The Triveni Kala Sangam is a cultural and architectural landmark in the city of Delhi. Designed by Joseph Allen Stein in 1957 in the part of Lutyens` New Delhi dedicated to cultural activities, it remains one of the icons of post-independence architecture in the city. Stein, an architect, and urban planner was trained in California but produced the bulk of his remarkable oeuvre of buildings in India including Triveni Kala Sangam. Known for his sensitivity to form and climate, his architecture has inspired an entire generation of architectural practices.
Designed, 1957
The existing building can be read almost like a campus of individual blocks, each specifically designed for a purpose that is reflected like their respective elevations. A four-story classroom block is joined by a wall-less entry foyer to the art gallery and the open-air auditorium.
Inaugurated, Mar 3, 1963
Addition, 1977
A three-story extension to the north was built in 1977, which accommodates additional classrooms, artists’ residences, and a 200-seat auditorium.
Renovation, 2013
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In 2013, AKDA began the process of upgrading the building, first to comply with more stringent fire-safety regulations and then to preserve the building’s façade, including the signature screen, or jaali. The physical manifestation of this process was an external metal stair, providing an additional egress point from the auditorium.
Factoids
1992- Sundari K. Shridharani, the Founder and Director of Triveni, was awarded the Padma Shri by the Government of India in 1992.
The name ‘Triveni Kala Sangam’ literally means “confluence of arts”.
Designed in modern architecture style, the complex is noted for its 'multiple spaces for multiple purposes'
The Tea Terrace restaurant at Triveni Kala Sangam became a popular space for artists, student and intellectuals to meet and especially known for food specialties.
The character of the building was evolved with respect for Indian sensibilities and Indian conditions.
The complex is noted for the use of jail work (stone lattices), which became Stein’s hallmark.
The jaali panel creates a cool space of filtered light in the classroom building's corridor.
An auditorium with a seating capacity of 250 with internal ducts with sound absorbing characteristics.
2013 - Renovation
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2013 - Renovation - Images
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The orange stair was designed to be a departure from the old, retaining the spirit of what Stein sought, as opposed to the physicality.
1957 - Designed
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1957 - Designed - Images
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Triveni Kala Sangam as built by Stein emphasizing architectural forms and volumes.
Every space in the building keeps alive the dual spirit of finished yet unfinished, real yet imaginative.