Eldeco Centre: A Nexus for Urban Socialisation with a Versatile IT Park and Office Campus
Sitting in the socially thriving pocket of Malviya Nagar in South Delhi, the Eldeco Centre shapeshifts into an active social arena with retail and entertainment from a highly efficient office environment. With its completion in 2023, the Eldeco Centre has become a preferred destination for the urban youth demographic of the city.
The design of the Eldeco Centre blends the requirement of modern-day workplace efficiency with the accessibility of a retail and community environment. Spread over a three-acre campus, the hub effortlessly merges two distinct programmatic requirements, making it a widely visited landmark. The large footfall enables higher visibility for the retail and commerce half of the master plan, making it an active marketplace. The Eldeco Centre sits between the Saket and Malviya Nagar Metro Stations—two active junctions catering to a large young population commuting routinely. The Eldeco campus also neighbours the Rai Pithora Qila, a heritage fort just a stone’s throw away. The sandstone materiality of this fort is also mirrored in the overall materiality of the centre.
Integrating Functionality of a Workplace into Recreational Demands of a Retail Space
The planning of Eldeco Centre tactfully segregates its functional requirements. A system that accommodates easy vertical circulation is designed to allow for smooth and efficient mobility. Column-free spaces—the active store frontage on the ground level—are planned to keep the space flexible and adaptable. The retail spaces, overlooking the central water body, elevate the shopping experience. A grand triple-height reception area welcomes visitors, exuding an atmosphere of elegance and spaciousness. The workspaces, isolated on the top floors, spill over into the courtyard to view the central plaza. At the same time, their privacy is not compromised by mixing its functionality with common, interactive areas on the lower floors.
Shaded double-height corridors protect from the sun, ensuring a comfortable environment for shoppers during the daytime. These corridors also create a visually appealing and inviting atmosphere, drawing visitors into the retail areas.
Weaving the Element of Sustainability into the Master Plan
The Eldeco Centre’s design anchors around the central water feature, with the frontages of all three faces opening onto it. The courtyard creates its own microclimate with interactive levels, strategic greening, and a water feature. The centre-open design maximises daylight ingress for not only the rooms on the ground level but also the cornered spaces of the basements.
The built form, extending itself with a pedestrian walkway on the southwest face, maintains a shaded trail through the days. The triple-coated window panes, acting on similar lines to maximise daylight dependence, keep the interior temperature in check. Eldeco Centre holds a LEED certification for sustainable development through conscious interventions like these. The central plaza, sitting atop underground water pipelines, tactfully provided an expansive open arena—an uncommon but widely desired feature in semi-public spaces in urban centres.
An Architectural Vocabulary that is Reflective of its Context
The area nearby respects the heritage of the Rai Pithora Fort and has evolved around it. As a historical homage, the design of this mixed-use development draws from the fort’s legacy and integrates it into the high-efficiency model of a contemporary office and commercial complex. The building’s primary facade, clad in rugged stone, modernises the connection to the neighbouring fort, making for an intriguing streetscape.
Presenting a Solution Beyond the Demands of a Workplace or Entertainment Arena
Densely populated urban centres have persistently overlooked the need for a semi-public community space as the city changes. The Eldeco Centre, by offering work, play, and retail in the same setting, addresses the need for a convenience-first social hub for the community to come together. By planning for a space that fosters interaction, the community-mindedness of the Eldeco Centre sets itself apart from the neighbourhood mixed-use developments.
