CASE STUDY

NATIONAL CENTRE FOR PERFORMING ARTS (NCPA) MUMBAI

LOCATION: Niraman Point on NCPA marg

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ARCHITECT: Ar. Phillip Johnson.
BUILDING TYPE: Institution
SITE AREA: 8 acre

INTRODUCTION

• NCPA is a cultural building , lift the indian culture in the society through
events Dance, Music, Drama and Opera .
• NCPA private sector undertaken by TATA.
• Designed by ar. Phillip johnson.
• Building having five theatres, Administration area (Music Library, small
gallery, Guest House and the apartments for the Directors)
Location map of NCPA , Mumbai
AUDITORIUM

• Jamshed bhabha theatre

• Tata theatre
• Experimental theatre
• Dance theatre godrej
• Little theatre
View from main entrance View from Nariman point View to beach

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LOCATION

• Situated at Nariman point, Mumbai with Arabian sea on one side.

• The area is a commercial one with high flanked buildings all around.
• The complex is 8 km from CST terminal, 3 km from church gate Iocal
station.
• The CSI airport is 35km from the site and the Santacruz domestic
airport is 25 km.

SITE

• The site is flat with vary Iittle vegetation with area comes to around 8
acres.
• The site is surrounded by busy streets on three sides and Arabian Sea on
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the other side.
• An apartment of the ncpa abutt the site.

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LAYOUT

• The Iayout of the campus is a

spread cut one.
• The buildings have no connection
with one another, lacks zoning and
planned development.
• There are six entrances into the
campus. Separate service entry not
provided.
• The no. of entries can create
confusion.
• The staff quarters are provided at
the entry itself and they use the same
entry.
• There is no segregation of
pedestrian and vehicular traffic.
• Parking provided is insufficient and
again can create confusion.
• Due to unplanned circulation each
block requires its own separate
entrance, reception and security.

Site Plan

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FACILITIES

• With its five theatres, .

photographic gallery, extensive
archives and numerous gardens
and reception spaces, the NCPA
offers flexible facilities to suit
every cultural activity.

LOBBY AND RECEPTION

• Approach to the reception area from the main entry

• Reception desk is located at the building entrance
• Right side of the reception located the administrative area

TATA THEATRE

• Tata Theatre completed in the year 1981 was conceived by

the postmodernist American architect, Philip Johnson.
• The auditorium boasts excellent acoustics, meticulously
devised by Cyril Harris, making it ideal for music, dance and
drama.

Key plan Tata theatre floor plan

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• The spacious foyers, framing views of the sea at each and,
provide excellent spaces for entertaining and for holding
spacial exhibitions.
• The capacity of the theatre is 1010.
• Theatre without proscenium; fan-shaped amphitheatre with
excellent acoustics.
• Suitable for chamber music concert, dance, drama, and film
screening. Centrally air-conditioned.

Seating capacity

Total capacity -1010 seats

Capacity reduced in the following cases:
Use of in-house sound
Mixer/monitor -Reduced by 7 seats
Seat colour - Blue
Carpet colour -Maroon

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main entry to the theatre v.i.p. entry to the restaurant Tata theatre seating plan

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Stage Dressing rooms

Floor -Hardwood timber flooring on Ground floor -Solo rooms 4

concrete (11.6 sq.m.each)
Size -9m(d) X 17.5m(w)at its Mezzanine -Group rooms 2
maximum width : height 3m at upstage : 6m at (23 sq.m.each)
downstage Each room furnished with wardrobe, attached toilet with
Type -Semi-circular thrust stage, no shower and drinking water facilities.
proscenium, no house curtain; inner portion
rotatable(4.7m radius) Miscellaneous spaces

Rotatable Stage Foyers at two levels

Size -77m (l) X 7.5m (w)
Operation -Electronically controlled Height 6m at upper lobby
Rotation -180 degree Height 9.6m at lower lobby
Rotation time - 80 sec. Courtyard garden -450 sq.m
Rehearsal room -82 sq.m
Truck Dock Ramp Car parking -Basement and open spaces

Located at stage-right -Entry through Dorabi

Tata Road(Marine Drive)
Door opening -2.75m (w) X 2.8m (h)
Dock size -6.25m(w) X 7m(d)X 4.7m(h)

foyer rotating stage back side

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JAMSHED BHABHA THEATRE

• Jamshed Bhabha Theatre inaugurated in

November 1999 is equipped with modern
stagecraft and engineering suitable for
staging large-scale cultural events such as
multimedia music and dance programmes ,
opera, ballet and orchestral concerts.
•Proscenium theatre equipped with modern
stagecraft, excellent acoustics and sight-line
suitable for productions of opera, ballet,
musicals and large –scale corporate shows.
Centrally air conditioned.
• Total seating capacity – 1109 seats

Key plan Jamshed Bhabha Theatre floor plan

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Interior view of jamshed bhabha theatre view of entry to jamshed bhabha theatre
Stage False Proscenium -16.7m (w) X 9.3m (h) max.
opening -11.6m (w) X 6.3m (h) min.
Stage entry from Stage edge to auditorium
east and west foyer -2Nos. (stage left and right) Rear wall (row X) -30m
Floor -Hardwood timber flooring on MS
framing (No traps , No revolve) Auditorium Fixtures & Fittings
Size - 23.7m (w) X 14.6m (d)
Top of stage from Seat colour -Blue
auditorium level - 1m Carpet colour -Maroon
Wing space -Variable House chandelier -Crystal , circular over row ‘J’
Stage right , concrete Entry/exit doors -8 with panic bars: marked 1E
Flooring -3m (w) X 16m (d) to 3E,1W to 3W and 1S to 2S
clear height 5.6m (min.) Seats for the physically
Cross over space(up stage) Challenged -Row ‘A’ (at level 0 accessible
(concrete flooring) -1m (d) X 23.7m (w) from the lower foyer).Row ‘Q’ (at level 1
Stage to grid height -21m accessible by elevator at the foyer)
Architectural
Proscenium opening -16.7m (w) X 9.3m (d)

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Main entry Foyer and the

jamshed bhabha food counter
theatre

Orchestra Pit Dressing Rooms(backstage)

Capacity -60 musicians • Ground floor, solo rooms 3 (9 sq.m. each)

Below-stage pit, • First floor, solo rooms 4 (9 sq.m. each)
Fixed portion -15.4m (w)X4.2m(d) X 3.1m(h) • Second floor, group rooms 2 (18.5 sq.m. each) (7 persons)
• Third floor, group room 1 (46.5 sq.m. each) (18 persons)
Orchestra Shell
Control Room
An orchestra shell (timber) suitable for 90 musicians can be
erected on stage with prior notice; requires two working • Location Rear of the auditorium behind glass window;
shifts for erection and one shift for dismantling. partially openable divided into 4 compartments inter-
connected through common passage
Dimensions • Compartment 160 sq.m.
• Compartment 228 sq.m.
Max. height -9.3m (down stage) • Compartment 310 sq.m. (Light Control Cubicle)
Max. width -16.7m (down stage) • Compartment 445 sq.m.
Min. height -4.2m (up stage) • Power supply 18 kW, 30 Amps per phase
Min. width -12.4m (up stage

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Rehearsal Rooms (Front-of-house) Miscellaneous Spaces

These are separate venues Foyers at two levels.

Ground Floor (Level 0)
• West room 1 124 sq.m., height 2.88m(second floor • Area 930 sq.m.
West Wing) • Height variable, minimum 2.5m
- (90 sq.m. adjoining open terrace) • Elevator 1 (West Foyer)
• West room 2 115 sq.m., height 2.9m(third floor West • Accessory electric 9 kW (East Foyer) Lighting supply
Wing) • Load 15 Amps per phase 9 kW (West Foyer) Lighting
- (50sq.m. adjoining open terrace) load 15 Amps per phase
• East room 1 113.5 sq.m., height 2.9m(second floor East • Service Counter 2 (one Front Foyer and one in West
Wing) Foyer)
- (55 sq.m. adjoining open terrace) First Floor (Level 1)
• East room 2 99 sq.m., height 2.9m(third floor East • Area 465 sq.m.
Wing) • Height variable; minimum 2.5m
- (32 sq.m. adjoining open terrace) • Service counter 1 (East Foyer)

Museum
Outer
• Area 165 sq.m. of j.b.t
• Height 5.45m

Sound system

Interior of the Rehearsal Room No in-house sound system. Professional sound system as
required are to be hired by the producers.

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EXPERIMENTAL THEATRE

• Experimental Theatre is a 'black box' venue with modular seating and

staging units.
• The space provides a platform for innovative production design and
presentation, and promotes the exploration of new directions in
performance art.

Interior view of Experimental theatre

The capacity of the theatre is 300.

• Modular Studio theatre with 3 galleries ;
configurable staging and seating suitable for
modern experimental productions.
. • Centrally air-conditioned.

Key plan Experimental Theatre floor plan

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Seating capacity LITTLE THEATRE

285 seats maximum (variable)
Plastic bucket-chairs (blue) on modular wooden tiers
Stage
9.7m (w) X 7.3m (d) X 0.7m (h) maximum
Variable configuration ; modular wooden platforms
Floor
• Little Theatre is used for film screenings, recordings and
workshops.
• Timber flooring on concrete slab.
• The proscenium theatre is suitable for music, dance, video
projection etc.
• It is acoustically designed as recording studio.
• lt is centrally air-conditioned.
• The capacity of the theatre is 114.

Concrete floor -19.20 (l) X 19m (w)

Floor-to-grid height -(Catwalk) 9m (h),average

Control Room

• Behind glass observation window at first floor level

Interior view of Little theatre
Dressing rooms (with toilets & showers)
• Proscenium theatre suitable for music, dance, video
Ground floor 2 (7 sq.m each) projection.
First floor 1 (20 sq.m) • Acoustically designed as recording studio.
• Centrally air-conditioned.
Car parking - Open spaces at the theatre entrance • Cushioned chairs (off-white) on carpet (Maroon)

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Stage

Floor -Timber flooring on concrete slab ; 0.8m (h) from

auditorium level. Size with side wings and 6.66m (w)X5.47m
(d)Xback concertina flat 3.96m (h)

Control room

Rear of the auditorium behind observation port-hole in projection room , first

floor.

Dressing rooms

Ground floor -1;8.5 sq.m

First floor -1;15.8 sq.m

Miscellaneous space

Foyer (air-conditioned) Ceiling detail inside the theatre

Size -13.3m (l)X5.6m(w) X 6m (h)
Area -74.5 sq.m
Car parking -Open spaces common with other
theatres.
Little Theatre floor plan

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GODREJ DANCE THEATRE

• Dance Theatre Godrej is an intimate performance space,

ideal for small-scale dance and music events and for
education and arts development work.
• The capacity of the theatre is 185.
• Timber on MS slotted angle frame used for flooring.

Outer area of the

theatre

Stage

Floor -Timber flooring on MS

slotted angle frame; 0.65m from auditorium
level
Wing-to-wing -9m(w)X5.6m(d) height:2.34m

Godrej Dance AcademyTheatre floor plan

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Miscellaneous Spaces

Foyer (non-AC)
Size -158 sq.m
Sunken garden -232 sq.m

Interior view of Godrej Academy Dance theatre

Wing Space
• Stage- right 3.55m (w) x 6.7m (l) height: 2.34m
• Stage-left 2.2m (w) x 6.7m (l) height: 2.34m
• Cross-over space 14.9m (l) x 1.1m (w) height: 2.34m
• Proscenium opening 9.55m (w) x 2.40m (h)
• House curtain Maroon velour; motorized travel
Control room
Stage Of The Theatre And
Fixtures
LIBRARY
• The NCPA Library is a unique resource for Mumbai, as
the only Performing Arts library in the city.
• It has got almost 20,000 books and more than 5,500
recordings which can be heard using our in-house audio
equipment.

Rear of the auditorium behind glass observation

window.

Dressing rooms

Ground Floor -2;13.8 sq.m & 17sq.m with

a common lobby of 19.6sq.m
View Of Library

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RECORDING STUDIO SUNKEN GARDEN (75-100 members)

• Studio is equipped with state-of-the-art multi track
recording equipment based on the Pro Tools HD
platform.
• Main recording hub , interconnected to all five theatres
through fiber optic cable spreading an area of 24,000sqm.
• Located next to the dance theatre godrej.
• Reception space also used for small-scale performances
• Stepped seating leading down to a performing area.

THE PIRAMAL ART GALLERY

• lt is one of the only galleries of its kind in lndia to

exhibit works of leading lndian and international
photographers, as well as other terms of visual art. View Of Sunken Garden
• The gallery is spacious and modular in design, STRUCTURE
allowing for more than one exhibition at a time.
• lt is temperature controlled and is equipped with
• All the Auditoriums having
professional lighting and security systems.
column beam structure
• JBT and TATA theatre have good
span column free space,
• Coffered ceiling is cast for making
the space column free.
• Cantilevers more than 10 feets is
projected at the entrance of TATA
theatre.
• Building is finished with different Way To Basement
View Of Piramal Art Gallery materials like stone, plastered etc. Parking

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ANALYSIS

• All the theatres ere excellent in respect to the functional aspects.

• The acoustical details given are the best.
• The buildings are not of the same character as they were built at different times.
• Buildings are separated from each other and no relation can be found between
them.
• The circulation between the blocks is not proper.
• No connection between the buildings movement from one building to another is
possible only through the exterior. This would be very difficult in rainy seasons.
• Proper signages have been provided at the various points to direct the visitors.
Otherwise it would have been very difficult given the type of circulation.
The buildings have been well maintained in spite of the climate conditions and
frequent use.
• Sufficient parking have been provided. but not properly planned
• An active and interesting area is absent.
• Absence of service entry can cause problems when programs are going
on.
• In short the individual buidings are excellent , but the complex fails as a campus.

INFERENCE

• Zoning and built form.

• All the buildings should be designed and placed taking into consideration site
features and vegetation.

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• A solid block is not required , but proper likages should be present if the structures
are isolated.
• All the buildings in the campus should have the same character as far as possible.
• Treatment of the building is very important.
• A low built form is apt.
• Building should be preferably scaled to a human body . Intimacy of the spaces is
very important.
• The pedestrian and vehicular circulation should be segregated to the required level.
• A pedestrian’s campus would be more advisable , as far as possible the vehicles is
kept in the periphery of the campus.
• Since the centre invites more public involvement , all the services should be well
hidden.
• Parking facilities are very important.
• The views from the site should be properly utilised.
• No space should be allowed to be left as under designed. All the open spaces
should be properly landscaped or assigned in some or the other way.

For the artist

• The spaces should be inspiring and adequate and not cause injuries.
• Wooden floors are found to be suitable.
• Practice areas should be well lit and ventilated naturally.
• Storage spaces should be provided with practice areas.
• There should be basic facilities for resident artists.

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For the audience

• The spaces should be interesting.

• Parking spaces are vey important.
• There should be clear signages.
• There should be lobbies and enough facilities.

ACOUSTICAL CONSIDERATIONS

• Acoustically most successful auditorium in India.

• The seats and carpets are the only absorbers provided.
• The shape of the auditorium (fan shaped) is ideal for sound distribution.

STRUCTURAL CONSIDERATIONS

• Plant room is structurally isolated from the building to prevent transmittance

of structure-borne vibrations.
• Conduits and piped services crossing such isolation joints provided with
special detailed flexible connection.
• Toilet fittings cushioned with special rubber based mounting.
• Water pipes and drains given flexible connection to prevent sound
transmittance due to vibration.
• The two terminal points of the building at the end of the foyer have been built
on independent pile foundation separated from the rest of the auditorium and
connected by a 2’ wide cur in floor and walls filled with a soft mastic compound
that protects from vibration.

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