KOLKATA | The Westin & The V Residences | 150m | 36 fl x 2 | U/C

[Jai]

Hi

Kolkata is slowly but surely undergoing urban transformation. For years stifling under democratically-elected communist government, now not even they can stave off the Indian urban development phenomenon. Malls, multiplexes, townships, highrises and commerical towers are starting to sprout up in the city, slowly but surely getting a little bit taller with each project. It's where Mumbai was 8 years ago.

Now, while the change isn't as visibly dynamic as in other cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad or Bangalore, it's certainly there, and, owing to its large population size and economic inertia, Kolkata has the potential to become a a true skyscraper city.

Most Kolkata developers try to keep out of the limelight, fearing the Red Party's red tape, but there are several significant/tall tower proposals that have been announced. Probably the farthest along of any of these capital projects is Shristi Infrastructure/InterContinental Hotels's hotel project, to be branded "Vedic Hotels", located at the major "New Town Kolkata" development.



The principal architect is Delhi-based C.P. Kukreja Associates. The team of international architects includes Cervera & Pioz, Spain; King Roselli Architetti, Italy, and Ruben Anderegg, Switzerland.

The project will comprise of two towers of 150m in height and will be a state-of-the-art, green "biostructure", designs of which are Cervera & Pioz's specialty. The taller will be the hotel, the smaller will be residential, and will be surrounded by a major shopping and entertainment arcade that is modeled on the Universal Studios CityWalk concept, featuring an eclectic mix of live entertainment, fun and fine dining establishments, specialty shops and state-of-the-art cinemas. Those are the other buildings you see surrounding the towers in the rendering. Also worth noting are the residential buildings in the background of the rendering, which comprise other projects in the New Town development.

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Here are two articles that give a good overview of the Vedic Hotel project

Shrishti, InterContinental to set up 5-star hotel in Kolkata

Our Bureau
Kolkata , Feb. 21

SHRISHTI Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (SIDCL), jointly with HUDCO, has tied up with the InterContinental Hotels Group Plc to set up a Rs 400-crore five-star hotel at New Town, Kolkata.

The foundation stone laying ceremony has already been completed. The hotel, scheduled for completion by 2008, will have 308 rooms. Shrishti has already signed up Delhi-based C. P. Kukreja Associates (CPK), as the principal architect for the hotel project. CPK has done large hotel projects such as the Intercontinental Hotel in New Delhi and Grand InterContinental Resort in Goa.

Mr Sujit Kanoria, Managing Director of Shrishti, said that the international architects roped in for the project include Cervera & Pioz of Spain, King Roselli Architetti of Rome and Ruben Anderegg of Switzerland. He said Cervera and Pioz are known for their emblematic buildings, and have pioneered new concepts of structure and construction like `Bio-structures.'

Green building: The Rome-based King Roselli, an architecture and design studio, is the winner of the Holcim Awards Gold 2005— Europe, for sustainable construction. Pointing out that the hotel complex will be a green building, Mr Kanoria said, "We feel this five-star InterContinental hotel at New Town will be the gateway of Kolkata, and should fuel tourism in eastern India in a big way.

Shrishti has already announced its own hospitality organisation (in association with HUDCO), to be developed under the brand name `Vedic Hotels' with a focus on India's traditional lifestyle.

The InterContinental Group has more than 3,600 owned, leased, managed and franchised hotels and 5.39 lakh guest rooms across nearly 100 countries and territories.It also owns a portfolio of hotel brands, including InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts and Hotel Indigo TM, besides managing the world's largest hotel loyalty programme, 1Priority Clubs Rewards.

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Welcome to HOTEL CALCUTTA

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Shristi Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd has announced a “250-to-300 room” five-star hotel in New Town, Rajarhat, in partnership with the InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), expected to be ready to receive guests from 2008. “Our objective is to create a truly world-class hotel complex, which would buoy the image of the city,” says Hemant Kanoria, director, Shristi Infrastructure.
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From this and other articles on the project, it is known that the cost of the building is Rs 400 crore. It's not clear whether this is the land, construction or total cost. The built-up area will be 9 lakh square feet on an eight-acre land and will provide employment for 5000 people.

While the the symbolic foundation/stone-laying ceremony has already taken place, the project hasn't actually broken ground yet, though there has been some site prep and grading. The hotel will "start to take customers" by the end of 2008, though that doesn't necessarily imply that construction will be totally finished by then.

Most likely, we will get more word on this project this year.

Cheers,
Jai

[Matthias Offodile]

Very interesting design! Is there a small park/greenery area on one of the floors or do I need glasses?

[Nixoderm]

How many storeys??

[Jai]

Yep, there seems to be a green space about halfway up both towers.

LePhillippe, it looks to be about 40 fl and 35 fl, but this is an estimation based off of roof heights and renderings

[el palmesano]

wow

[Hindustani]

nice architecture. build it already.

[Mplsuptown]

Really nice looking towers. Look great together.

[erbse]

That shall be 150m in the model? It seems that the night of planning was an enormous long one.

[Jai]

Huh?

[great184]

Its beautiful, and telling by the image, well planned and designed.

[Saigoneseguy]

Really nice, but are there any better renderings?

[Kailyas]

great design

[erbse]

Originally Posted by Jai

Huh?

It looks like they'd be around 300m. Compare them with the surroundings dude!

[Middle-Island]

5*****s is right. That's one huge urban resort around that hotel, also.

[sanjupalayat]

Wow!!!!!! any updates available....

[ZZ-II]

indeed, they're looking much taller than 150m

[India101]

TAKING HOSPITALITY TO NEW HEIGHTS
World-class hotel in heart of New Town
Subhro Niyogi | TNN



Starwood, one of the world’s largest hotel and leisure companies, has decided to check in at New Town when the township’s first five-star property is commissioned for 2011. The 350-room hotel will tower over an 8-acre plot in the township’s central business district.
Sources in the hospitality industry said Starwood’s Westin group had replaced InterContinental Hotel Group (IHG) that had initially tied up with development firm Shristi Urban Infrastructure Development Ltd (SUIDL) for a luxury hotel in Rajarhat in 2005. IHG has since tied up with Emaar-MGF and Riverbank Holdings to manage hotels under Holiday Inn and Crown Plaza brands.
Though Shristi director Hemant Karnoria claimed both IHG and Starwood were in the fray for managing the proposed hotel, sources said the property would carry the Westin logo. A lifestyle brand that competes in the upper upscale sector, Westin hotels are spread over 30 countries. It is the first global brand to offer inroom spa treatments and the first to go smoke-free in North America.
If Westin does move into New Town, it will have one of the most contemporary hotel properties in India. The twin towers, designed by Spanish architect firm Cervera & Pioz, will be Kolkata’s first. The taller of the two will be 42-storeys and 142 metres high.
“We are committed to creating a world-class hotel. The architecture will be extremely contemporary. It will be a signature landmark,” said Kanoria. The project cost is a whopping Rs 700 crore.
A blend of the colonial and the contemporary style of architectural design, the towers will incorporate the novel bionic concept and be completely eco-friendly Green building certified by US rating agency LEED. The facility will house the hotel, a shopping mall, entertainment facilities and commercial complex.
Work on the project is slated to commence in January 2009, nearly three years behind schedule. Various factors, both strategic and otherwise, led to the project delay. “Shristi has received the approval from the government last month for commencement of work. The contractor is mobilizing resources at the site and construction will begin next month,” Kanoria said.
While the global slowdown and the recent Mumbai terror attacks is expected to adversely impact business and tourism in the immediate future, Kanoria reasoned that it was the best time to commence construction so that the hotel would be ready in 28-30 months to catch the boom when the turnaround happens.
“By 2011, the economy would have bounced back and tourism would be doing well. New Town, too, would have got over the infrastructure constraints and become a destination,” he argued.
Located close to the airport and the IT hub, the hotel will target transit, business and leisure traffic. “The hotel will be the hottest dining and entertainment spot with life music, casual and fine dining, dancing, shopping and more,” Kanoria added.

Rooms: 350, Towers: Two, Tallest tower: 42 storeys, Area: 8 acre, Project Cost: Rs 700 cr, Ready by: 2011

Link

[dunedin]

Lol

[dunedin]

ha

[The other Dude]

perfect!

i wish there was a city with most buildings looking like that. cities should have kind of their special style, modern cities all look the same...