Rashtrapati Bhavan, Delhi

Rashtrapati Bhavan, Delhi

It was decided in the Delhi Durbar of 1911 that the capital of India would be shifted from Calcutta to Delhi. Thus was born the city of Delhi, designed by the great architect Edwin Lutyens, along with Herbert Baker. It took approximately 20 years and 15 million pounds to build New Delhi. Built as the Viceral Lodge, Delhi Rashtrapati Bhawan comprises of four floors and 340 rooms. Now known as the President House of New Delhi, it is spread over an area of approximately 200,000-sq-feet. It took 18 years to construct this building and on the on the 18th year of its completion, India became independent.

The Jaipur Column, a gift from the Maharaja of Jaipur, stands at a height of 145 m in the middle of the main court in front of the Rashtrapati Bhavan. Another one of the impressive features of the Delhi Rashtrapati Bhawan comprises of the outstandingly beautiful Mughal Gardens. Then, at the base of the building, is a spacious square, known as the Vijay Chowk. The massive neo-Buddhist copper dome of the President House of New Delhi is splendid and can be seen even from a distance of a kilometer. Underneath this fabulous dome is the circular Durbar Hall, housing the Viceroy's throne, measuring almost 22.8 m in diameter. Before the National Museum was completed, it served as a museum for a number of years. All the official ceremonies such as the swearing in of the Prime Minister, the Cabinet and the Members of Parliament, etc., take place in this hall only. Also, the Arjuna Awards for Excellence are awarded by the President from here itself. On the ground floor of the Rashtrapati Bhavan are a number of state apartments. Then, there is the State Drawing Room, State Ballroom, State Dining Room and a number of other such rooms inside the building. The Delhi Rashtrapati Bhawan consists of 54 bedrooms, along with additional accommodation for guests. 

Rashtrapati Bhavan is the official residence of the Rashtrapati or the President of India. Prior to Indian Independence, this great palace belonged to the Viceroy and was known as the Viceroy House. The huge palace belonged to the Viceroy of India till the year 1950.

About the Rashtrapati Bhavan:

Rashtrapati Bhavan is a major attraction of Delhi. It is a marvelous structure built with the purpose of sheltering the head of the state. This humongous monument has been a piece of attraction not only to the people of India but also tourists from all over the world. The Rashtrapati Bhavan is splendor with its different architectural designs and styles. The monument has the Mughal architectural designs, Persian art forms,Indian designs and the European architectural styles as well.Located in the Raisina Hills, this monument is the main eye candy of New Delhi. 

History of Rashtrapati Bhavan

After Calcutta was removed as the capital of British India, Delhi was chosen as the next capital. British Government chose Delhi as its ruling capital and devised plans to adorn the city with some offices and a palace for the Viceroy. To put these plans into action, the official architect of the British Government, Edwin Landseer Lutyens was summoned. He and Herbert Baker designed the Viceroy Home or what is known as the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Initially, these two renowned architects of the British Government started their work on the Rashtrapati Bhavan on good terms, but later they got into arguments.

Inside the Rashtrapati Bhavan:

The Rashtrapati Bhavan is the biggest residence of the Head of the State in the world. It not only has a spectacular exterior, but is adorned with beauties on its interiors too. The Rashtrapati Bhavan consists of 340 rooms and is a four storied building. The building is built with stone and bricks. It has an attractive dome shaped roof which is peaked at the top of the building. There were chajjas, stone water basins, jaalis and so on, which indicates the use of Indian style of architecture in the Rashtrapati Bhavan. Although, the dome of the building is said to have been influenced by Roman architecture, it indicates an influence of the famous Sanchi Stupa.

The temple bells adorned at the pillars of the Rashtrapati Bhavan also indicates the presence of Indian style of designs at this great monument.

Main wings of Rashtrapati Bhavan:

The main areas of the Rashtrapati Bhavan are:

• The State Library
• The State Drawing Room
• The Private Apartments
• The State Dining Room
• The State Ballroom

Hotels near the Rashtrapati Bhavan:

Some of the hotels around the famous Rashtrapati Bhavan are:

• The Metropolitan Hotel
• Crowne Plaza Hotel
• Taj Palace Hotel
• Sri Nanak Continental
• InterContinental The Grand

Visit to this amazing monument in Delhi is a must. You may not be allowed to explore the interiors of this great palace. But you can certainly have a look at this splendid Rashtrapati Bhavan from far. This beautiful President Palace looks the best at night and when decorated on National events like, Independence Day and Republic Day.

The Gaps Between Interior Design and Architecture

Henry Hildebrandt

“ ‘Imaginary’ universes are so much more beautiful than this
stupidly constructed ‘real’ one,” wrote English mathematician
G. H. Hardy, more than 60 years ago.
Hardy was acknowledging the messy business of figuring out the complexity of the world we think we know and live in with the world we don’t fully understand; a world of abstraction involved with the interrelationships of particle theory as the smallest component and seemingly ordered system of the cosmos. The dilemma of modern physics and the more disputed concepts of contemporary metaphysics in explaining our world is, in many ways, similar to the confusion between the terms interior design and interior architecture. Both imply the act of designing within either a building or a space and have been adopted to differentiate unique foci of work of the interior environment. But the free use of the terms and the casual interchangeability of them by both professionals and academics establish a confused state that creates ambivalence in the conceptual framework of this specialized design focus. This is a between and in-between situation producing a disparity of clearly defined roles and services for the comprehensive design of an interior environment; a complexity of space, human experiences, and comfort.
A critical need in both architecture and interior design is to realize that their roles, methodologies, and service expectations are continually evolving within a shifting social, economic, and political culture. As such, a professional stature develops within a dynamic state of examination and critical re-examination related to a professional culture, economic system, and contemporary social value system. This specialized status of professionalism is buttressed by an intellectual rigor and continual evaluation of its theory and process. Equally important is the fundamental requirement of ongoing examination to facilitate interrelated participants in a setting conducive to sharing and clarifying current issues that impact all design related professions and professionals dedicated to the environments that exist within and around the building shell and the particular architectural condition.
Traditionally, the disciplines of architecture and interior design view themselves as distinctive and singular; being both boundary-tied by professional legislation as well as seeing themselves as offering specialized service roles. This is reinforced by a protective “turf mentality” advanced and guarded by their respective professional and licensure organizations. While the line between services appears simplistically clear to the public—architecture is about mostly the outside of buildings, interior design directs itself to the inside—the complexity of an in-between ‘interior architecture’ obscures this view. What should be clear (and is to a small number of professionals, academics, and journalists) is there is a new set of circumstances in contemporary society that demands a shift in thinking: new problems require new approaches for creative solutions.
If we understand that the goal of design is to make our world better, disciplinary boundaries melt away and territorial squabbling dissolves. What emerges is a common core of design knowledge and a design methodology of problem solving geared toward analytical (problem definition) and outcome processes (problem solving) connected to human and environmental needs. This core is layered with communication skills sets that are both particular to individual design disciplines and shared between them. This common language provides for the transfer of abstract conceptual thought (and symbolic content) to a practical and applied language understood by practitioners and /or by the public on several levels. Legitimacy for each discipline is then validated on understanding of the broader parameters and the specific use-needs to be served. Architecture, interior architecture and interior design are now subsets together with graphic, industrial, landscape design, and so on—of an activity focused to solving problems for individuals and their collective societies to house, enhance, and prepare for a better future.
But the need for clarity on what differentiates interior design from interior architecture is a critical question to avoid confusion and misrepresentation in professional roles and academic curricula structures. Most importantly, this issue needs to be grounded in a forum to bring moral legitimacy to these design activities in separating their use from a serious, well guided use linked to finding optimal design solutions from a consumer marketing objective removed from the actual concept or service to be purchased.