Inspired by a sailboat, The Pavilion, an iconic structure at a seaplane terminal in Maharashtra, India, features a sloped roof with curved beams that soar above ground level. The structure is wrapped with perforated louver screens, which give it the appearance of a sailboat’s full sails. At the roof’s highest point, on the coast-facing side, three columns angle down to the ground and attach to a single point, forming a triangle, which resembles a boat anchor. The dramatic architecture is the vision of Nashik, India-based Rohan Deore Architects. To achieve the soaring composition with its curvilinear form, anchor and sails, the firm specified hollow metal sections in the roof and a variety of other distinct details.
A sloped roof appears to float, louver screens resemble sails and columns form an anchor
Photo: Hemant Patil, Pune, Maharashtra, India
Rohan Sudhakar Deore, architect at Rohan Deore Architects, says, “The important reference point was the idea of sailboat that stands against wind and water, which were the main elements of the site. The design took its cue from the transverse structure of a sailboat: the form, the anchor and the inflated sails. The steel structure gave the design a majestic, yet sleek look.”
The seaplane terminal is located at Gangapur Dam, and near Nashik, a pilgrimage city, tourist destination and growing business center. It is a landing point for people traveling from Mumbai, India, to Nashik. In addition to operating as a seaplane terminal The Pavilion, which was completed for $1.8 million in January 2017, is also used by members of a boat club.
Photo: Hemant Patil, Pune, Maharashtra, India
Visual Journey
Rohan Deore Architects oriented and designed the 16,500-square-foot pavilion to create a visual journey for occupants. It is oriented on a southwest axis that maximizes views of the horizon, where the dam meets the Western Ghats mountain range and Trimbakeshwar Range mountain range. An entrance driveway is located at the southeast side of The Pavilion, and a small office building was built at the southwest corner. A jetty projects into the water from the driveway. Across the driveway, screenwalls and a service and store building were constructed. A red feature wall, which has an entrance opening to the driveway, runs across the southwest corner of the site and unifies the buildings.
“The axis creates a linkage between the water and land in relation to the wind flow and sun direction,” Deore says.
Maharashtra, India-based Harsh Constructions Pvt. Ltd. was general contractor and installer for the project. The company built the structure with mild steel, steel pipes, steel tubes, hollow steel sections and mild steel plates for built-in sections. It is constructed to withstand its corrosive, salt-spray environment.
“Although it is a hollow metal structure, it can withstand against the impact of strong winds and water,” Deore says.
Photo: Hemant Patil, Pune, Maharashtra, India
Floating Roof
The roof appears to float on two rows of steel columns. One column supports the inclined roof, which creates a floating effect. At the tops and bottoms of the columns, Rohan Deore Architects specified custom stainless steel pin joints, which continue the floating roof appearance. At the roof, the pin joints are attached to inclined trusses. Harsh Constructions installed Kaushambi, Uttar Pradesh, India-based APL Apollo Tubes Ltd.’s columns with an epoxy paint satin finish. The columns were produced with 12-mm-thick steel and have a 210-mm diameter.
For the roof, Harsh Constructions installed 13,853 square feet of Mumbai-based JSW Steel’s 0.5-mm-thick Galvalume roof panels in Off White. At the southwest end of the roof, opposite the anchor columns, Harsh Constructions built a skylight with pergolas and glass. To construct a false ceiling, Harsh Constructions installed Kolkata, West Bengal, India-based Tata Structura’s 0.5-mm-thick Galvalume ceiling panels.
Photo: Hemant Patil, Pune, Maharashtra, India
Inflated Sails
Louver screens are the skin of the structure. They protect occupants from winds off the water and rainwater. They also diffuse daylight and nighttime lighting, and allow for expansive views. To build them, Harsh Constructions installed 9,268 square feet of Pearl River, N.Y.-based Hunter Douglas Architectural’s perforated metal louvers with an Off White epoxy paint satin finish. Steel frames support the louver screens.
“The ascending and overlapping perforated metal louvers depict the sails inflated by the wind,” Deore explains. “Intentional gaps are left between the roof and the louvers to let out the hot air from the top level and cool breeze seeps into The Pavilion at the ground level, which is devoid of louvers. Hence, the wind pressure is broken and coolness is maintained.”