The Hindu 22.01.2014
Heritage premises to be merged, given a makeover
The Chennai Corporation has decided to merge the heritage premises of Ripon Buildings and Victoria Public Hall to facilitate a major makeover of the integrated premises.
“A few of the old structures have been earmarked for demolition. Under the new proposal, of the total of 10-odd structures on both premises, only three structures will remain on the integrated premises,” said a Corporation official.
After demolition of the old buildings, an integration of the two premises and landscaping of the area, more than 75 per cent of the land will be open space.
Victoria Public Hall, Ripon Buildings and the Ripon Building Annexe will be the three structures on the 9.5 acre plot of land.
The Corporation will then commission seating facilities across the landscaped greenery for visitors to Ripon Buildings. “The new Ripon Buildings’ premises will have one of the best landscaped parks in the city,” the official said.
A multi-level parking space near the Ripon Building Annexe will also be set up, and will accommodate 1,000 cars.
Construction of the parking facility will be carried out based on the advice of the Heritage Conservation Committee of the Chennai Metropolitan Area, officials said.
After work on the Ripon Building Annexe, which spans 1.25 lakh sq. ft., is completed in March, the Corporation will take measures to aesthetically blend all the structures with the century-old Ripon Buildings.
The annexe is being built in a contemporary and post-modern style, with elements of regional architecture highlighted. The annexe will have a new auditorium which will seat 500 persons.
Ripon Buildings is one of the city’s finest examples of architecture in a combination of Gothic, Ionic and Corinthian styles.
The Corporation intends to integrate Ripon Buildings and Victoria Public Hall, and landscape the entire area.
