About Us
HCP was founded by Hasmukh C. Patel in 1960. Today, it is a design practice with over 300 people, with offices at Ahmedabad, Delhi and Pune. We are a multidisciplinary practice that provides professional services in architectural design, interior design, engineering, urban design, urban planning, communications, project management and construction management. We believe that design is essentially problem-solving. The objective is to find simple and elegant solutions to practical problems, within the unique constraints faced by each project. Our design philosophy and collaborative approach allow us to offer an expansive array of non-traditional design services and enable us to effectively tackle complex and large-scale projects.
1960
Astodia Office
In the 1960s HCP was housed in a small office in the walled city. It thrived in post-independence Ahmedabad’s embrace of modernism and through its architectural work it contributed to the redefinition of many social and cultural institutions of the time. Pictured here are architects in HCP’s first office in the mid-sixties.
1963
Newman Hall
Newman Hall, now known as Premal Jyoti, was amongst the earliest projects that HCP produced during the sixties. Its architecture is sparse and elegant. Two rows of rooms along corridors enclose a courtyard with a chapel. Meticulously detailed and superbly constructed facades are composed from thin exposed-brick brise soleil on the outside and load-bearing columns on the inside.
1967
St. Xavier's Primary School
St. Xavier’s Primary School is another significant project of the sixties. The primary school’s architecture, a checkerboard of courtyards, corridors and classrooms challenged notions of work and play, inside and outside and classrooms and gardens. In doing this it allowed the school’s visionary principal Fr. Zavala S.J. to redefine the school’s pedagogy.
1971
Bhavani Chambers office
In the early 1970s HCP moved to larger offices in Bhavani Chambers on Ashram Road, which then was the prime commercial street of Western Ahmedabad. The extra space allowed for a more spacious studio and a proper model-making facility.
1971
The Reserve Bank of India
The Reserve Bank of India office building was amongst the earliest projects that came out of HCP’s Bhavani Chambers office. Like many other HCP buildings of the time, its design explored and extended the architectural idiom of exposed concrete modernist architecture. Its low-slung office tower was set on a wide podium. It provided a memorable focal point from across Gandhi Bridge.
1978
H.K. House Office
During the mid 1970s HCP began successfully tackling many speculative development projects just as real estate development was emerging to the fore as a way of organizing building production. H.K. House office building was one such project. It showed how a clear architectural vocabulary could be meshed with the commercial imperatives of real estate development. HCP moved to H.K. House when it was completed in 1978. Here, finally, Patel was able to have an office with facilities and a layout that fully supported the working style of the practice and reflected its design ethos of clarity, simplicity and well-reasoned design.
1978
Chinubhai Centre and Patang Restaurant
Chinubhai Centre was built in the late 1970s and demonstrated how the civic need for widely accessible recreational facilities and architectural icons could be realized through the architecture of speculative projects. Over time, Chinubhai Centre’s revolving restaurant has become a symbol for modern Ahmedabad.
1985
Entrepreneurship Development Institute
Hasmukh Patel’s son Bimal Patel joined HCP in the mid 1980s. He led the design for the Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India. The architecture of this project explored how lessons from Islamic and colonial architecture of the subcontinent could be used to enrich contemporary Indian architecture. The project won the Aga Khan Award for Architecture in 1992.
1986
Refurbishment of Eden Gardens Stadium, Kolkata
HCP designed the refurbishment of Eden Gardens Stadium in Kolkata for hosting the 1987 World Cup. The old patchwork of disorderly stands was roofed over using an array of cantilevered space-frames. The old clubhouse and pavilion were rebuilt, all in record time. Â Â
1988
Paritosh Office
In 1988 HCP moved to its present office in Paritosh Building along the Sabarmati riverfront. Its studios, model workshop, offices, library and archives are distributed across several floors of the building. A gallery and a cafe are located within the building’s riverfront-facing garden.
1992
The Aga Khan Award
The Aga Khan Award for Architecture (AKAA) is given every three years to projects that set new standards of excellence in architecture, planning practices, historic preservation and landscape architecture. Bimal Patel received this award for the Entrepreneurship Development Institute (EDI), Ahmedabad.
1994
C.G. Road Development
The C G Road redevelopment was one of the first urban redevelopment projects to be taken up in post independence India. The project was innovative in many respects. It demonstrated that public-private partnership can be effective and that public infrastructure can be self-financed. The project played a key role role in Ahmedabad’s rejuvenation during the mid 1990s. HCP was responsible for the overall master plan, detailed design of the street as well as for managing the development.
1998
Baburao Mhatre Gold Medal for Lifetime Achievement
The Indian Institute of Architects (IIA) recognized the contribution of its fellow, Hasmukh C. Patel, to contemporary architecture in India and his commitment to architectural education. He was awarded the prestigious Baburao Mhatre Gold Medal on December 26, 1998 at the national convention of IIA in Vishakhapatnam.
1998
Best Practices Award by UNCHS
C.G. Road redevelopment received the United Nations Centre for Human Settlements (UNCHS) 1998 Award for Excellence. HCP’s submission was reviewed by an independent technical advisory committee and selected for inclusion in the ‘100 Global Best Practices’ list.
1999
Indian Institute of Management-Ahmedabad (IIM-A), New Campus
Following a national search, HCP was awarded the project for designing an extension to Louis Kahn’s iconic IIM-A. The new buildings provided teaching and residential facilities for the post-graduate program, an International Management Centre, a Centre for Innovation and Incubation, and sports facilities amongst many other much needed facilities to support IIM-A’s growing needs.Â
2000
Great Master's Award by J.K. Cement
Hasmukh C Patel was the recipient of the Great Master’s award by JK Cement for his contribution to the architectural profession. The awards were instituted by the company in 1990 to celebrate the best projects in the spheres of architecture, town planning, infrastructure development and affordable housing.
2001
ar + d High Commendation Award
The Architectural Review is a very highly regarded international architecture magazine. Its awards for emerging architecture promote architects and their work to the world. HCP’s Ahmedabad Management Association (AMA) building won the ar + d High Commendation Award in the education category.
2001
Rebuilding Bhuj
Bhuj was one of the worst-hit cities during the earthquake of 2001. To deal with the aftermath of the disaster, the Government of Gujarat decided to rebuild the city. HCP were appointed as consultants for the preparation of the Bhuj Development Plan and Town Planning Schemes.
2002
Sabarmati Riverfront Development
The Sabarmati Riverfront Development Corporation appointed HCP to develop the Riverfront in the heart of Ahmedabad after 30 years of shelved proposals. This proposal included an innovative self-financing method to generate revenue for execution of the project. The project creates social public space for 11kms on either side of the river and provides the city protection from flooding.
2006
Prime Minister’s National Award for Excellence in Urban Planning and Design
The Prime Minister’s national award rewards highly successful and promising innovations in Urban Planning and Design that improve the functional performance of cities and the quality of life of their citizens. In 2006, the Sabarmati Riverfornt Development Project won this prestigious award under the category Innovative Ideas/Concepts and Plans in Urban Planning and Design.Â
2006
Aga Khan Academy, Hyderabad
The Aga Khan Academy in Hyderabad is a residential school for 1200 students. It is one of 14 such academies constructed in various developing countries, offering its students education, from pre-primary to upper-secondary levels. The majority of the buildings of the Academy were designed as small blocks arranged around courtyards, ensuring that the landscape remains largely unaltered. The courtyards also allow for natural ventilation of the rooms.
2010
50 years of HCP
What began as a small practice in 1960 under the name of Messers Hasmukh C. Patel Architects, celebrated 50 years of practice on August 27, 2010. Building on its rich legacy, the practice today has evolved into HCP Design Planning and Management, offering architectural, city planning, urban design and interior design services. A monograph was compiled to document and celebrate this journey.Â
2012
IIM Flyover
In the municipal budget for 2011-12, Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) proposed a flyover at the IIM junction to address the traffic congestion problem at this intersection. The scope included comprehensive development of 920m length which included 500m flyover, the spaces under the flyover and the complete right-of-way width. Great care was taken to plan the construction sequence so that there was minimum impact on traffic and its immediate context.
2013
HUDCO Design Awards for New and Innovative Town Design Solutions
HCP won the Housing and Urban Design Corporation Ltd (HUDCO) design award for its work on the Himmatnagar Canal Front Development Project. The award was received under the category of new and innovative town design solutions for both its sensitive design approach and the innovative funding structure of the project.
2015
Amochhu Land Reclamantion & Township Project, Phuentsholing, Bhutan
HCP was appointed by DHI-INFRA as consultants for the Amochhu Land Reclamation and Township Project. The project aims to reclaim land from the Amochhu River and protect Phuentsholing city from the constant threat of life-threatening floods and loss of invaluable flat terrain.
2016
Book published: The Architecture of Hasmukh C. Patel
This book presents 51 of Hasmukh C. Patel’s most significant projects. It is a record of his work and traces his architectural and working style. The book is a tribute to him but is also intended to aid teaching architecture in India. It is co-authored by Catherine Desai and Bimal Patel.
2017
Mumbai Port Trust land development
The Board of Mumbai Port Trust (MbPT) invited bids from around the world to help them masterplan 500 acres of their land on the eastern seafront of Mumbai. HCP was selected, through a competition, as lead consultant of an international consortium to take the project forward.
2018
Vishwanath Dham, Varanasi
Located in Varanasi, Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple is visited by nearly 15,000 pilgrims daily and this can reach over 100,000 during important festivals. The government of Uttar Pradesh has taken up the task of developing the area around the temple and the approach that leads to the Ganges to ease accessibility and improve the experience for pilgrims, tourists and local citizens. A special area has been delineated for Shri Kashi Vishwanath Special Area Development Board (SKVSADB) and HCP have been commissioned to prepare a plan for the development of the temple precinct.Â
2019
Padma Shri Award
HCP Director Dr. Bimal Patel received the Padma Shri award from President Ram Nath Kovind on March 11, 2019 at the Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi.Â
2019
Transformation of Central Vista, New Delhi
HCP wins bid and are appointed consultants for redevelopment of the Central Vista at New Delhi. This includes the Central Vista Avenue, the new Parliament building, Central Secretariat to house all the ministries, and allied buildings and spaces. The consultancy services include master plan, building designs, cost estimation, landscape and traffic integration plans and parking facilities.
2020
HUDCO Design Award for New and Innovative Town Design Solutions / Eco-Cities
HCP were awarded second place by the jury in the category New and Innovative Town design Solutions / Eco-Cities for our project Redeveloping Mumbai Portlands, Maharashtra. The design uses an innovative mechanism to increase land use efficiency by maximising floor space and ensures that maximum land is brought into the public domain while protecting environmental features.