Although Antwerp is known as the diamond commerce capital of the world, the majority of rough diamonds are mined in Russia or Africa. However, about 240 kilometres (150 miles) north of Mumbai, India, is Surat, a lesser-known gem capital where approximately 90 percent of the world's diamonds are cut.
Now, the city in the Indian state of Gujarat has a record-breaking structure to house its massive industry.
The newly-opened Surat Diamond Bourse is advertised as a "one-stop destination" for more than 65,000 diamond professionals, including cutters, polishers, and merchants. The expansive 15-story complex was constructed on more than 35 acres of land and features a series of nine rectangular buildings radiating from a central "spine" and interconnected via a "spine."
According to the architects, the trading centre has over 7,100,000 square feet of floor space, surpassing the Pentagon as the world's largest office structure.
After four years of construction, two of which were impacted by Covid-related delays, the project is expected to greet its first occupants in November. It is anticipated that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was born in Gujarat and previously served as the state's chief minister, will inaugurate it later this year.
New images shared exclusively with CNN reveal the marble floors and light-filled atriums connecting over 4,700 office spaces, which can also serve as small diamond-cutting and polishing facilities. The $388 million development consists of 131 lifts, as well as dining, retail, wellness and conference spaces for employees.
According to the project's CEO, Mahesh Gadhavi, the Surat Diamond Bourse will eliminate the need for thousands of people to travel to Mumbai by train to conduct business on a daily basis.
It is impossible... Some individuals must commute three and a half to four hours per day from their homes to their workplaces and back," he said via video call, describing the relocation of businesses to Surat as a "better alternative."
'Democratic' design
Following an international design competition, Indian architecture firm Morphogenesis designed the structure. Gadhavi told CNN that surpassing the Pentagon was not part of the competition brief. Rather, demand determined the scale of the project, he said, adding that all of the offices were purchased by diamond companies prior to construction.
According to Morphogenesis, its design creates a "level playing field" for enterprises of all sizes. According to the co-founder of the architecture firm, Sonali Rastogi, who described the design as "democratic," occupants have similarly convenient access to amenities and facilities, with offices connected by a long central corridor reminiscent of an airport terminal.”
Working there is meant to be "exactly the same for everyone," she explained via video call from New Delhi, adding that no office is more than seven minutes from any of the building's entry entrances. (According to Gadhavi, a lottery was used to determine which businesses received which offices.)
The design was also influenced by Morphogenesis's investigation into the functioning of the Indian diamond trade. Rastogi drew attention to the nine 1.5-acre courtyards with seating and water features that can serve as informal meeting places for merchants. Rastogi compared the landscaped areas to "a traditional bazaar," stating that the firm was influenced by the fact that many informal transactions occur outside of the office.
"Email orders are probably taken inside, but almost all human-to-human transactions occur outside," she said, comparing the courtyards to "public parks where we assume all these activities will occur."
Transformational preparations
Aerial photographs of Surat Diamond Bourse reveal that the colossal structure is currently surrounded by relatively low-rise structures. This could alter if plans for a major redevelopment of the 7 million-person city dubbed "Dream City" are realised.
The audacious plan, which has been publicly praised by Prime Minister Modi, seeks to construct a "smart" city on approximately 700 hectares (1,730 acres) of land in south Surat. Gadhavi stated that the new diamond centre would be the "anchor tenant" for the neighbourhood. Rastogi reported that her company is in discussions with prospective clients regarding other projects in the area, including a convention centre.
While the architect acknowledged that Surat lacks a "very remarkable architectural language of its own," she expressed optimism that sustainable design will influence the future growth of a city where summer temperatures can exceed 110 degrees Fahrenheit.
Morphogenesis asserts that its design consumes up to fifty percent less energy than the maximum allowed by the Indian Green Building Council to achieve a "platinum" rating. The architects claim that the central spine's flared shape was designed to channel prevailing winds through the structure, while "radiant cooling" circulates chilled water beneath its floors to reduce interior temperatures.
Although individual offices will rely on conventional air conditioning, Rastogi estimates that roughly half of the building will be chilled by natural ventilation, while solar energy will be used to power common areas.
"We decided to create something iconic, which borrows... from its context and the community we are working with," she said, adding that the building's design was "based on environmental and sustainable design rather than a specific architectural language."