Ripon Building

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article needs to be updated. Please update this article to reflect
recent events or newly available information. (August 2017)

Ripon Building

Location within Chennai

Alternative names Corporation Building

General information
 Type Government Buildings

Architectural style Neoclassical

Town or city Chennai

Country India

Coordinates 13.0817N 80.2716E

Current tenants Seat of the Chennai Corporation

Construction started 1909; 108 years ago

Completed 1913; 104 years ago

Cost 750,000 (in 1913)

Owner Government of Tamil Nadu

The Ripon Building is the seat of the Chennai Corporation (Madras Corporation)
in Chennai (Madras), Tamil Nadu. It is a fine example of the Neoclassical style of architecture, a
combination of, Ionic and Corinthian. The Ripon Building is an all-white structure and is located
near the Chennai Central railway station.

Contents
[hide]

1History
2Building details
3Annexe building
4Restoration
5See also
6References

History[edit]
Commissioned in the year 1913, Ripon Building was designed by G.S.T. Harris. It was built by
Loganatha Mudaliar, and took four years to build at a cost of 750,000, including a sum of
1550,000 paid to Mudaliar. The Ripon building was named after Lord Ripon, Governor-General
of British India and the Father of local self-government. Earl of Minto, the then Viceroy and
Governor General of India laid the foundation on 12 December 1909. The Municipal Corporation
of Madras, after functioning from several other places including Errabalu Chetty Street, settled at
Ripon building in 1913, with P. L. Moore as the President of the Municipal Corporation at the time
of the inauguration. The inaugural function was attended by over 3,000 of the city's elite.
Building details[edit]

Panorama of the Ripon Building

The building is rectangular and is 85 metres (279 ft) long and 32 metres (105 ft) wide with a 43
metres (141 ft) central tower containing a clock 2.5 m (8.2 ft) in diameter. The first of its three
floors has approximately 2,800 m2 (30,139 sq ft) of space. The walls were constructed with stock
bricks, set and plastered with lime mortar and the roof is supported with teak wood joists. The
original flooring of the ground floor was CuddapahSlate that has been replaced with marble. One
of the main attractions of the building is the Westminster Quarter chiming clock. This was
installed by Oakes and Co. in 1913. The clock has a mechanical key system, which is wound
every day. There are four bells, which were cast by Gillet and Johnston in 1913.

Annexe building[edit]
An annexe building is located to the rear of the main building, which was renamed 'Amma
Maaligai' in August 2014. All departments of the Chennai Corporation, except the offices of the
Mayor and Commissioner, function from the annexe building. The offices of the Mayor and the
Commissioner offices are in the main building. The annexe building was constructed at a cost
of 230 million and has a built-up area of 150,000 sq. ft. and a parking space for 50 cars and
150 motorcycles. The building, built with aspects of a green building, could accommodate about
1,000 officials. The building also features a 500-seat auditorium, a 100-seat conference hall and
70 toilets with facilities for disabled people. The building has been able to reduce energy
consumption by 20 percent by means of a water-cooled air-conditioning system and heat-
reflective tiles on the roof which were Manufactured by JAPEVA ENGINEERING PVT LTD,
Chennai. The building has been designed in a post-modern style, with some elements of
traditional architecture. Some design elements would suit the colonial-style architecture of the
Ripon Buildings.[1]

Restoration[edit]
In 2012, a massive renovation was initiated at a cost of 77 million under the Jawaharlal Nehru
National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM), to preserve the building's original grandeur. Under
this, an annexe building measuring 12,540 sq m will be constructed alongside the main structure
to house all the departments of the Corporation and all structures in the premises that do not
blend in with the main structure aesthetically will be demolished in June 2013 when the annexe
building is completed. The annexe building, with an auditorium to seat 500 persons, will be built
in a contemporary and post-modern style, highlighting with elements of regional architecture, to
blend with the Indo-Saracenic style of the main building. The main building is also being
renovated under the process with the use of lime mortar for plastering. It is the first heritage
building in the country to have received funds from JNNURM for renovation.[2]

See also[edit]