Norman Foster visits site of future government complex

In 2015, a competitive bidding process took place for the design of a government complex in Amaravati, the new capital city of Andhra Pradesh. The brief specified that world class building principles and state of the art technology should shape the concept for the planned district, including key buildings such as the Legislature Assembly and High Court Complex.  Foster+Partners were selected for the project in January last year, and Lord Foster has now paid a visit to the site for a meeting with Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu to oversee the next stage of design development.

The 217 sq km capital was planned following the redefinition of state boundaries between Andhra Pradesh and the newly created state of Telangana. Situated on the banks of the River Krishna, the city is intended to be one of the most sustainable in the world, with at least 60% of the area occupied by greenery or water. Measuring 5.5 km by 1 km, the governmental complex occupies the heart of the city, with a green spine running along its length.  Travelling South from the river’s edge, a mixed-use quarter is structured around 13 urban plazas, signifying the 13 state districts that make up Andhra Pradesh. The central Legislative Assembly sits within a large freshwater lake framed by the Secretariat and cultural buildings, while the High Court Complex is located off the central axis, with a stepped roof form inspired by India’s ancient stupas.

Norman Foster said: “We are delighted to be working with the Chief Minister and the Government of Andhra Pradesh to help them realise their ideas for the People’s Capital and to build a clear and inspiring vision for the governmental complex at Amaravati. The design brings together our decades-long research into sustainable cities, incorporating the latest technologies that are currently being developed in India.” 

Lucy Nordberg

TenderStream Head of Research

This competition was first published by TenderStream on 19.06.2015. See the original brief here

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