Prestige Liberty Towers by OMA / Iyad Alsaka

Home to the country’s oldest stock exchange, its most important banks, and Bollywood, whose film production far outpaces its American counterpart, Mumbai is the engine of India’s economic growth. Today’s Mumbai is the result of a fast-paced modernization that clearly reflects in its urban tissue.

In the heart of the historic textile mills area of Mumbai, Prestige Liberty Towers is located in the Mahalaxmi district formerly known as Girangon, the “Village of Mills’. Central to Mumbai’s economy especially during colonial times, it is now rapidly transforming into a global financial city, buzzing with new transport networks, high-rise residential, retail and office spaces.

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OMA’s design takes advantage of the views overlooking the Mahalakshmi Racecourse to the Arabian Sea with two staggered towers of 200 and 290 meters – at 270,000m² one of the largest office developments in the city. The rectangular column-free floors, combined with full height curved glass facades, are designed to maximize the office plan efficiency with light filled, high quality workspaces.

The restrained material selection of Indian black basalt and glass provide a counterpoint to the urban surroundings. The office spaces take into account the increasing importance of decentralized work, providing flexible working areas. Large, open floors of 1,300m² and 1,700m² up to 15 meters deep can be subdivided to accommodate one or more companies on the same floor and enable a variety of working styles and office layouts.

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The almost three-meter high ceiling and the energy efficient facades with full-height windows allow for more natural light than the average office building. Microperforated acoustic aluminum panels and vibration control ensure appropriate acoustics in the working environments. Integrating the arrival lobbies to the office towers, a five-story podium houses the 36,000m² retail mall.

The podium is elevated to distribute shared infrastructures and allow vehicle circulation beneath the building and the entrance to a fully automated basement carpark. Between the towers a garden roof terrace directly accessed from the coworking, restaurant and shopping areas provide much needed amenity space for connection and relaxation for office users and locals.

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Central to the 36,000 square meters retail podium is a generous atrium. The large glazed wall allows for natural light to enter the retail areas, opening the mall to the city. The shear glass facade contrasts with the restrained black of the Indian basalt podium cladding. Inside, the retail mall continues with a simple palette of cool tones with metal panels, back-painted white glass and grey seamless terrazzo inset with brass inlays.

Throughout all levels of the podium a broad range of programs is offered – an open podium, food court, restaurants, cinemas and a theater – to enrich with cultural and public events which extend the life of the building long after the work day is over. Source by OMA / Iyad Alsaka.

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