Located in the legendarily well-pruned environs of the Cantonment area of Pune, Sunil Patil and Associates was aware of the legacy of government buildings pulling them back heavily. So right at the outset, a troika of inspirations was lined up –the climate, the site and time. Here is an attempt to calibrate the architectural style of government building with the time – contemporary vernacular architecture. The team added a healthy dose of passive traits to this project to make it friendly to Pune’s mostly-temperate weather. The décor is peppered with jaali motifs, and 225 pieces of art produced by 30 local painters, sculptors, muralists and wall. The pergola-crowned, water-body-holding courtyard structure has been used as a throwback feature conjuring up the old wadas of Pune, as well as a ‘transition space’ cum light-and-shade waiting lobby for visitors. The success of Sunil Patil’s design is in having managed to not induce acute culture shock by clipping nostalgia to good effect, instead of plucking it out completely. The team manages to bring great nuance in the design language of the circuit house, along with a fantastic veneer of sleek décor.
