YASHOBHOOMI India International Exhibition Center

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. The Yashobhoomi Exhibition Centre composes of a large foyer measuring over a kilometer in length connecting the five exhibition halls, two of them with two levels, with more than 243,000 m² of net indoor exhibition space and 71,000 m² of outdoor space. The project 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 including any event on the international trade fair and convention circuit. The construction process is divided into two phases: the first includes the Exhibition Halls 1 and 2 and part of the Foyer that connects the Halls and all the urban and trunk infrastructure necessary for the operation of the complex. The second includes the construction of the main office building (“The Eye”), Exhibition Halls 3, 4, and 5, and the Foyer that connects them. The contemporary reinterpretation of the idea of the palace, as a historical typology, is the main conceptual reference of the project, allowing the Yashobhoomi Exhibition Centre to connect with the architectural tradition of India, where ornament is also a structural element. On the one hand, various manifestations linked to the ritual of greeting and welcome (such as mandalas and rangolis) are reflected in the geometries of the general design and the spatial envelopes of the buildings; on the other hand, popular formal expressions and references, such as the embroidery and textiles, permeate the buildings with cultural references at all levels. Regarding Yashobhoomi Exhibition Hall design, thanks to the structural flexibility given by its structural grid (80 by 80m) and the implementation of 20-metre-high mobile acoustic partitions, each pavilion can host between four and six exhibitions simultaneously. A large perimeter skylight allows natural light to enter in any of the configurations, improving the sustainability and preventing the pavilions from becoming “black boxes” isolated from the environment. The adjacent foyer holds significant importance as it serves as the primary access point to the complex. It provides entry to Exhibition Hall 1, the main drop-off area, and the metro station. Particular emphasis has been placed on natural light through the design of its skylights. A system of funnels, suspended from the roof and extending upwards to capture light, has been meticulously designed. These funnels, crafted from copper linear elements, offer visitors a warm welcome into a brightly illuminated space. The geometry of the funnels mirrors the exterior structural tree columns that encompass the entire foyer.