JAYAPRAKASH NARAYAN CENTRE

LUCKNOW, INDIA
JAYAPRAKASH NARAYAN INTERNATIONAL CENTRE
THE JAYAPRAKASH NARAYAN INTERNATIONAL CENTRE/ MUSEUM OF SOCIALISM IN LUCKNOW IS
BUILT ON THE IDEA OF CREATING PUBLIC ARCHITECTURE, WHOSE DESIGN VOCABULARY ENDOWS A
CONTEMPORARY VALUE TO PAST EVENTS, BUT STANDS ITS GROUND WITH ITS ‘NEW-FOUND’
INSTITUTIONAL IDENTITY REFLECTING THE POLARISED VIEWS OF CIVIC AUTHORITIES, CURATORS,
HISTORIANS AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC. THE CONTEMPORARY NATURE OF THE MUSEUM’S
ARCHITECTURE TAKES RESPONSIBILITY FOR CREATING WHAT WILL BE TOMORROW’S HISTORY WHILE
NARRATING THE CURRENT ONE.
SITE CONTEXT
ALONG WITH THE ADJOINING INTERNATIONAL CENTRE, THERE IS AN INTERPRETATION CENTRE,
INSERTED AS AN ANCHOR POINT ON ONE OF THE PRINCIPAL NODES OF THE CITY SO THAT IT TAKES ON
THE ONUS OF BECOMING A CONTEMPORARY LANDMARK AND HOPES TO INSPIRE THE DEVELOPMENT
OF THE URBAN FABRIC AROUND IT. THE DESIGN OF THE BUILDING ALSO STRIVES TO ACHIEVE FITTING,
SENSITIVE AND GALLANT NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE CONTRASTING AND OFT CONFLICTING CONTEXTS
OF URBANITY AND NATURE. THE TERRACOTTA CLADDING RESPONDS TO THE INTEGRITY OF A
HISTORICAL CITYSCAPE.
THE COMPLEX STANDS AS A CONCEPTUAL COUNTER ARGUMENT TO THE PARK ACROSS AND ENSURES
A CLIMATIC RESPONSE BY MAXIMIZING THE GREEN COVER OF THE COMPLEX. ONE OF THE FACADES
MERGES WITH THE ABUTTING GREENERY; THE ADJOINING FOREST IS LITERALLY AND
METAPHORICALLY SWEPT OFF ITS FEET AND LIFTED AUDACIOUSLY UP TO THE FIFTH FLOOR
ELUCIDATING THE VALUE OF GREENS IN THE CONTEXT. THE CENTRE THEREFORE SERVES AS A
‘RESPIRATORY APPARATUS’ IN THE FORM OF BREATHING SPACES THAT ALSO DOUBLE UP AS
PHENOMENAL COMMUNITY CENTRES ENGAGING THE INHABITANTS AND THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT OF
PROJECT DETAILS
JAYAPRAKASH NARAYAN INTERATIONAL CENTRE LUCKNOW, UTTAR PRADESH
ARCHITECT : STUDIO ARCHOHM.
DESIGN TEAM : SOURABH GUPTA, AMIT SHARMA, SANJAY RAWAT ,DIPANKAR DUTTA, BHOOMIKA SINGHAL, RAM
SAGAR, NEHA AGARWAL ,SHAHZAD AHMAD
EXPERIENCE DESIGN : DESIGN FACTORY INDIA.STRUCTURAL CONSULTANTS ROARK CONSULTING.
LANDSCAPE CONSULTANTS : SHAHEER ASSOCIATES SJA,CONSULTANTS.
ELECTRICAL CONSULTANTS : STUDIO ARCHOHM.
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING, HVAC PLUMBING : SUNIL NAYAR CONSULTANTS PVT. LTD.
PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS
TERRACOTTA CLADDING TERREAL
CONCRETE TILES : IVANKA
PURPOSE OF JAYAPRAKASH NARAYAN INTERNATIONAL CENTRE
LAYERED WITH NARRATIVES, HIGHLIGHTING THE "IT IS NOT ABOUT BUILDING A STATE, IT IS ABOUT BUILDING A STATE OF
MIND," ARE THE WORDS QUOTED FROM THE LUCKNOW DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY'S MANIFESTO BOOK IN 2010, WHICH
TALKS ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENT IN THE STATE OF UTTAR PRADESH. WITH THIS HOLISTIC VISION CHARTERED ERA THEY
EXISTED IN. THEREFORE, THE AFORESAID VISION OUTLINED BY THE GOVERNMENT ALSO PROPOSED THE INTENTION OF
ADDING A FRESH LANGUAGE OF CONTEMPORARY CHARACTER TO DEPICT THE CURRENT AS WELL AS THE ASPIRATION OF
THE STATE, THEREBY SHOWING PARADIGM SHIFTS IN SHAPING THE CITY THROUGH ICONIC ARCHITECTURE IN
CONVERSATION WITH THE ARCHITECTURE OF THE PAST. BY THE GOVERNMENT ALONG WITH URBAN PLANNING AND
ARCHITECTURE DESIGN FIRM STUDIO ARCHOHM, A FRESH ATTEMPT HAS BEEN MADE TO DESIGN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN SO
AS TO IMPROVE THE LIFE OF THE CITIZENS OF LUCKNOW AND THE MOST POPULOUS AMONGST THE NEW DEVELOPMENTS
IN THE CITY LIKE THE REJUVENATION OF HUSSAINABAD, THE OLD CITY, THE SMART CITY OF CHAK GANGERIA. THE ART &
CRAFT CENTRE CALLED AWADH SHILPGRAM, THE LARGEST CANCER INSTITUTE OF THE REGION, THE RIVERFRONT
DEVELOPMENT, THE METRO LINE, THE BICYCLE TRACKS, THE PARKS, SCHOOLS, HOUSINGS:
THE JAYAPRAKASH NARAYAN INTERNATIONAL CENTRE (JPN IC) IS THE SUPERLATIVE. ATTEMPTING TO BE SOMEWHERE IN
BETWEEN WHAT BURJ KHALIFA IS TO DUBAI AND WHAT THE BIRD'S NEST IS TO BEIJING JPNIC IS SITUATED IN THE HEART
OF THE STATE OF INDIA - UTTAR PRADESH. JUST TO PUT THINGS IN PERSPECTIVE, UP IS ROUGHLY THE SIZE OF THE UNITED
KINGDOM; IT FEATURES A WORLD WONDER, THE TAJ MAHAL, AND ITS DOMESTIC TOURISM IS GREATER THAN 20 STATES
OF INDIA COMBINED. IF ONE EVER VISITED ONE OF THE STATE'S MONUMENTS EVERY DAY, IT WOULD TAKE MORE THAN
TWO YEARS TO COVER THEM ALL THEREFORE, THE CAPITAL OF THE STATE OF UTTAR PRADESH, THE CITY OF LUCKNOW IS
NO ORDINARY CITY. IT IS THE CITY OF THE NAWABS, READ CITY AND IS SPREAD ACROSS 18 ACRES OF LAND. IT WAS
ENVISIONED TO BE THE LARGEST BUILDING OF ITS STATE, A UNIQUE CIVIC INSTITUTION, A WORLD CLASS CENTRE FOR
CONVENTIONS HOUSING UP TO MUSLIM RULERS OF PRINCELY STATES IN INDIA WITH PARAMOUNT POWER AND MAJESTY.
IT WAS ALSO ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT CENTRES DURING BRITISH COLONIAL TIMES. AND ALL THIS IS EVIDENT IN ITS
CULTURE - OF LITERATURE, DANCE, ART, CRAFTS, CUISINE, ETIQUETTES AND OF COURSE IT'S STRIKING ARCHITECTURE
THAT IS 4000 PEOPLE AT A TIME, HOSTING INTERNATIONAL SPORTS WITH OLYMPIC SIZE SWIMMING AND DIVING POOLS,
INDOOR TENNIS, TABLE TENNIS.
 ZONNING
GATEWAY TO JPN INTERNATIONAL CENTRE
THE JAYAPRAKASH NARAYAN INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION CENTRE HAS BEEN CONCEIVED
AS A PLACE THAT OFFERS THE CITIZENS OF LUCKNOW, MULTIPLE CHOICES OF LEISURE,
PLAZA
BUSINESS, RECREATION, SPORTS & LEARNING. IT IS A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE FROM ALL
WALKS OF LIFE-FROM THE LOCAL TO THE OVERSEAS VISITOR CAN HAVE A MEANINGFUL
PARKING AND MEMORABLE INTERACTION AND EXPERIENCE. THE JPN INTERPRETATION CENTRE IS A
GATEWAY FRAMING THE INTERNATIONAL CENTRE. IT IS PLACED AS A WEDGED-SHAPED
MONUMENT WITH A MASSIVE ARCH CARVED OUT OF THE MASS; ITS NINE-METRE HEIGHT
AND TWENTY METRE AMBITIOUS SPAN CLEARLY ATTEMPT TO PUSH THE LIMITS OF
AMPHITHEATRE
STRUCTURAL DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION.

LAKE WITH OPEN AIR THETRE

CONVENTION AND SPORTS JNP EXPERIENCE CENTRE

CENTRE

PARKING
TREE PLAZA

LEGEND
GROUND FLOOR PLAN
JNP EXPERIENCE CENTRE

AMPHITHEATRE

ENTRANCE CONVENTION & SPORTS CENTRE

PLAZA
SITE PLAN PARKING

SPACES ARE DISTRIBUTED IN THE HORIZONTAL AND VERTICAL PLAN IN COHESION SO THAT
THE JOURNEY ALTHOUGH IN PARTS AND IN SYNC WITH THE PRESCRIBED ZONES OF
EXPERIENCE, SEEMS LIKE A SINGULAR ONE; JUST AS, EVEN THOUGH WE LIVE LIFE IN PHASES
AND TIME ZONES, IT IS REALLY ONE LIFE AT THE END OF IT. THE PROGRAM BRIEF INCLUDES A
TICKETING PLACE AND THE INTRODUCTORY ATRIUM ON THE ENTRANCE FLOOR, A LIBRARY
ZONNING AS PER FLOORS
ATTACHED TO WHICH IS A CHILDREN’S CHILL-OUT ZONE, EXHIBITION GALLERIES AND TWO
CAFETERIAS NAMED ‘NAMAK’ AND ‘CHAWAL’ AFTER THE ITEMS CONSUMED BY THE
HAZARIBAGH JAIL BREAKERS ON THE RUN.
THE GATEWAY AS A VOID IS THE ENTRANCE TO THE
A SHOP CALLED ‘CHAR ANNA’- THE AMOUNT THE FUGITIVES LIVED ON, SELLS MEMORABILIA INTERPRETATION CENTRE AND THE SILHOUETTE OF THE
AS TAKEAWAYS FROM THE MUSEUM. SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION IS THEMATIC IN NATURE. THE GRAND ARCH IN ITS ENTRANCE OFFERS A FRAMED VIEW OF
TRANSITION FROM ONE SPACE TO ANOTHER IS IRONICALLY SEAMLESS YET PUNCTUATED FROM ITS PARENT AT THAT POINT. A VOID THAT OPENS UP THE
FLOOR TO FLOOR BY STAIRS AND RAMPS. THE VISITORS MEANDER IN AND OUT INTO THE  CENTRE. IT THEN TAKES A SEAT ON THE SITE IN A WAY THAT
SUNKEN COURTYARDS AT THE LOWEST LEVEL BEFORE LEAVING FOR THE FIRST FLOOR IS MAJESTICALLY JUXTAPOSED WITH THE INTERNATIONAL
THROUGH THE ‘ZIG-ZAG’ RAMP. THE FIRST LEVEL, THE PLACE WHERE REALISATION IS CENTRE, THUS CREATING ITS OWN IDENTITY EVEN WHILE
CONCEPTUALISED, IS INWARD LOOKING AND SO IS THE FLOOR ABOVE-THE PLACE OF OWING ALLEGIANCE TO IT.
ISOMETRIC VIEW OF PLAN
REFLECTION. THE BUILDING TERMINATES IN THE STEPS OF CONGREGATION, THE OPEN AIR
 THE JPN MUSEUM FLOOR PLANS OF JPN MUSEUM
THE JPN MUSEUM IS A GATEWAY FRAMING THE CENTRE PLACED AS A WEDGED-SHAPED
MONUMENT WITH A MASSIVE ARCH CARVED OUT OF THE MASS; ITS NINE-METRE HEIGHT AND
KINETIC IDEOLOGIES
TWENTY-METRE AMBITIOUS SPAN ARE CLEARLY ATTEMPTS TO PUSH THE LIMITS OF
STRUCTURAL DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION. ITS STEPPED ROOF TERMINATES IN A PAVILION THAT
GIFTS A PANORAMIC VIEW OF THE R.M. LOHIA PARK AND THE CONVENTION CENTRE. THE
MUSEUM WITHIN IS AN EXPERIENCE IN SPACE DESIGN WITH THE DEPICTION OF JAYAPRAKASH
NARAYAN AS A CHRONOLOGICAL NARRATIVE OF A LINEAR JOURNEY. IT IS DIVIDED INTO TWO
ZONES; THE ZONE OF ABSORPTION AND THE ZONE OF REFLECTION. AS THE NAMES SUGGEST,
THESE SPACES ENABLE ABSORPTION OF INFORMATION TRIGGERING CURIOSITY AND EXPERIENCE OCTAGONS
CONTEMPLATION WHICH THEN IS EXPECTED TO LEAD TO REFLECTION AND ASSIMILATION. THUS
THE MUSEUM IS NOT JUST A CONTAINER THAT PRESERVES FROZEN ALBEIT INSPIRING MOMENTS
OF A PAST BUT BREEDS THEM AND ENSURES THAT THEY PERCOLATE INTO CURRENT REALITY,
AND LAY THE FOUNDATION FOR THE FUTURE.THUS WHILE THE VARIOUS EXHIBITS AND
GROUND FLOOR PLAN
NARRATIVES REMAIN CENTRE STAGE, THE BUILDING OFFERS SURFACES, VOLUMES AND NATIONAL STRUGGLE WALLS
ELEMENTS AS   TACTILE BACKDROPS.

DOCUMENTARY SPACE

BASEMENT FLOOR PLAN

PICTURES OF JPN MUSEUM

PICTURES OF REALITY
CONCEPT BEHIND WEDGED SHAPE

PEOPLE’S REVOLUTION

FIRST FLOOR PLAN

STEPPED ROOF
CROSS SECTION ZONNING AS PER FLOORS

MASS AND VOID ARE LIKE THE TWO SIDES OF A COIN, POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE, BUILT AND UN-BUILT,
THE METAPHORIC STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES; TOGETHER INCARNATE ARCHITECTURE. THE
WEDGE SHAPED MUSEUM IS ACTUALLY A SLICE OF THE SAME SHAPE AND SIZE CARVED OUT FROM
THE MASS OF THE INTERNATIONAL CENTRE BUILDING

THE SEEMING FACE-OFF IS IN REALITY, A PLOY TO INFUSE A SPIRIT OF DRAMA AND DYNAMISM TO THE
COMPLEX AS A WHOLE; FOR BOTH THE BUILDINGS KEEP UP THE DIALOGUE BETWEEN THEM AND VIEW TUNNEL
INDEED ENJOY CAMARADERIE THROUGH A RELATED PROGRAM AND THE VOCABULARY OF
SECOND FLOOR PLAN
ARCHITECTURE.
 ARCHITECTURAL
ELEMENTS
THE ELEMENTS - WATER, LIGHT AND AIR
NATURAL LIGHT IS DESIGNED TO EXPRESS THAT IT IS NOT EASY TO COME BY; BUT AT THE
SAME TIME, ALLOWED TO EXERCISE LEVERAGE AND MAKE ITS PRESENCE FELT, UNDERSTOOD
AND VALUED. WITH AN INTROVERTED CHARACTER REQUIRED OF THE INSTITUTION, THE
FACADES HAVE BEEN DESIGNED AS BLANK WALLS ON THE EXTERIOR. HOWEVER, ONCE INSIDE,
LIGHT IS SENT ON A WILD GOOSE CHASE SO THAT WHEN IT RETURNS, IT IS CONTROLLED AND
ITS TONALITY IS MOST APPROPRIATE FOR THE VISUAL SPREAD AND TO ENLIGHTEN THE MINDS
ABSORBING IT. THE TONALITY MATCHES THE MOOD OF THE SPACE.
MATERIALS
MATERIALS AND FACADE
THE TRIANGULAR SHAPE OF THE FACADE WHICH IS CLEARLY VISIBLE EVEN FROM A
DISTANCE IS DERIVED FROM THE WEDGE THAT WAS CARVED OUT OF JPN
INTERNATIONAL CENTRE AS MUCH AS FROM THE FACT THAT IT BEST
DIAGRAMMATICALLY REPRESENTS THE TRIAD OF OBJECTIVES OF SOCIALISM AS
CONCEIVED BY JP- FREEDOM, EQUALITY AND BROTHERHOOD. THREE OF THESE WORDS
ARE CELEBRATED AND ETCHED IN MULTIPLE LANGUAGES ON THE TERRACOTTA
PANELS.

EQUALITY IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES

THEREFORE, WHILE INFORMATIVE SPACES ARE DIMLY LIT, CONTEMPLATIVE SPACES ARE
WASHED IN MUTED LIGHT TO CREATE AN ETHEREAL ‘LIGHTNESS OF BEING.’ MODULATED FREEDOM, EQUALITY AND BROTHERHOOD
LIGHT ALSO EMPOWERS CONTINUOUSLY INHABITED SPACES TO ‘BE COOL BY NATURE’ AND
INCIDENTALLY TO CLIMATICALLY SORT THEMSELVES OUT. SUNKEN COURTYARDS USHER IN
LIGHT IN THE LOWEST LEVEL, BUT ONLY AFTER REINING IN ITS HARSHNESS. SIMILARLY LIGHT THE CUSTOM DESIGNED TERRACOTTA TILES ARE
WELLS ALL ALONG THE STEPS OF CONGREGATION BRING IN DIFFUSED LIGHT- LIGHT THAT DRY-CLAD WITH AN AIR-GAP BETWEEN THIS LAYER
HAS BEEN STRIPPED OF ITS INTENSITY AND HARSHNESS, TO THE PROVIDE RELIEF TO THE AND THE TRUE WALL. THIS SPACE FILLED WITH ROCK
SPACES BENEATH. ALSO, CONTRARY TO THE EXPANSIVE BLANK WALLS IMPLYING A SENSE OF WOOL OFFERS A MEASURABLE DEGREE OF THERMAL TERRACOTTA TILES
CONSTRICTING VENTILATION, LARGE SLITS ALONG THE ENTIRE STRETCH OF THE STEPS OF AND SOUND INSULATION. WHILE THE FORMER KEEPS
CONGREGATION BRING IN THE REQUIRED LIGHT AND VENTILATION TO THE VOLUMES THE MUCH VISITED PLACE COOL AND COMFORTABLE.
BENEATH IT AND ACROSS FLOORS. THE INSTITUTION COMMANDS A
CONTEMPORARY READING OF ITS
THE PAVILION SITS IN A BODY OF WATER IN THE SUNKEN COURTYARDS. CONSEQUENTLY, IT PRESENCE. HOWEVER, ITS
SEEMS TO FLOAT AND GIFTS ITSELF A SURREAL CHARACTER, A LIGHTNESS THAT MAKES LIGHT TERRACOTTA CLADDING THROWS
OF THE MASSIVENESS. WATER IS USED AS A MEDIUM OF REFLECTION; REFLECTION OF THE LIGHT ON ITS DESIRE TO
BUILDING REITERATING ITS MISSION AND OF ONESELF IN AN INTROSPECTIVE MOOD. COHABIT- ITS WARM, EARTHY AND
HOWEVER, WATER HAS BEEN USED AS A LANDSCAPE ELEMENT FROM AN ECOLOGICAL POINT DEEP TEXTURE IS VERY
OF VIEW AS WELL; IT IS A SIMPLE AND PASSIVE MEANS OF COOLING AIR; THE AIR COOLED AS A INDIGENOUS. GRANITE ALSO
RESULT OF CONTACT WITH WATER RISES AND VENTILATES THE SPACES ENVIRONMENT REITERATES THE GROUNDED AND
WITHOUT MUCH ADO. STRONG PERSONALITY. IT IS
EMPLOYED AS A PATTERN OF
INFLAMED AND HONED TEXTURES
ON THE STEPS OF
CONTEMPLATION FOR VISUAL
APPEAL. THE MATERIAL CHOICE
CONVEYS A CERTAIN
TIMELESSNESS AND EASE OF DETAIL OF TERRACOTTA FACADE
MAINTENANCE, BOTH ELEMENTS
MUCH NEEDED FOR A PUBLIC
ELEVATIONS , SECTIONS AND VIEWS

SOUTH ELEVATION WEST ELEVATION

NORTH ELEVATION
EAST ELEVATION

SECTION AA’ SECTION BB’