T e World Bank . ,

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Imperial Hotel Tht \elY Delhi office started as a small otlice. chieth with representational and information gathering responsibilities. in a single room in the Imperialllotel. It IY~ts

opened in October 19~- hi' the Bank's t!rst Resident Representative, Dr. Amonin Hasch, a distinguished ecunomist

on the Bank staff

Reserz•e Bank Building By 196). the office ll'hich had expanded mul'ed to premises that the Government prol'ided

in the Reserl'e Bank of India building on Parliament Street. 7 .\'ardar Patel J!m~~ 111is arrangement lasted until Decemlx~r 1966 11·hen the Bank. with its rapidil· expanding suff. moved into rented accommodation at - Sardar Patel \!arg. Initial!\', the ground floor 11·as occupied l)l' the oftlce, \\'ith quarters

for l'isiting missions upstairs. But soon the oftke required thL' entire building for its operations.

53 Lodi Estate In 196-. CD. Deshmukh, founder and first director of the India Intermtional Centre. suggested to

President \X'oods that the Bank office move into a building that the IIC 11·as planning t()r the Council of Social

Del'elopment in Lodi Estate. The Bank. interested in quarters 1.1·hich would facilitate a "more business like climate", mol'ed to the ne\\' location in the Fall of 19~0, occupying m·o upper

floors in the threntore\'ed building.

55 Lodi Estate The Bank's next mm·e occurred in 19-~. The Ford Foundation had constructed for its own use in the late

1960s an attractil'e office complex in the l'icinity of Locli Gardens. Howel'er. in the late 19-0s, the profile and the programs of the Ford Foundation in India underwent a

change and it became clear that the large, elegant building would no longer be entirely required for its o11·n oftkes. Its

main building 11·as placed at the disposal of the l'nited

:--.:arions De\'eiopment Program, The Bank. as a member of rhe l':--.: family, '>l'aS allocated approximatelY one-third of rhe

available space, raking advantage of the opportunity ru acquire more arrracti\'C accommodations,

21 ]orbagb \'i'ith expansion over time. the staff strength of the 0/e'>l' Delhi office has grown from two in 195~ to about 120 in 1993. '>l'ith many local professionals and support statT contributing ro its gnmth. 111e role of the \e1v Delhi otTice has also undergone a basic change, irs earlier emphasis on economic and anal) tical work being supplemented by an

operational, project-implementation focus. The Agricultural l'nit increased in size and became too large to be

accommodated at 55 Locli Estate, and in 19H3 a separate building was leased to house the rnit ar 21 Jorbagh.

168 ]orbagb In recent years, the staff working on other sectors has also increased, requiring additional office space.

In 1993. the Bank expanded into yet another location to house the Population & I Iuman Resources Di\'ision.

The New Office Building of the World Bank

Given the rapidly expanding Resident Mission in Ne\Y Delhi, the need for its 0\Yn office building. large enough to house all sections of the Mission. had long been considered by the Bank. In 1982, the Bank formally requested the GoYernment of India to pro,·ide it a plot in the Lodi Estate complex \Yhich

had been set aside as an institutional area. In 1986, a plot was designated and, in 1990, it \\'as formally allotted to the

Bank for construction of its 0\\'11 building. The ground breaking ceremony took place in March 1991. and the \X'orld

Bank's ne"· office building \\·as completed for occupancy in 0Jo\'ember 1993.

69/""0 Locli Estate 17Je Site Set in the prestigious Locli Est:tte area, orerlonking

the magnificent 1 Sth century Lodi tombs and expansire gardens on one side. and llanked on the other hy the

elegantly landscaped modern complex comprising the India International Centre and the Ford Foundation. the \\'orld Bank occupies a small hut enriahk location in \t\\. Delhi.

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T/.Jc Dt!sig11 Co11cept This unique location has pro\'ided the basis for a total design concept: the creation of a high-tech, modern office building 'iYith a pleasant and functional IYorking ambience. set in a graceful garden setting, using naturaL indigenous building materials. and employing to its adrantage the still m·ailable traditional Indian craftsmanship.

l11e inno,·ati,·e design of Raj Rewa! Associates, the local firm of architects selected through a Bank committee, has resulted in an artistic expression appropriate to its function , time and place, blending with great sensiti\'ity its medieval and modern surroundings.

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The PlaJI 111e plan reflects the classical symmett~· of Lodi architecture and re\'Oives around a central axis. A striking feature of the plan is the central courtyard, a traditional Indian architectural device that ensures natural light and air for the inner rooms 'l':hile cutting out the extreme heat and

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glare of the long summer months. It prorides the risual and aesthetic adrantage of an enclosed pri,·ate garden from \\·here a glass elerator rises to the t\ro upper floors.

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The public entrance of the building is on the eastern side. facing the existing complex and prm·icling ,·isitors easy access to the parking in the common plaza.

The \\'eStern bcade. nanked by the sunken garden \Yith its carefully presctYed old trees. orerlooks the Lodi Gardens offering superb riers of the tombs and greenet~· from the offices, conference rooms and lounge-dining ro,>m.

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13uilcling {- .1/aterinls The Bank requestl'd th;l! thl' design and construction of the building dra,,· on local materials. and on the skills of local artisans and cra ft~persons \Yhen:n~r re:tsonahly possible. In response to this request. local material-; and skills haYe been Lised in a cost-effect i\·e manner. The exterior " ·ails are made of localh· cut biscuit-colored limestone from Dholpur, \Yi th a ribbon of pale pink :\gr~t stone. The effect

is :t rich hut mellmY echoing of the colors found in the ncarb,· Lodi Tombs. Granite quarried in India prm·ides the flooring for the public areas. Local artisans pl:m:d a major role in the den~lopmcnt of the bui lding particularlY in the stone masonr-r. . .

handsomely Gli"Yed ja/is. balcony railings. and a carefi.tlh· ' . modul:tted fenestration.

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7he L{/ 11dswpe The old trees existing on the site ha,·e been incorporated into the landscape plan \Yhich is designed to dra,,· the Lodi Gardens into its extended \Yings. risually expanding the building's mm gardens. 111e sunken garden prurides an aesthetic rie\r as \rell :ts an abundance of natural light into the lo\\·er ground Jerel dining room. It also creates a prirate outdoor space for staff recre:Hion. The graceful fall of \\·ater orer the rough stone \\·all enlttnces the beaut\' of the setting and echoes the concept of running \\·;Her. an important element in tradit ional ~lugh:tl architecture.

The /11/erior The clean. function:li linl", of the interior arc rcllected in tlw \\.hltc plastered \\~Il ls and polislwd gr~mi te floors. The conctalcd lighting tracks. \\·ith their sleek lighting fixtures. pmridc art ificial light "·hilc the simple rerrical blinds pro\·icle natural light control. Handsom~ polished \Yooden rails and cabinets arc function:~! to the building's operations. High· tech mtd i'.'lleJW' Ejji'cie111 111e building. h(m·erer, is not just aesthetically pleasing .. it incorporates the latest in functional technologies as well. It is enrimnment friendh· and energy efficient. And its communications are electronicalh­linked. both domesticallr and \Yorld \\'ide. to ererr \rorkstation within the building via satellite. Solar reflecting glass used throughout the building minimizes solar heat gain. The computer controlled. zoned air· conditioning - sensi ti\'e to both inside and outside temperatures for maximum energy efficiency -greatly reduces the operational cost.

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The offices ha,·e been designed to effectively utilize natural light, and to supplement it \\'ith sophisticated, energy efficient artificial lighting systems. Concealed lighting tracks focus light precisely \\'here it is needed while high-tech fixtures provide maximum illumination \Yith minimum energy consumption.

A cent ral control system, linked by computer \\·ith all functional systems - mechanica l, security, 'i\'ater. fire detection and communications - monitors the building for complete, safe, · continuous and energy efficient functioning.

\\'arks of Art The simple, businesslike, high-tech interior serres as an excellent backdrop for ,,·ell -chosen, reasonably priced art works of both established and aspiring Indian artists - j ogen Chaudhri, Sanrosh and Ghulam Sheikh among others - and specially commissioned textiles and handicrafts br master craftspersons representing the different regions of India. 111ese add \Yarmth and color to the

offices and harmonize 'iYith the orerall ambience of the Bank's :'-le,,· Delhi office.

Ac/<.1 lOll '/ed!{('/11(' I I Is The entir<: building mmplc\ has been executed h\· the Information. Technolog\· and Facilities ( ITF) Department of the \\"mid Bank under the supelYision ofj;.tmcs !lead. The generous efforts of all those \\"ho contributed to the creation of the building, especially architect Raj Rewa!. contractor lirath !{am Ahuja. and constructon manager Vijay Rewa!. are grateful~\" acknmYledged.

The \c\\. Delhi office had the expert adrice and assisunce of \l:lrtand Singh in the selection and commissioning of :tn objects. eSJX'cially textile hangings and tapestries. \\"e acknmYlcdge our gratitude to him.

Ednorial and Design Consultant : Fatima AI·Tahb Photographs: Ram Rahman Production D01s Print ( lndta) 1'\1 Ltd

Ust <!{Resident Representati1 •es

\nit H1II1 lh~ch ]t)~- . 1 l)~l)

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The World Jank 69 70 Lodi Estate. Ne\\' Ddhi 11 0 003. India

1818 H Street, :\.\'\".. \\·ashington. D.C. 20-133. C.S.A.