Surat in Gujarat, the nation’s gem center, now boasts a unique structure to house its enormous industry. For more than 65,000 diamond professionals, including cutters, polishers, and merchants, the freshly built Surat Diamond Bourse in the city is promoted as a “one-stop destination”.
According to a CNN story, it is anticipated to overtake the Pentagon as the biggest office building in the world with more than 7.1 million square feet of floor area. The bourse, a spectacular 15-story complex covering over 35 acres, has a distinctive layout of nine linked rectangular buildings that branch out from a central “spine.”
The property is scheduled to welcome its first tenants in November after four years of building work, which was hampered in part by Covid-related delays. According to reports, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the ceremonial launch later this year.
More than 4,700 office spaces, which may also be used as tiny workshops for cutting and polishing diamonds, are available at the bourse. 131 lifts, restaurants, retail, wellness, and conference spaces are also included in the plan.
Mahesh Gadhavi, the project’s CEO, highlighted the benefits of the Surat Diamond Bourse and how it will prevent thousands of people from making the daily commute by train to Mumbai for business purposes, according to a CNN article. He said it was a “better option” to shift the operations to Surat.
The Indian architectural firm Morphogenesis was in charge of planning the development of the Surat Diamond Bourse. According to the article, the project’s size was set by demand, and diamond businesses bought every office before the building had started.-
Sonali Rastogi, a co-founder of Morphogenesis, told the publication that no office should need more than seven minutes to go from any entry gate to maintain equitable accessibility for all residents.
The promotion of the import, export, and trade of diamonds, jewels, and jewelry from India is the stated goal of the Surat Diamond Bourse, according to its official website. It intends to give firms involved in diamond manufacture and selling cutting-edge infrastructure. Also included in its objectives are the promotion, advancement, protection, and development of trade, commerce, and industry in the cutting, polishing, and processing of gems and jewelry.
Also read: NASA: Magnificent Pink & White-Painted Clouds Are Off The Coast Of Guatemala
The Indian architectural company Morphogenesis, which took first place in a global design competition, was in charge of planning the building of the Surat Diamond Bourse. Demand defined the project’s scale, and all offices were acquired by diamond businesses before the building started.
Its structure is intended to level the playing field for both little and big firms. Through a central corridor that connects the workplaces, amenities, and facilities are easily accessible.
According to Sonali Rastogi, a co-founder of Morphogenesis, no workplace should need more than seven minutes to go there from any entry gate. This was part of the design’s goal to assure equal accessibility for all inhabitants.
The firm’s investigation into the Indian diamond trade had an impact on the building’s architecture as well. Rastogi emphasized the complex’s nine courtyards, which may be used by shopkeepers as informal gathering spots.
These beautifully planted spaces, which evoke old bazaars, recognize the frequency of unofficial transactions occurring outside of the corporate setting. Rastogi characterized the courtyards as open parks where a variety of activities are anticipated to take place.
Right now, the neighborhood around it is low-rise. However, proposals for a sizable reconstruction known as “Dream City” might alter this environment. Almost 700 hectares of south Surat are to be transformed into a smart city as part of the ambitious plan, with the new diamond center acting as an anchor tenant.
