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Oberoi Commerz, with all the trappings of a Y3K trendy
workplace, is set to be the latest address on the corporate block.
Remona Divekar reports.
Project Facts
Height: 132 mts
Total Cost: N/A
Overall floor plan: 32 storied skyscraper in
approximately 800,000 sq ft. Includes a 5Star hotel.
Prominent material used: Concrete
Architect: HOK, Los Angeles, USA as Design
Architects.
Structural Consultant: Leslie E. Robertson
Associates (LERA), New York.
Mechanical and Electrical Consultant: Lehr
Consultants International, LLC, New York.
International Consulting Services, USA as
glazing consultant.
Elevators: Mitsubishi.
Nayan Trivedi, the structural engineer, Oberoi
Commerz, representing Leslie E. Robertson Associates
(LERA), New York
beroi Constructions complements the rapid business
growth of Mumbai by offering the city its first
composite 32-storey mixed-use commercial tower in
the suburbs of Mumbai with the Oberoi Commerz. This
structure, completed in March 2008, indicates the emerging
trend of a shift of commercial offices towards suburban
Mumbai. Oberoi’s vision for Commerz – located in Goregaon
(East) – combines the latest in contemporary office space
along with a luxurious five-star hotel.
O
The structure
The company pooled in the talents of top architectures,
designers and specialists to create an extraordinary meeting
point of business and pleasure. This iconic mixed-use
commercial high-rise offers an area of approximately
825,000 sq. ft., which houses commercial office on the lower
floors, including four floors that has already been taken by
Ogilvy & Mather, the global advertising agency.
The structure epitomises a striking vision of commercial
excellence based on attention to detail by incorporating
cutting-edge design and architecture. Says Nayan Trivedi, the
structural engineer for the project, representing Leslie E.
Robertson Associates (LERA), New York, “Belt Collins
conceptualised the landscape design for the building and its
surroundings keeping in view the diverse behavioural
requirements of both, the office and the hotel. The landscape
caters to the formal feeling of the office as well as the
resort-like feeling of the hotel.”
Contractor: Larsen and Toubro
Structural features
Rising 133 meters high, Oberoi Commerz is being
developed as the region’s new landmark business centre and
is acclaimed as India’s first tallest, fully-glazed commercial
structure. This project is a part of Oberoi Garden City, an 85acre township that is self-contained with its own shopping
mall, international school, hospital and residential complex.
With a 14-storey high atrium starting from the 18th floor,
the building is centrally air-conditioned with a DG power
backup, a bar and restaurant on the 18th floor, guest rooms
from the 19th floor onwards and a unique Y3K ready
workplace, and a helipad on the terrace.
Additionally, the building has two levels of basement
parking and 11 high speed and three parking lifts, all
supplied by Mitsubishi. Talking about the prestigious project,
Vikas Oberoi, managing director of Oberoi Constructions
says, “Oberoi Constructions is taking its proficiency of
building stylish and classy-living to the next level through
this mixed-use commercial skyscraper. This iconic
development is the need of the hour owing to the high value
attached to the land making it the paramount responsibility
of the urban designer to consider its multiples uses. The idea
behind the conception of this project was to create an
innovative yet simple, no-fuss building that integrates
businesses into one single tower.”
To combat the Mumbai heat, the company has adopted
double glazing technique and has used glass from Glaverbel,
Belgium, which has excellent technical properties of solar
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PROJECT FOCUS
floor-to-ceiling height for both the hotel
control with low reflection and thermal
The landscape
and the office space. Finally, L&T – as
insulation, an ideal glass for all seasons.
caters to both the
contractor – wanted to use table formwork
The glazing contract has been undertaken
to build the tower for ease and speed of
by Permasteelisa, Singapore, leaders in
formal feeling of
construction. As a structural engineering
designing and executing architectural
the office and the
firm, Leslie E. Robertson Associates (LERA)
envelopes.
met all of the design challenges by
To reduce the load on the air
resort-like feeling
designing a shallow-depth beam and joint
conditioning and to enhance convenience
of the hotel.
system that achieved the developer’s goals
of the people working in the offices, the
by reducing both building loads and overall
building has been built facing north-south.
construction costs, as well as getting the
The design criterion of this building was to
maximum floor-to-ceiling heights, thereby enabling the
have office space on both sides – facing the north-south
contractor’s use of table formwork.”
direction – with a scenic view to the west and east.
LERA’s design for the typical floor framing consisted of a
475 mm deep post-tensioned ribbed slab and flat beam
The people
system. A lighter slab system reduced the building loads
Furthermore, adding value to the design and construction
enabling LERA to reduce column sizes at the bottom of the
task, Oberoi Constructions engaged Leslie E. Robertson
building. The slender 800 mm diameter concrete perimeter
Associates, New York, the renowned structural designers
columns contributed to the tower’s delicate appearance.
who have designed buildings like the World Trade Centre in
An additional challenge for the structural design is the
New York, Bank of China building in Hong Kong, Shanghai
building’s mixed-use programme. The bottom 17 floors
World Financial Centre (500m high) at Shanghai, and a
consist of office space with the top 15 devoted to the hotel.
1,000mt tall residential building. In addition to this, the
Typically, hotel and office layouts are incompatible. LERA’s
company partnered with HOK, Los Angeles, one of the best
structural solution consisted of a distinctive transfer system
design architects in the world, and New York-based Lehr
from office to hotel at the building’s service level. Concrete
consultants as mechanical and electrical consultant. The
brackets attached to the building’s concrete core at the
quality and standards of the project has been set and
service level transfers the floating column. This reduces the
maintained by Larsen & Toubro (L&T).
building loads on the slender perimeter columns and
The design aesthetics and material standards have been
transfers the loads to the building’s service core. This design
maintained very high and the attempt has been to provide a
also provides an efficient hotel floor framing. Additionally,
‘best-in-class’ environment and a high-quality experience to
LERA provided a unique approach to the tower foundation.
its occupants.
Challenges
So, what’s noteworthy?
The design of the building’s structural system had to
overcome several challenges. Says Trivedi, “First and
foremost, Oberoi Constructions wanted an elegant building
with a cost-efficient structural system. Secondly, HOK Los
Angeles, the tower’s Design Architect, wanted the maximum
The foundation design used raft foundation under core walls
only. Isolated foundations were suggested for the perimeter
columns. This dual foundation system saved excavation
quantities, material quantities and sped up foundation
construction. Commerz, the newest address on the corporate
block, provides a stimulating work environment conducive to
high productivity. Apart from all the trappings of the Y3K
ready workplace, a helipad, a 5-star hotel and ample
parking, Commerz offers a view of Aarey’s protected
greenery in its backyard and proximity to both the airports
(15 minutes at best).
The final word
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AUGUST 08
The selling point of any commercial space today is
accessibility, and Oberoi Commerz fulfils this demand as the
project is ideally located off Western Express Highway at
Goregaon (East) with easy access to the domestic and
international airport, proximity to the central and western
line local railway stations, enormous garden, residential
complex and five star hotel in the premises. Owing to this
accessibility convenience, this architectural landmark is
expected to anchor a new dimension in hospitality specially
designed for business and corporate travellers, thus, marking
the beginning of the trend of commercial offices shifting to
suburban Mumbai. ●
