Salient Feature of the Project

Name & Location: AIR FORCE MUSEUM, NEW DELHI
Cost of Project (INR): 95.0 CRORES
Built-up area: 19,000 Sqm
(In case of Public Building minimum built-up area should be 1000 sq. meter)

Description of Project:

The concept of the Air Force Museum has been derived from the motto of the Indian Air Force that is “नभः स्पृशं दीप्तम्”, which means Touching the Sky with Glory. The museum has been conceptualized to be an iconic symbol both visually and metaphorically. The eagle, being the emblem for the force, has been incorporated in the derivation of form for the structure.

Materials of Construction Details:

The structure has been visualized with space frames and tensile fabric. To make the interior space column-free, split columns are used, which gives the interior a unique language. Being a public building, care has been taken to use materials which are easy to maintain.

Special Features:

The building has been designed on energy efficiency principles. The air conditioning of the space is from the floor, i.e., with the help of the raised floor design. Solar panels are provided on the entire southern slope of the roof. Rainwater harvesting and DEWATS system has also been incorporated in the design.

CONCEPT – Air force Museum

Today, as it was earlier, the primary aim of the Indian Airforce Museum is to actively promote public interest in the Indian security domain and promote awareness, both from a historical and a contemporary point of view. The new air force museum design will now be the center of attraction for a collection of various facilities aimed at promoting the knowledge of the Indian Air Force’s history and aviation.

Extracting from this aspect of function the building design has been conceptualized to be an iconic symbol both visually and metaphorically. The eagle being the emblem for the force has been incorporated in the derivation of built form. An eagle taking flight with spread out wings has been captured figuratively in the massing of the museum architecture. Since there is a height restriction of 20 meters, the horizontally spread layout is envisioned to serve best for the facility.

A contextual response to the site is maintained by deriving the main axis of the building from the angle created by the new (relocated) war memorial. The common plaza allows entry points to the new project at various levels by the way the design unfolds in the hierarchy of functional volumes. The basic premise of this proposal is not restricted to the normal eye level of a visitor.

The design has been dealt in 4 dimensions to create a sense Of visual magnificence even for onlookers as well as from landing aircrafts which fly above the structure. The scheme is to inspire a sense of awe from various standpoints of display showcased inside, as well as the entire structure being that of a permanent exhibit value encompassing the flight of the force that spells command in true sense.

The design layout

The entrance of the Museum is through a grand foyer which is visually linked to the War memorial at the end of the axis. The triple height skylight beyond the reception forms the pinnacle of the experience at the end of the museum. The impressive vastness of the museum foyer is gated by the souvenir and the reception desk which acts as an arched gateway to a grand open space that houses displays for aircrafts. The central space is broken into many components and variable heights by the changing and modulating shapes of the above floors.

The upper floors are more like ramps that cover a very small portion and takes one around the whole display space with changing perspectives. The ramps give a 3dimensional view of the exhibits at the ground floor while creating a breath taking experience for the visitor. The varying levels and the organic shapes make the design a unique experience to a visitor even during his subsequent visits. There is
no unidirectional pattern but a sense of self exploration and excitement.

The ramps and the design orientation guides the visitor to the war memorial in a very free and gradual way. The services and the ancillary facilities like the cafeteria make it a major point of attraction, and the high platform location with full glazing helps it achieve a major focal point of the museum and a culminating experience.

The grand plaza of the War Memorial is a floating island surrounded by water and the focal point of the Museum. It can be made physically inaccessible while being visually connected to every visitor to the Museum. This memorial also forms a link between the Museum and the I-max Dome as the plaza can also be accessed from the outside during “Air force Day” without going through the Museum.