Kolkata Book Fair 2009, Design Competition, Prize, Image, India, Project, Architect

Kolkata Book Fair : Indian Architecture

Pavilion for Scotland : Contemporary Indian Building – design by Graeme Massie Architects

19 Jan 2009

Kolkata Book Fair Pavilion

Design: Graeme Massie Architects, Scotland

Scotland’s Pavilion to be designed in India

Graeme Massie resigns from designing Kolkata Book Fair Pavilion for Scotland. Competition organisers, like the British Council, should do their utmost to ensure the winner’s design is realised. Time and again architects’ work is wasted because those in power fail to respect them as professionals, and almost always the end result suffers.

image courtesy of architects office

This temporary pavilion will host the Scottish presence at the Kolkata Book Fair so it is entirely logical it is designed in Scotland. The British Council Scotland should be encouraging scottish designers, especially given the depths of the recession which is particularly hitting architects.

As the project developed and local executive architects were appointed, significant changes to the original design were proposed and these were deemed unacceptable to Graeme Massie Architects leading to their resignation from the project.

British Council Scotland Press Release:

Scotland’s Pavilion at the Kolkata Book Fair in January 2009

Edinburgh 19 Jan. British Council Scotland regrets to announce that the temporary pavilion which will host the Scottish presence at the Kolkata Book Fair is now to be designed in India.

Edinburgh-based practice Graeme Massie Architects originally won an open design competition held by the British Council, in association with The Lighthouse. As the project developed and locally based executive architects were appointed, significant changes to the original design were proposed which were unacceptable to Graeme Massie Architects, leading to their resignation from the project. British Council Scotland regrets this profoundly.

Roy Cross, Director British Council Scotland said: “We are extremely grateful to Graeme Massie for his innovative and striking design, which we saw as a fine example of contemporary Scottish architecture. We are very sorry that circumstances have prevented the realisation of his building on this occasion but feel confident that Scotland’s central role at the Kolkata Book Fair will be a success.”

image courtesy of architects office

Graeme Massie Architects said: “We are naturally disappointed to no longer be involved with the project, and that there will no longer be a Scottish design presence at the Book Fair, however we wish the British Council well with their ambitious Scotland-Kolkata Connections programme.”

Scotland will now be presented in a locally designed and built pavilion at the heart of the Kolkata Book Fair which is expected to be visited by 50,000 people per day. The pavilion will showcase a series of presentations from Scottish institutions including the Scotland Kolkata Connections exhibition curated by Henri Lidchi of National Museums Scotland and host discussions and film screenings throughout the two-week long book fair.

Scotland’s participation in the Kolkata Book Fair marks the beginning of a year-long programme of events and exchanges exploring the connections between Scotland and India to be delivered in association with over 50 Scottish institutions including, Museums Galleries Scotland, National Museums Scotland, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, National Library of Scotland, National Galleries of Scotland and Education UK Scotland.

Kolkata Book Fair information received from British Council Scotland 190109

Pavilion for Scotland at the Kolkata Book Fair 2009

Open Design Competition – 1st Prize : Graeme Massie Architects
23 Oct 2008

image courtesy of architects office

Kolkata Book Fair Pavilion design by Graeme Massie Architects

Location: Kolkata, Northeast India, South Asia

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