SITE

PLANNING
ASSIGNMENT-03
KANCHANJUNGA APARTMENTS- BY CHARLES KOREA
LOCATION-
- The site
Mumbai is mostly KANCHANJUNGA APARTMENT
at sea level with 72,G. Deshmukh Road
average elevation Mumbai MH India
ranging from 10 Bombay lies on the western coast of India and
to 15 meters. its major commercial centre for the country the
apartments are located south west of downtown
Mumbai in an upscale suburban setting In
Kanchanjunga Apartment Mumbai, buildings are ideally orientated east-
(1970-83) west to catch the prevailing sea-breezes, and
A ten year project to build 32 views out to the Arabian Sea on one side and the
three or four bedroom luxury harbour on the other: the same directions as the
apartments hot afternoon sun and heavy monsoon rains
Kanchanjunga is a condominium of 32 luxury apartments of three to six
bedrooms each. The building is 28 storeys (85 metres) high and square in plan:
APPROACH- 21 meters x 21 meters. The basic interlock is that of a three and four bedroom
apartment with the larger flats formed by the addition of another half level. The
structure is built around a central service core which was constructed first. Each
of the flats have large usable garden-terraces which have dramatic city views. In
section, there is a continuous variation of internal spaces best expressed as
PARKING shear walls on the north and south elevations of the building.
MAIN STRUCTURE
CENTRAL LOBBY  The site has a separate road for
individual
approach which is connected
to the main road.
 Building is approachable from two
opposite sides, one from east and one
from west .

The location and climate of Bombay dispense architects with a dilemma in design.
The east-west axis provides ample sightings of the Arabian Sea and the harbor
with the added benefit of receiving all the sea breezes. The axis also harbors harsh
afternoon sun and troublesome monsoon rains. The situation was unavoidable as
the typology of the building is high-rise due to urbanization and high land prices.
There was a need to seize the opportunities while carefully designing with
Correa used an indigenous approach to the spatial organization of a
typical bungalow. The main living spaces with an enclosed verandah
whilst turning that buffer zone into a garden, thriving on the problem.
Because of climatic considerations with existing views, the massing
settled upon a configuration facing east and west. Correa interlocked
four different apartment units with small variations in levels on the floor
leading to the eventual garden verandah suspended in the air. 32
apartments stacked over 28 stories form an interlock of 3 with 4 bedroom
units and 5 with 6 bedroom units which reveal themselves through sheer
end walls that support the cantilevers.
The Planning
The arrangement of apartments and the program of various units in the
apartment is reminiscent of Le Corbusier’s Unite’ d’Habitation, with a
difference of opening up as compared to horizontal corridors. There
are two apartments on each floor with the tower core as vertical
circulation, with split-level dwellings. The apartments vary from 180 to
420 square meters with bedrooms ranging from 3 to 6. All apartments
have servant rooms that are directly connecting to the kitchen.
The interiors are detailing as compared to the simple exterior. Also, the
double-height terrace differs from interior and exterior spaces. Within
the flat, the users enlive with views of the city out of the living and
bedrooms and terraces.

In 1970, land values were shooting up in Bombay, which resulted in the acceptance of high-rise
residential buildings for the developers. Charles Correa accepted one such project in Columba Hill,
South Mumbai. He already explored his concepts in the unbuilt cosmopolis of 1958 and the Rallis
Apartment leading to the realization of the Kanchanjunga Apartments. Through the influence of
vernacular architecture, the design responds to the changing conditions of the climate coupled with
the rapid urbanization in the city. Kanchanjunga Apartments is a 32 story residential building
consisting of luxury apartments on each floor. This project was done in collaboration with Pravina
Mehta as the associate architect and Shirish Patel as the structural engineer.
The Structure and Construction of Kanchanjunga Apartments The Style
The style certainly is not rigid. It has both aspects of traditional
The building is a 32-story reinforced concrete structure cantilevering 6.3 vernacular style through the experience of a bungalow and
meters for the open terraces. The central core addresses the lateral loads modern style in terms of its exterior and form. The verandahs
while providing for vertical circulation (elevators and staircases). Majorly being interpreted as garden terraces for each unit while
known for the first building in India constructed through a slip method, that incorporating concrete structure with the white panel areas show
is, construction of the central core before the peripheral structure. So the a fusion of the opposites that pioneer sustainable design
method was necessary to address the cantilevered terraces. And the floors integrated with indigenous environment controls. Therefore the
connect the facade with the structural core. The dual concrete construction style attracts and deserves attention to traditional interiors and
forms a tube-in-tube system adding to the stability of the whole tower. modern exteriors.
The Takeaway Features of
Kanchanjunga
Apartments
 32 unique apartments with four kinds
of flats ranging from 3 to 6 bedrooms.
 Shear end walls holding the
cantilevered terrace while visually
connecting the floors.
 The base of the tower is 21 square
meters and height is 84 meters which
makes it a proportion of 1:4.
 The double-height terraces are
oriented against the sun to protect
each apartment unit.
 Large openings and terrace gardens
provide transparency.
Overall, the techniques and concepts to address
problems and opportunities provided by the
context were relatively new. The building still
stands today and is visiting by countless
architecture enthusiasts. Inhabitants also enjoy the
lifestyle in the tower that merges two different
worlds of styles that were the personality of the
architect itself.