Tibet Houses are an international network of affiliated non-profit organisations dedicated to preserving Tibetan culture, established at the request of the Dalai Lama. Tibet House plays a significant role in preserving Tibetan culture and serves as a centre for Buddhist and Tibetan studies. The charitable society was established in Delhi in 1965, while the foundation stone of the present building was laid by His Holiness the Dalai Lama in 1974. The principal architect of the building was Shivnath Prasad, an architect of the period known for his work with concrete and bold architectural forms.
The building has visually dominant elements that provide monolithic focal points. The main and most attention-seeking component is a three-storeyed rectangular mass articulated as a cuboid, with brise-soleil on its façade. Its square facade appearance is paired with a series of vertical fins.
This cuboid is supported by four columns on all sides, offset from the building’s periphery. Below the three-layered cuboid structure, there is another smaller cuboid, along with a semi-cylindrical stair structure that pierces through the main cuboid and rises to the roof; both elements are visible from the rear side of the building. A low-height curvilinear structure is present on the front façade. This curvilinear form, along with the semi-cylindrical staircase, helps to break the overall angularity of the building. The ceiling continues the language of the exterior façade and is articulated as an exposed concrete coffered slab, formed by a rhythmic grid of recessed square panels.
The curved block is cast-in-situ reinforced concrete, with the curvature achieved by segmentally arranging timber boards as shuttering, retaining clear impressions of wood grain texture, plank joints, circular form-tie marks, and minor surface irregularities. This segmental boarding is also evident across the remaining vertical surfaces. Archival imagery clearly depicts and documents the construction process. One photograph also shows the Tibetan community working together on completing the interiors with artwork and woodwork.
One can argue for similarities between Shri Ram Centre, another Brutalist masterpiece by Shivnath Prasad and Tibet House; however, both have different structural engineers, Mahendra Raj contributing for Sri Ram Centre while the engineer for Tibet House is unknown. A renowned surveyor and project engineer, Mr Mehendale, was also associated with this project.
The building is five storeys high. The fifth and fourth floors house the library and museum, respectively. The third floor contains a hall used for seminars and workshops. The second floor consists of classrooms and a conference hall, while the first floor accommodates the administrative area and waiting room. The ground floor is used for the entrance and reception. The current Director of Tibet House, Delhi, is Geshe Dorji Damdul, working on the endeavour to carry forward the Tibetan culture.
Gallery:
Sources:
- Tibet House website
- INDIA 2022, A Reference Work, by the Publications Division Govt of India
Credits:
Research: Prashansa Sachdeva and Krati Bishnoi
Interview: Mr Deolalikar, Plumbing Engineer, and son of Mr G.B. Deolalikar
Keywords:
coffered slab, cuboid, brise-soleil, curvilinear form, formwork, shuttering
