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90K views 604 replies 58 participants last post by  enemyofthebabus 
#1 ·
Here are some recent articles on the Mumbai WTC from Times News Networks. Seems like they might build a tower anywhere between 75-120 floors, a huge convention centre and a sprawling IT park.

NTC to sell land, build a WTC in Mumbai heartland
GURBIR SINGH

TIMES NEWS NETWORK[ THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2004 12:14:18 AM ]
MUMBAI: The National Textile Corporation, which ultimately hopes to sell 17 of its mills, is looking at an integrated development scheme (IDS) that includes a 75-storey World Trade Centre and a 1.6m sq ft international software park.

This will help transform central Mumbai heartland into an international commercial hub, planners say.

NTC proposes to sell 145 acres of mill land (185 acres of FSI) and generate an additional 24 acres of TDR (transferable development rights) for sale outside the mill complexes. This amounts to nearly 9m sq ft of FSI, conservatively valued at Rs 2,600 crore.

The remodelling of 280 acres of land covering 25 NTC mills — land to be sold as well as to be acquired by public bodies for reservations — brings enough chunks of land into the planning process to transform both the character and the skyline of the core of the island city, said planners.

Central to the NTC plan, developed by Team One Architects, is a World Trade Centre in the 12-acre plot of India United No 6 Mills, off Cadell Road at Dadar, which has a over 200 metre sea frontage on the west coast.

On the same latitude to the east, is Kohinoor 1 & 2 Mills, where a gargantuan 16 lakh square feet knowledge and software park has been proposed.

The mill with its large sea front and convenient access, is ideally positioned to host a world-class convention centre, said planners. A convention centre can use twice the normal FSI (a floor space index of 2.7). The two architects Paresh Kapse and Aditya Yamsanwar have proposed a 75-storey tower accommodating 16 lakh sq ft of commercial space.

“If TDR is loaded from other NTC properties to the Cadell Road mill, we can go as high as 120 floors,” an NTC planner told ET.

NTC is simultaneously considering development of a software park as an international magnet in central Mumbai in the 22-acre property of what is today Kohinoor Mills No 1 & 2 at Dadar TT Circle.

It can be developed as an alternative to the over-crowded and inaccessible SEEPZ and create job opportunities for as many as 100,000 people, an NTC planner said.

Significantly, these projects are being considered by the NTC as joint ventures, which will maximise returns for the cash-strapped organisation. However, VK Tripathi, MD of NTC-South, one of the 9 subsidiaries that covers most of the Mumbai mills, was critical of the Maharashtra government dragging its feet over permissions and sale clearances.

“If a new state government comes, we will have to begin afresh; we are already one year behind schedule, and our interest burden is mounting,” Mr Tripathi told ET.

Industry sources blamed private mill owners and developers for slowing sale of the NTC mills to prevent a fall in prices on account of a glut of mill lands.

“Mumbai Textiles, located next to Bombay Dyeing Mills in Prabhadevi, will release 12 acres of land, but Bombay Dyeing itself is in the market with around 16 lakh sq ft of FSI,” a NTC source said.

A few mills near the Bombay harbour between Kalachowkie and Sewree will also open up near the proposed trans-harbour sea-link and offer valuable real estate for future development. Central Mumbai, starved of opens spaces and gardens, will get 21 acres from mill lands for the BMC to develop gardens and open spaces.

Under Development Control Regulation (DCR) 56 of the Mumbai Region and Town Planning Act, one-third of the surplus land is to be handed over to the MHADA and another one-third to BMC for development of public housing and open spaces, respectively.

Under the NTC plan, MHADA and the BMC will be acquiring 18 acres and 21 acres, respectively, for city development projects.

Significantly, the planning format proposed by architect Bharat Yamsanwar is to join the BMC and MHADA ‘reservations’ of all the NTC mills and offer them to the public agencies as composite plots.

For instance, New Hind Textile is being offered to MHADA for public housing, while India United No 2 & 3 are being offered to the BMC for open spaces and gardens. Both mills are in the Lalbaug region. This will give projects for open spaces and public housing more room for sensible planning.

The NTC plan also envisages the refloat of 8 viable mills covering 74 acres. There is another 6 acres of NTC property on which chawls and residential accommodation provide homes to mill workers’ families

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/852204.cms


NTC land sale to recast Mumbai
GURBIR SINGH

TIMES NEWS NETWORK[ SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2004 02:38:37 AM ]
MUMBAI: The National Textile Corporation (NTC), which hopes to sell 17 of its mills, is looking at an integrated development scheme (IDS) that includes a 75-storey World Trade Centre and a 1.6 million square feet international software park.

According to planners, the scheme will help transform the central Mumbai heartland into an international commercial hub.

NTC proposes to sell 145 acres of mill land (185 acres of FSI) and generate an additional 24 acres of TDR (transferable development rights) for sale outside the mill complexes. This amounts to nearly 9 million square feet of FSI conservatively valued at Rs 2,600 crore.

The re-modelling of 280 acres of land covering 25 NTC mills — land to be sold as well as to be acquired by public bodies for reservations — brings enough chunks of land into the planning process to transform both the character and the skyline of the core of the island city, planners feel.

Central to the NTC plan, developed by Team One Architects, is a World Trade Centre in the 12-acre plot of India United No.6 Mills off Cadell Road at Dadar, which has a over 200-meter sea frontage.



On the same latitude to the east, is Kohinoor 1 & 2 Mills where a gargantuan 16 lakh square feet knowledge and software park has been proposed.

The mill with its large seafront and convenient access, is ideally positioned to host a world class convention centre, NTC planners feel.

A convention centre can use twice the normal FSI (a floor space index of 2.66), and the two architects Paresh Kapse and Aditya Yamsanwar have proposed a 75-storey tower accommodating 16 lakh square feet of commercial space.

“If TDR is loaded from other NTC properties to the Cadell Road mill, we can go as high as 120 floors,” an NTC planner told ET.

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/msid-855140,prtpage-1.cms
 
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#3 ·
Looks like the commercial capital is staged for a comeback. For all of those here not from Mumbai, the mill lands in central mumbai are HUGE my frnds. Redevelopment of this land would certainly change the face of Mumbai :)

I will take as many pictures as possible when I'm down there in December.

But we still need a ring road :)
 
#4 ·
Ubermensch said:
Looks like the commercial capital is staged for a comeback. For all of those here not from Mumbai, the mill lands in central mumbai are HUGE my frnds. Redevelopment of this land would certainly change the face of Mumbai :)

I will take as many pictures as possible when I'm down there in December.

But we still need a ring road :)
Yes, the mill lands are huge. And there should be plenty of towers coming up in the future.
 
#8 ·
Oh what phucking crap! In the article there are 4 "visionary" designs of the proposed building. And all of them are either direct ripoffs of existing towers, or mid-day has published BS (which I am not surprised, since it's a tabloid), to pass of existing structures as a probable Mumbai WTC. Further proof of this goofed up job is the factor, that none of the buildings in the article are more than 40-50 storeys high. That means there is incongruence even at a pre-design stage, regarding the proposed structure. India and Indians lack professionalism, and this is one more proof of that.
 
#10 ·
Though their website says the last tower is "y-shaped", if you look closely at the render there really does seem to be a bar going across the top, connecting the two portrusions, and if that is the case (and even if it weren't the case!) it is a direct rip of Shanghai's World Financial Center. I really like the second building, with a reflective glass facade facing the sea, but the first and third are plain ugly.



None of these designs seem to reflect the quirky but imho fun style of architecture that modern Indian design has evolved into, and that's a big pity.

...but then it is Mid-Day sayin this, so I wouldn't put too much faith in them in any case..
 
#11 ·
The "concept" presentation was just to start the ball rolling for a discussion/media attention. The architects were looking for a response to see what would be preferred - twin towers or a single tower or two towers joined together or a real tall building. The real building(s), if built, will not look like any of those. That's my understanding and I may be wrong.

I don't think the architects will release their design at such an early stage, when even the fate of the project is not sure.
 
#14 ·
Suncity said:
No I didn't see any consensus or suggestions about the design because the political controversy of building a memorial to Babasaheb Ambedkar in the same plot, overshadowed it.
No way!

They could put that in a million and one places why in such prime area. I'm sure even Dr. Ambedkar would think thats a retarted idea.
 
#17 ·
I think there is a memorial adjacent to the plot. The state government wanted to expand it. I cannot find the articles which were published in Indian Express a couple of months back. They were self explanatory. If I find the articles I will PM them to you.
 
#20 ·
Suncity said:
No I didn't see any consensus or suggestions about the design because the political controversy of building a memorial to Babasaheb Ambedkar in the same plot, overshadowed it.
That article you posted, citing the political controversy, was older than these posted here, so still is a mystery what happened to the memorial plans. Wish we had more information.
 
#21 · (Edited)
Jai said:
Though their website says the last tower is "y-shaped", if you look closely at the render there really does seem to be a bar going across the top, connecting the two portrusions, and if that is the case (and even if it weren't the case!) it is a direct rip of Shanghai's World Financial Center. I really like the second building, with a reflective glass facade facing the sea, but the first and third are plain ugly.



None of these designs seem to reflect the quirky but imho fun style of architecture that modern Indian design has evolved into, and that's a big pity.

...but then it is Mid-Day sayin this, so I wouldn't put too much faith in them in any case..





This skyscraper is KINGDOM CENTER, RIYADH. Its been there for a while. Shanghai World financial Center could actually be a rip off of the kingdom center.
 
#22 · (Edited)
Mumbai, India Architecture. (Why its unique and people think its Uncool)

Lots of people seem to have a misconception about Mumbai(and other Indian cities) and Its hirises. Many people seem to be comparing it to cities like Shanghai, HK and the like and saying that Mumbai does not measure up. So I guess an explanation is order.

First of all Lets try to figure out what people percieve to be a beautiful skyscraper.

The western Idea of a modern structure is a Symmetrical building that looks like a Block of aluminum and Glass. Shanghai, HK and other great cities are amazing examples of this kind of architecture.

However in india Mumbai(and in India in general) There is a severe aversion of these kind of buildings.
Here is an examples of these kind of buildings In india


Most people consider these buildings to be eyesore. And while most indians admire this architecture most do no want to look at them from their window first thing in the morning. Most people consider them to be museum pieces too cold to live in. Heres the reason. If you have ever been to india or know its history you will realise that Indians do things uniquely. Most of the world takes the western standard to be "Beautiful" Thus Hong kong, Shanghai Beijing will be right at home as satellite cities of NY or Chicago. India however has had a long history of architecture and nothing in india's traditional architecture mimic's the Alluminium block style of a modern skyscraper.
Most Hirises In Mumbai are residential So they are actually condos. People In mumbai may live in the sky but it is considered essential for homes to have a balcony. So Many indian skyscrapers seem porous and serrated. It is an absolute must that windows open and fresh air be let into the house so a building will have have openable windows for this reason buildings are built with their windows recessed.

People in india buy one house/condo in their lives that actually gets passed on to the next generation. So people want their homes/condos to be like pieces of art so architects are hard press to create a building that is unique in the world. and Most Indian Buildings look cool to Indians but is ofcourse incompatible with outsiders view. There are many other reasons but mainly most indian buildings are designed by Indian architects so they are uniquely indian(extravagant and decadent looking)





Tallest buildings in india(under construction) SD Twin Towers(below) As you can see this is a true skyscraper but unlike a traditional skyscraper If you notice it has the claustrophobic look of traditional Indian architecture( which BTW has a complete lack of plain walls which are usually decked with windows or carvings)




Other much loved buildings





I think most of the world in its mad rush for urbanization has adopted too much of a western look. India has a continuos history of over 6 millennia. And india's current architecture reflects its people and culture vibrant, colorful and very muddled., We are not a Homogeneous people so why should our buildings be. Nothing In india's 10,000 year history looks like a blocks of glass. Indian architects were trained in india and developed a unique style with virtually no western influence.

When I look at Shanghai, Beijing etc I fail to see China's people. The skyscrapers are poster child of Western design ideals. China Has a history as long as India's and its people are as unique so why not unique ideas for chinese buildings. Im Sure these asian cities have unique buildings but the architectural style is distinctly western. Of course this is because most of the buildings house western firms which would prefer western design ideals. While indian buildings are occupied by Indians who have complete influence over the building. Actually many of India's newer design ideals go back to traditional design ideals Heres a unique design idea that has yet to materialize.


Heres another building Notice the unique indian temple like structures near the entrances.


Most of Mumbai's architucture(existing) is art deco and indo-victorian so new buildings maintain that but add their own twists.

In the next 20 years I can fully expect that most Word cities will look more and more similar.(look at HK, Singapore, Shanghai, Seoul etc they look remarkably alike if not for their unique setting) But Mumbai will shine as a rebel with a unique skyline recognizable instantly. The Skyline will reflect the Indian people. If someone visits Mumbai Its city scape feels in sync with its poeple A place like HK would make and indian and anyone familiar with indian culture out of place.

Hope this shines light on Mumbai and modern Indian architecture In general.
 
#23 ·
You do have some points, I agree that some of the residential buildings combining traditional elements like domes and minarets with modern architecture are truly superb, but many buildings are also designed in greed, with no regard for design and using lousy colours etc. (thankfully, this is fast dissappearing) The reason Mumbai doesn't have any tall glassy blocks is because of stupid old laws (height restrictions, FSI etc). I think you will begin to see such towers in Mumbai too in the near future. I don't see all Chinese cities as poster childs of 'western architecture'. And that too is not necessarily a bad thing. In fact Shanghai does look spectacular and futuristic, and some buildings like Jin Mao Tower, and Taipei 101 also have heavy traditional elements. Coming back to Mumbai, yes very true about balconies etc. but even this can be done aesthetically. Some buildings really look horrible on the outside, because Indians are more than happy as long as the interiors of their homes are pretty. Both the customers and the builders don't pay attention to exterior aesthetics, somewhat like how Indians keep their own homes clean and tidy, but litter in public areas. :) But yes there is noticable change in this too, and most of the new buildings look atleast decent. India definitely will come out with it's own unique style, when it starts building supertall skylines. :)
 
#24 · (Edited)
:?

I am not sure what you are trying to say here. I don't think that "the western Idea of a modern structure is a Symmetrical building that looks like a Block of aluminum and Glass"! Man, there are so many thousands of examples of fine (modern) western architecture all over the world!

And I find some of China's modern towers simply amazing.

As for Mumbai's new architecture there is nothing very unique about them. Yes I like them because the new buildings are nicer than the ugly seventies but there are thousands of similar nice towers all over the world.

Mumbai is no "rebel" city. It has always been a western looking city in India. It did lose steam because of its own success. But things seem to be looking up. Ten years from now (if things go okay) it will probably look like any other modern international metropolis. Remember Mumbai's selling point always has been that it is cosmopolitan, liberal and westernized with Indian roots.
 
#25 ·
I do see the uniqueness of Indian architecture. But as Suncity had mentioned above, to summarize the entire western modern architecture in one sentence is impossible. For example US's "modern" scrapers are as much different from China's as China's are different from India's. Indian "modern" architecture is actually in a way western, since skyscraper itself is western anyways. But to be frank, some of the skyscrapers in India, even some of them you showed above, are unique, but kinda tacky. It's those ones that become eyesores. But on the other side, I don't see any country without those type of buildings.
 
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