activity spaces and gaming zones.

A social staircase originating in the Market Street visually and spatially connects the street with the mezzanine floor terraces. A large TV screen across from it allows for the staircase to be used as seating for when sports and cultural events are streamed.

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The food court within the Amenity Block has been conceived as a spacious, 7m-high volume, housing various Quick Service Restaurants (QSRs) and food trucks, complemented by intimate seating clusters. Indoor planters are strategically introduced as spatial dividers and seating pockets.

While the external material palette is muted and restrained, the interiors feature lively pops of colour and patterns and wall art featuring local iconography. In the food court, the industrial aesthetic of concrete and aluminium extends to the wall surfaces, with exposed service ducts and structural elements rendered in vibrant colours
synonymous with Chennai. Rustic woven bamboo lighting further brings warmth and character to the space.

FACTFILE:

Typology: Mixed-Used Development
Client: DLF; Project: DLF IT/ITES SEZ, Chennai, Tamil Nadu
Design Firm: Studio Lotus
Design Team: Sidhartha Talwar, Pankhuri Goel, Anusha Bajpai, Shoaib Mohammad
Kamli, Leenu Jindal, Varun Sachdev, Yashika Bagga
Consultants: Structural—ECPL; MEP—AECOM; Landscape Aditya Advani, ROHA;
PMC—MACE (till Jan 2020); Façade—DEMA; — 10 March; Lighting—Mandala
Contractors: Project Manager— Mace Project & Cost Management Pvt. Ltd.; Interiors—
Jayant K Furnishers/ Goldfinger; Fabricator—Greenbuilt Concepts; Civil—ECPL
Site Area: 4.7 Acres
Built-Up Area: 4,52,084 Sq ft
Year of Completion: June 2023
Photography courtesy: Avesh Gaur