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THE PARLIAMENT LIBRARY OF INDIA

By Manu REWAL

KARMA PRODUCTIONS / DUNIYA VISION (INDIA) PVT. LTD. - as PROD

Documentary - Completed 2002

- Year of production
- 2002
- Genres
- Documentary
- Countries
- INDIA
- Languages
- ENGLISH
- Duration
- 41 mn
- Director(s)
- Manu REWAL
- Writer(s)
- Manu REWAL
- Producer(s)
- Manu REWAL
- Synopsis
- We start with the opening ceremony of the new library for the Indian Parliament which was held on the 7th of May 2002. The traditional lamp is lit by the President, the Vice president, the Prime Minister, the Leader of the opposition and the Speaker of India showing the importance of this institution.
  A brief historical introduction confirms the relevance of this institution to Democracy in India and the necessity to construct a new building to house it.
  The design concepts of the Architect Raj Rewal are examined in detail in this section. The relationship with the context : the materials covering the external walls, the height and shape of the building, the use of axis and symmetry in the composition. The sources and influences on the architect such as the Ranakpur Temple, Mandalas, Fatehpur Sikri are then evoked in order to explain the design. The Symbolic values, the control of natural light and the types of movements within the spaces are also some of the themes covered in this section.
  The construction of the building, the role of the engineers of the CPWD and of the principal builders ECC which is the construction division of Larsen and Toubro and their interaction with the architect and his team is explained next. The innovative construction techniques used for making the foundation, for covering the external walls with stones as well as the wayin which a very high quality of craftsmanship was obtained in the finishes are also examined here.
  The twelve domical roofs of this building are the most innovative feature of this building. A great variety in design is seen in these roofs. The precedents in Raj Rewal’s earlier works are used to introduce us to his concern with structure and function. A concern which is here related to the quality and texture of natural light introduced in the various halls of the building which is of course dependant on the Rasa the architect wants to create in a particular space. The engineering skills required for the creation of these roofs is also examined here. The roof of the focal center in particular required the intervention of RFR, a French engineering firm as this is the first time in India that such a structure of steel and glass has been made.
  In the final section we go through the most important spaces in the building such as the auditorium and the scholar’s library. Here we learn about the various choices in the selection and placement of materials by the architect and their impact on acoustics, lighting and energy conservation. We end of the rooftop garden from where we can see the relationship of the ultramodern domes of this building with the existing domes nearby as well as with the parliament.
  A voice over , interviews of the representative of the user, the architect and the most important members of the team, historic documents, graphics, images of historic as well as other contemporary buildings, images shot during the construction of the building as well as images of the completed parliament library building appear when required by the narrative in order to convey the ideas and dreams that have given form to the most important architectural landmark created in Delhi since independence.