Fact File
Client: Jagdamba Hospitality
Operator: Hilton Worldwide
Site area: 3157sqm, Built-up Area: 19351sqm
Number of Floors: 19, Height: 64m
Landscaping: Studio Symbiosis Architects
Interior Design: PIA Interior, Bangkok
MEP: CTOC Consulting Engineers
Structure Consultant: Miyamoto International
Lighting Design: CWL Lighting
Security: Mahindra Special Services Group
Status: Opening 2023
The colourful Prayer Flags are an integral part of the culture of the city and dominate the landscape and cityscape in Nepal. The flags have a message of spreading peace, compassion, wisdom, and strength, which is supposed to be spread by the wind and dispersed into the surroundings. It is also believed that when the wind passes through these flags it is purified and sanctified by the mantras.
These prayer flags have been translated into vertical dichroic laminated glass fins that rise from the ground till the pinnacle of the building. During the day the dichroic colour of the fin changes based on the angle or incidence of light as seen from the street, giving subtle pastel colours, and during the night these vertical fins come alive in the colours of the flags which represent the five elements.
The design ideation is not to copy the existing architectural motifs literally, but rather to create a subtle interpretation of the culture of Nepal.
Architects Amit Gupta & Britta Knobel Gupta
The design responds to the intense urban street on one side, curves and opens up towards the views of the Langtan mountain range.
The view of the mountains is further accentuated by the treatment of the facade. Seamless lines move across the facade creating a strong design move and balconies for rooms on every alternate floor. This branching facade element creates a duality in the design of the facade. One side is occupied by vertical lines interpreting the flags and the other with clear glass responding to the views. This results in the animation of the façade when passing by and giving different elevations to the building to enhance the experience.
The lobby, banquet hall, meeting rooms and service floor occupy the lower levels of the built form. This results in uninterrupted views of the majestic beauty of the mountains and the Kathmandu valley. All day dining, and swimming pool are located on the top of the building, giving 180 degree views of the natural beauty of the surrounding, emphasised by an infinity pool.
The seismic design is a critical part of the design, while dampeners and shear walls help create an immediate occupancy building.
