Government of India
Government of India
The National Museum, the National Archives, and the Indira Gandhi National Centre for Art (IGNCA) contain important pieces of rich history and civilization. These structures are currently in need of modern facilities for a variety of reasons, including increased demand for space, the necessity for contemporary infrastructure, and the preservation of historic and rare antiques and important records. While planning this transition, great care has been taken to ensure that the heritage status of the existing structures is preserved while new projects are built around them.
The project for a National Museum in India began shortly after the country's independence. The British had designated a specific location at the intersection of Kingsway (Rajpath) and Queensway (Janpath) in their design of the capital complex to serve as a nexus for the immense amount of colonial knowledge...
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The National Archives of India, which established in Kolkata in 1891 as the Imperial Record Department, is the country's primary records repository. The records are divided into four categories: public records, oriental records, manuscripts, and private papers. It is the largest archive repository in South Asia...
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The Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts was created in Smt. Indira Gandhi's memory as an arts hub for the enjoyment and study of all of our indigenous arts, while also embracing a level of reciprocal connectivity and interdependence with nature, social institutions, and cosmology...
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The project for a National Museum in India began shortly after the country's independence. The British had designated a specific location at the intersection of Kingsway (Rajpath) and Queensway (Janpath) in their design of the capital complex to serve as a repository of the colonial knowledge accumulated over one and a half centuries.
Four important institutions were supposed to come up at this juncture: the Records Office (renamed as the National Archives) and the War Museum in the north west, the Medical Museum in the north east, the Ethnological museum in the south west and the Imperial Museum in the south east.
Even though the three additional museums were never completed, the National Museum, was inaugurated by Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru and was opened in 1949 in the Rashtrapati Bhavan. The roots of the National Museum lies in the Imperial Museum, which was planned by the Gwyer committee in the 1920s.
The National Museum was moved to its current position in 1955, and Prime Minister Nehru inaugurated it in a building that was one of the earliest post-independence architectural accomplishments. G B Deolalikar, the first Indian to lead the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) and the architect of the Supreme Court of India, designed it.
The 35,000-square metre National Museum will be relocated to the 1.67 lakh-square metre space in the majestic North and South Blocks and will be reimagined to present the country's rich history and achievements in a modern and interesting way. Giving the hill back to the people is a tremendous gesture that reflects our nation's faith in our dynamic democracy and places people at the centre of it.
The North and South Block now contain the Government of India's most important Ministries, and they have undergone various extensions and alterations over the years for technical and service advancements. These Grade-I heritage buildings will be adequately renovated and refurbished to serve as the National Museum after their current functions are relocated to the new Central Secretariat buildings.
The central plaza between the two blocks will be a space for installations, where programmed performances, public activities and sensitive place-making will allow citizens and tourists to engage with the splendours of this complex even after museum hours.
*Detailed design under development
The National Archives of India, which established in Kolkata in 1891 as the Imperial Record Department, is the country's primary records repository. The records are divided into four categories: public records, oriental records, manuscripts, and private papers. It is the largest archival repository in South Asia, as well as a useful resource for academics, scholars, and administrators. It was relocated to New Delhi in 1911, and then to its current location in 1926, where it serves as the National Archives of India (NAI).
The NAI is housed in one of four significant public buildings, which were envisaged for the new administrative capital of British India at the intersection of King's Way and Queen's Way (now Rajpath and Janpath). The National Museum, which was built on the same ground as the Imperial Museum, was completed in 1960. The Oriental Institute and the Imperial Library were never completed. The NAI is made up of two Grade I heritage properties that are joined, inlcuding an annexe building that was created in 1991 to improve the amenities.
Currently, the National Archives of India resides in a series of buildings that lack the necessary amenities and infrastructure for an institution that is the guardian of our national legacy. The annexe structure has begun deteriorating; its chambers lack sufficient temperature and moisture control, putting quantities of priceless documents at risk.
Almost all of an archive's core facilities and services have become obsolete or malfunctioning. The present layout of areas does not allow for effective, efficient, and secure document processing and storage. While the heritage structures are sturdy, they may benefit significantly from repair and the reversal of certain haphazard modifications made in the past.
A new purpose-designed facility will be created alongside the current heritage structure to support the institution's goals. The historic structure will be renovated and will continue to serve as the National Archives of India.All documents, manuscripts and artefacts currently housed in the NAI buildings will be itemised, reorganized systematically and safely in the heritage and new buildings to benchmark that with the best in the world. This project will be taken up in consultation and with participation of Ministry of Culture.
The Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) is a premier arts centre, showcasing rich collection of indigenous arts, interrelated with nature, social structure and cosmology of our diverse nation. With strong capabilities in research, publication, training, creative activities and performance, IGNCA is a key piece of our cultural precinct of the Central Vista since its inception in 1985.
In 1986, American architect Ralph Lerner's design for the Building Complex was chosen from 190 entries from 37 nations in an international design competition. Kala Nidhi (Reference Library), Kala Kosha (Research Wing), Sutradhara (Administration), Janapada Sampada (Tribal and Folk Art Centre), Exhibition Galleries, Residential Block, Indian Theatre (seating capacity 400), National Theatre (seating capacity 1200), and Concert Hall (seating capacity 2000) were all part of the prize-winning design. Of these, only the Library building was built – the rest of the master plan was never realised.
The building that currently houses the institution was originally designed as the IGNCA library. All of the Institute's departments are crammed into one structure. The spaces are inadequate for the different requirements of each department because they were not intended for the purpose.
The current structure requires modern infrastructure and greater service integration to meet the institute's many technological and equipment-supported space needs, such as labs, archival rooms, special storage for archival material, papers, manuscripts, precious art, and so on. Comfortable workspaces, well-organized storage, and reliable electrical services are also required by the institute. Water penetration has harmed the slabs and roof of the current structure, and there have been various expansions and adjustments for services throughout the years. In order to develop and thrive, the IGNCA requires a larger, purpose-built facility.
The IGNCA institution is being relocated to new purpose-built structures on a plot in the C-Hexagon, opposite Hyderabad House, to address the need for purpose-designed spaces and to secure the institute's future success. The new structures will have modern and sustainable facilities as well as upgradeable infrastructure to fulfil the Institute's vision. It will also cater to the Institute's administrative and educational needs, in addition to providing facilities for public meetings, exhibitions, and performances.
The building design exploits symmetry as a major urban design concept, while taking inspiration from Hyderabad House for features of its massing and form and respecting the strong underlying geometry of the Central Vista axis and the hexagon precinct. The Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts will benefit from this new, world-class facility, which will help it realise its rich original vision.
On 1 July 2021, IGNCA was temporarily relocated to Hotel Janpath, to fulfil all spatial requirements of the cultural organization.
