18. Tagore Hall B.V. Doshi (VSF & Mahindra Raj engineer) 1967-1971
Opposite Sanskar Kendra Museum, Paldi
Plan
Section
This building originally sat on the Sabarmati River. The outer shell of the building is formed by a series of rigid frames in reinforced concrete folded plates. These plates are 17m high with a plate thickness of just 150mm. The horizontal plates span 33.5m with folds that are 2.4m deep. These plates vary in thickness from 150mm at the support to 100mm at the center of the span. Within this outer shell, the ‘seating bowl’ of the auditorium is inserted as an indepen-
dent structure. Designed to seat 700, the sculptural columns and cantilevers of this bowl articulate the lobby area. The integration of all details into a singular structural and architectural language which was novel at the time.This building was one of the most successful explorations by Mahindra Raj, in the use of a folded plate structure. Also reflecting on how keenly connected the architecture of the city was with the international design preoccupation of the time. 115