IICC Convention Centre

The India International Convention & Expo Centre (IICC) Convention Centre in Dwarka (Delhi) is a result of the international competition for proposals launched by DMICDC (Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor Development Corporation) in 2017. The IICC is the largest exhibition center in India and South Asia. Conceived as an anchor project for the country's future development and strategically located between New Delhi and Gurgaon, the complex covers more than 90 hectares and includes multiple buildings, most notably the Convention Center. The complex is presented as an icon symbolizing the image of the new India, a destination in itself that must be flexible enough to host world-class events and celebrations of the most diverse nature, such as the celebration of the 75th anniversary of India's independence, the G20 multilateral conferences or any event on the international trade fair and convention circuit. The contemporary reinterpretation of the idea of the palace, as a historical typology, is the main conceptual reference of the project, allowing the Convention Center to connect with the architectural tradition of India. Both the exterior and the interior of the building reflect very diverse motifs and iconographies related to the rites of greeting and welcome -especially mandalas and rangolis-, typical of the vast popular culture of the subcontinent. All conference rooms share a similar atmosphere, characterized by certain interior design elements, chosen to give the project an unmistakably Indian character. The rangolis, drawings that are usually painted on the floors and doors of homes as a sign of welcome, inspire the geometries of the ceilings, which are made up of sound-absorbing polyurethane foam cylinders of different lengths that in turn integrate the lighting fixtures, detectors and various technical equipment. Grouped in a regular matrix, the cylinders create a dense absorbing volume and reduce reverberation in the room. Their vertical arrangement allows them to follow any pixelated geometric pattern, to adapt to the different layouts of each conference room. For the interior vertical cladding, both screen-printed glass panels and CNC-machined gypsum, cement and fiber panels are used, following a characteristic geometric pattern that allows the necessary viewing area from the translation booths to be transparent. The restaurant is conceived as an additional conference room, which can be joined to the adjoining conference room by opening the movable acoustic panels. In the inside, the sliding brass sheet lattices as screens create different atmospheres in the same space, differentiating the reserved area from the dining area. The acoustically treated ceiling with rock wool and sound-absorbing gypsum board is supplemented in the dining area with areas of suspended panels of hexagonal geometry. Made with two interwoven aluminum meshes pressing the acoustic absorbent sheet, their grouping spatially configures the room providing a sense of intimacy to its diners. The acoustic partitions are covered with cement wood particle panels with adhesive imitating gold leaf, giving the space warmth and elegance.