12
BUSINESS NEWS INDIA’S UPCOMING CULTURAL POWERHOUSE SELECTS ICONIC ARCHITECT A world leading center for art got off to a flying start when Kiran Nadar, founder and chairperson of the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art, shared the stage at the Venice Biennale with David Adjaye OBE, to announce Adjaye Associates was selected, after a competition, to design the upcoming new state-of-the-art building in New Delhi NCR which will house the new museum and cultural center. Billed as the leading privately-funded institution for the arts in India, the new Center will house a public museum of contemporary art and center for dance, music, and creative education. Nadar has a passion for art and culture and has made it her mission to be an advocate for the arts in India and beyond. Beyond the art world, first and foremost Nadar is a professional bridge player, and has represented India on the International stage and brought home the bronze medal from the Asian Games last year. “This Center will be a cultural powerhouse open to all, furthering our vision of making art accessible to everyone. It is rooted in the conviction that we need to make protected spaces for the life of the imagination. Just as literacy and education programs open minds, the arts and culture experience stimulates new ways of thinking,” said Nadar. “David’s design incorporates a series of thresholds to art and performance. It creates a cinematic experience for visitors, who encounter artworks and artists as they move from the street through the atrium and up through the building to the lush rooftop garden.” David Adjaye OBE is a Ghanaian-born British architect, whose most famous building is
the award-winning Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C. In 2018, Adjaye chaired the Stirling Prize jury, Britain’s highest award for excellence in architecture. Adjaye Associates most recent completed buildings include a new contemporary art museum, Ruby City, in San Antonio, Texas for the Linda Pace Foundation and the Ghana Freedom Pavilion for the 2019 Venice Biennale. “This is our first cultural commission in India but for me personally, it is the culmination of a much longer journey. I first came to India many years ago and immediately felt a profound connection with the life and energy.” said Adjaye. “As a practice we are elated and honored to win this competition. The new building will celebrate and foster public interest in contemporary art, culture, and creative partnerships, and enable KNMA to continue their admirable pursuit of engaging younger audiences and future generations with one of the finest and most diverse collections of Indian Modern and contemporary art.” The global search to find an outstanding design team was led by competition specialists Malcolm Reading Consultants of the U.K. The competition was launched in the second half of 2018 when a long-list of 47 leading studios from 15 countries were invited to participate in the contest’s first stage. At stage two, a shortlist of five practices was asked to create concept designs. Adjaye Associates’ “Veil of Triangles” concept is a reference to the sacred geometries of trees and mountains. It was selected for being both elegant and iconic. The jury praised it as “a visually and emotionally engaging building that was alive, dancing and timeless.”
According to Malcolm Reading, competition director and jury chair, “The complex brief challenged teams in asking for a charismatic as well as an efficient building. The winning proposal is distinctive and intriguing but also underpinned with organisational logic and clarity: the galleries are skilfully handled, and the programmatic functions are clearly sited and dispersed.” The building unites two cores, a performance wing and an art wing, connected by a courtyard and a dramatic atrium of discovery. Nature and gardens are integral to the design, from the entrance courtyard, moving up through dynamic green spaces and terraces to the lush rooftop pavilion. Adjaye Associates will partner with local architect S. Ghosh & Associates ; engineers WSP ; theater and acoustic design consultancy Charcoalblue; lighting designers Studio Fractal; and management support consultants Plan A. The full jury comprised: ❚ ❚ Kiran Nadar, chair, Kiran Nadar Museum of Art ❚ ❚ Roshni Nadar Malhotra, executive director and CEO, HCL Enterprise ❚ ❚ Shikhar Malhotra, vice chairman, HCL Healthcare ❚ ❚ Malcolm Reading, competition director (jury chair) ❚ ❚ Glenn D Lowry, director, MoMA, New York ❚ ❚ Chris Dercon, art historian, curator, and former director, Tate Modern ❚ ❚ Scott Newman, partner, Cooper Robertson
a good leader but overconfidence can be dangerous and may lead to situations that he/she can’t handle. ❚ ❚ Breaking promises. A good leader makes commitments he/ she intends to keep but one who breaks promises constantly can’t be a good leader. If you want to be a good leader, understand and follow the qualities discussed here. And, if your firm is in search of the next leader, look for these qualities. NAVEEN KHAMMAMPATI, P.E., CFM is director of engineering at Greg Edwards Engineering Services, Inc. Contact him at naveen@gees.us. “Honesty and integrity are the most important qualities of a leader. A leader will gain the trust of others by doing what is right at any cost. Building trust takes time but being honest at all times can make this happen faster.”
NAVEEN KHAMMAMPATI, from page 11
❚ ❚ They value honesty and integrity. Honesty and integrity are the most important qualities of a leader. A leader will gain the trust of others by doing what is right at any cost. Building trust takes time but being honest at all times can make this happen faster. ❚ ❚ They’re invested. Leaders often have a long-term personal sense of investment in the company and its success. In addition to what I described above, a good leader has sound subject knowledge, is a good mentor, respects others’ opinions, motivates the team, does not micromanage, and shows consideration for others. What leadership is not about: ❚ ❚ Control. It is a common misconception that leaders like to control everything. Instead, they understand that talented people do not need/like to be supervised closely. Leaders know that their team needs guidance and support rather than control. If you crave power, you may not be a good leader. ❚ ❚ Overconfidence. Being confident is one of the qualities of
© Copyright 2019. Zweig Group. All rights reserved.
THE ZWEIG LETTER July 22, 2019, ISSUE 1305
Made with FlippingBook Annual report