AHMEDABAD: The Board of Governors (BoG) of the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad has decided to withdraw an Expression of Interest (EOI) that was published by the administration last month inviting architects and designers to propose plans to demolish dormitories on the built campus . by the American architect Louis Kahn and replacing them with new structures.
The decision comes in the wake of a huge outcry from local and international organizations, architects, historians and academics, among others, urging the institute to abandon plans to demolish the rare structures.
A letter dated January 1 from BoG Chairman Kumar Mangalam Birla and other members of the IIM-A board said they “are sensitive to comments from some stakeholders who do not agree with this approach.”
“Therefore, we withdraw the expression of interest that was issued. We will deliberate on the feedback received, re-evaluate the options, consult the best global experts in conservation and structures, and chart a course of action, which the institute will communicate in due course, ”said the letter to IIM stakeholders. TO.
According to the restoration plans previously proposed by the institute, the core of the Louis Kahn buildings (the library, the faculty wings and the classroom complex) and the dormitories on the periphery of the complex (dormitories 16-18) would be restored , while the other bedrooms would be rebuilt. Out of a total of 18 bedrooms, it was proposed to demolish 14.
A combined approach was deemed appropriate, the letter said. This was done after taking into account expert opinions, consultations with a number of other stakeholders, and weighing all considerations.
But the BoG appears to have reconsidered its decision after various stakeholders wrote to management and the board, even initiating online petitions to lobby for their demands.
“Many of you have been writing since the Expression of Interest for Student Housing Design was introduced on the main campus of the institute. You have tried to remind us that the dormitories designed by Louis Kahn are a cultural legacy and that these buildings should be seen as an integral part of the ensemble of buildings that make up the campus, ”the letter says.
The BoG letter stated that they are well aware of the place the institute and its architecture occupy in the wider community, and of the responsibility that comes with being custodians of the legacy that Louis Kahn bestowed on us.
The renovation of the IIM-A Vikram Sarabhai Library carried out by the firm received the award of distinction in the Unesco Asia Pacific Prize for Cultural Heritage and became the model for conservation projects.
Buildings designed by Kahn and constructed in the 1960s and 1970s have suffered structural deterioration and deterioration with periodic breakage of pieces.
“We learned that the bricks used were so-called ‘second-class bricks’, which have become brittle and weak. Cargo areas have become particularly vulnerable. The masonry has also been damaged by water harvesting. The reinforcing bars are not protected by concrete lining. The 2001 earthquake caused great damage, ”the letter says.
In 2014, the institute had announced a competition for the restoration and upgrade of all Kahn buildings on campus.
A Mumbai-based firm Somaya and Kalappa (S&K) Consultants, with a history of restoration, won the challenge of preserving Kahn’s architecture while updating the functionality of the interiors.
The renovation of the Vikram Sarabhai Library at IIM-A carried out by the firm received the award of distinction in the Unesco Asia Pacific Prize for Cultural Heritage and became the model for conservation projects.
“At the end of the restoration experiment, an independent structural consultant was of the opinion that the restored bedroom is unsafe. The conservation architect’s structural consultant, on the other hand, opined that the bedroom will withstand moderate earthquakes with limited damage, but there will be significant damage with severe earthquakes. The opinion regarding the library was different where it was said that it would withstand a strong earthquake with minor damage, ”according to the IIM-A BoG letter.
Overall, the expert opinions received by the IIM-A management have not satisfactorily allayed their concerns about the long-term structural stability of the restored dormitory, he said.
“Meanwhile, the condition of the other dormitories continues to deteriorate, there are slabs falling from the ceiling of the dormitories with potentially damaging consequences for the safety of the residents,” he said.
On their latest decision to withdraw the EOI, the BoG said they were seeking stakeholder support as they “tried to find the best answer to the problems of how to meet our responsibility with a significant legacy, the safety of those who use the buildings. besides being in tune with the needs of the future ”.
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