The site for the Indira Gandhi National Center of arts is located in the heart of Edwin Lutyens master plan for colonial New Delhi at the intersection of Rajpath (king’s way) and Janpath (people’s way). The physical organization of the program is driven by the symbolism of the source, flow, and dispersion of a River of Life. The symbolic river originates at the eastern edge of the complex (the Sutradahara) where research is conducted and the Center’s programs are sourced, created, and organized. On reaching the “circle of life” reflecting the unity of the arts, the river radiates dynamically to concert halls and theaters that are expressions of the art forms.  The strong relationship of the built forms to nature and outdoor evoke the spirit and deep structure of traditional Indian architecture.

The proposed design maintains the street-wall along Janpath and the street network parallel to Rajpath which leads to Rashtrapati Bhavan – the presidential palace. Within the site, an interconnected network of active open spaces is created that is consistent with the program areas. The primary intent of the design is to respond to the urban context while responding to the civic and more intimate scale requirements throughout the site. The project is sensitive to the formal aspects of Lutyens’ work while reinterpreting these for the contemporary condition.