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Russi Modi Centre for Excellence Location, Jamshedpur client, Tata Iron & Steel Ltd. (TISCO) The Russi Modi Center for excellence is designed as a formal gate to the Jubilee gardens, adjacent to which is a  large green space. As it is surrounded on three sides by low residential buildings, we felt that the buildings must be blanked off, though without obliterating their presence on the site and its spaces. A concept was derived whereby a visitor on accessing the entrance pyramid goes underground and simultaneously views the entire panorama of the numerous courtyards at varying levels where different activities happen. The idea was to have the Center be like a gateway to Jubilee Park, with the complex set out over the complete site rather than just as one monumental block. Finally, it had to be the kind of public building Tata Steel wanted, able to house exhibition halls, an archives block, an auditorium, library, cafeteria and offices for associated organizations. Feeling that it would be sacrilege to disturb the natural beauty of the environs, we decided to not allow any structure to be seen from the road. Thereby, the whole building is virtually underground. The complex hardly rises above the ground, and with grass mounds growing over most of the site in various contours, it provides a varied, yet unobtrusive facade to the passer-by. The complex is virtually an extension of the landscape. Similarly, a visitor entering the center does not see any of the neighbouring structures and is totally immersed in a different milieu, without being distracted by the encircling buildings.    There are two entrances to the complex. The one on the west side is through an imposing pyramid shaped gateway, through which one descends into a tunnel. This leads to a lush green, circular, cobbled courtyard with a central multi-layered mound. A brick pathway goes under a triangular gate leading to a series of interconnected exhibition halls, with circular foyers in between. Each foyer has a triangular stone facade similar to the pyramidal arch. The halls face a sunken courtyard, across which is a row of offices. Another L-shaped block of low buildings, perpendicular to the halls and offices, houses the archives, cafeteria and auditorium, plus the electrical services for the complex. A large, square patch of green serves as an open plaza, while two water bodies face the second entrance in the south-east corner of the complex, leading in from Jubilee road. Ten free standing, 30-ft-high columns, in two rows of five each, flank the path over the water body, giving this entrance a ceremonial appeal. Leading to the plaza-which in turn is defined by a colonnaded verandah-the stone walkway proceeds to the exhibition halls and offices at the left and the archives, auditorium and cafeteria at right.   
Our primary intention was to make the center a pleasing place where one could walk around at leisure, which led to the installation of some sculptures in a waterbody, which acts as a reflecting surface for the surroundings. While driving past on Jubilee Road, all one can see from outside are the pyramid and triangle and mounds of green earth, while the buildings are tucked away inside at the lower level. 
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