The New Indian International Convention Centre Offers a Wealth of Opportunities and Possibilities

Date: 18/06/2024

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The flagship project of the Government of India, the new Indian International Convention Centre (IICC), also known as Yashobhoomi, covers an expansive 910,543 square meters in Dwarka, Delhi. Strategically located near the airport and envisioned as a transit-oriented and mixed-use district, it aims to become a global destination for meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE events). Expected to attract many multi-day international conferences, trade shows and exhibitions, the IICC provides a comprehensive tourism experience, including retail and commercial office space, hospitality services and entertainment centres. It is the world’s third largest convention centre, able to accommodate up to 11,000 attendees. It comprises 15 meeting rooms from mid- to large-scale, including a grand ballroom and the Brahmkamal Hall, an impressive multipurpose auditorium.

A flexible, sustainable design for the main hall

Crafted by CPKUKREJA Architects (CPKA), one of India’s premier architectural firms, the Brahmkamal Hall stands as an unparalleled venue with a 6,000-seat auditorium, 3,500 of which are fully transformable seats on a Gala Venue® moving floor system. “We brought [Gala Systems] technology here,” said its architect, Dikshu Kukreja, highlighting its functionality. “With the click of a button, [the seats] simply go down and are submerged under the floor.” He underscored not only the adaptability of the system, but also its role in minimizing the risk of under-utilization of such auditoriums: “In the past, one has seen world over that this kind of theatre style tended to be sometimes sparingly used and [regarded as] a white elephant. A lot of expenses go into them, but they are not used that often. So here we took the idea of sustainable design to another level [by multiplying] the use of the same space. You have theatre-style seating when it is required and with the touch of a button it turns into […] a flat floor, giving a multitude of opportunities and possibilities.” (India Today). Additionally, the auditorium features a central stage and the ability to be divided into two independent spaces using a Gala wall from below and a Skyfold wall from above, closing together a 16-metre opening. For the architect, this embodies the process of integrating tradition with modernity, which is a critical consideration for all designers.

Strong trend towards increased versatility

The growing demand for flexible, modular spaces is evident in convention centres around the world as they strive to meet the demands of the MICE industry and compete in established markets. In emerging countries, this trend is exemplified by developments in cities like Baku, Azerbaijan, which introduced a high-tech congress centre of 3,500-seats (2,200 automated) in 2015, and Macau, which established Asia’s first dynamic 2,000-seat entertainment space in 2018. It is now India’s turn to inaugurate such a versatile hall, equipped with the right technology to host multiple events within a single day, thereby generating strategic revenue streams. This meeting venue is poised to meet both present-day event requirements and future needs. Furthermore, the IICC is expected to bring about benefits for the entire region, such as increased tourism, economic growth and enhancement of Delhi’s status as a global destination.

Click to see the IICC transformation

Credits to:
Concept Designer: IDOM
Photographer: Aitor Ortiz

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