The newly-revealed Surat Diamond Bourse in India has been touted as the world’s largest office building, surpassing the Pentagon – which held the title for 80 years – with a staggering footprint of 660,000 square metres.
Designed by architecture studio Morphogenesis, the building was designed as a hub for the city’s diamond trade, “developed as a cooperative by the community of diamond traders and for them,” the firm said.
The layout draws associations to an airport terminal – nine 15-storey wings are dispersed along a central spine, and within the wings are more than 4,700 offices for tens of thousands of diamond professionals, from cutters to traders.
The central spine features a series of full-height atriums with balconies on each level, flooding the building with natural light. Between the wings are courtyards, largely shaded by the building itself, that are intended as informal meeting spaces for the building’s occupants.
All occupants have equal access to facilities and amenities, creating a “level playing field,” said the architecture firm’s co-founder, Sonali Rastogi.
“Surat Diamond Bourse is a testament to the collaborative effort and collective agency of the many stakeholders involved – from the concept stage through to completion – and we hope it stands as an enduring symbol of community impact.”
Photos: Edmund Sumner
