India’s rapid growth in the Information Technology sector has given rise to a number of corporate campuses for multi-national companies in the field. And in addition to offering a range of technologically advanced services, these projects have often utilized a large quantity of high-end stone materials. One of the largest ongoing projects is TCS Technopark in Chennai, which is using two varieties of granite, which were quarried in India.
TCS Technopark will be one of the biggest IT campuses in Asia, stretching across a spread of more than 75 acres. The project will house 12 buildings and accommodate 20,000 workers. It is anchored by Tata Consultancy Services Limited (TCS), one of the world’s largest providers of information technology, and the largest employer among Indian IT companies. TCS is a part of one of the world’s largest conglomerates, The Tata Group, whose business interests include energy, telecommunications, financial services, manufacturing, chemicals and engineering.
TCS Technopark has been designed by renowned architect Carlos A. Ott with Carlos Ponce de Leon from Uruguay. “Being [that] India is a fantastic country and Tata a first line company, this is a sophisticated, first-generation project, and an incredible large-scale architectural opportunity,” according to a design statement from Carlos A. Ott Architect. “The workers will enjoy open spaces and views so as to develop creativity and imagination. It will undoubtedly become a company emblem, and furthermore a space to develop fellowship and dialogue between workers in order to obtain best results.”
As part of the interior design, the architects have specified Mudgal Grey and Jet Black granite, quarried and processed in India by Pokarna Limited. “Pokarna Limited served TCS by not only providing first-class quality granite but also in installation of the same,” stated the company. “Our capacity to cater to such a huge demand and our cut-to-size capacity enabled us to be a preferred partner for the project. [The project utilized] over 5,000 pieces of granite and required precision in cutting and installation for cladding on each of the 48 curved walls. The total quantity supplied and installed comes to over 14,250 square meters [over 150,000 square feet] of granite, used for various purposes like flooring, cladding, skirting, steps, risers, etc.”
For Pokarna, the TCS Technopark is the latest achievement in a history of international stone trade. The company, which has two full-scale processing plants - has exported material to major markets around the world, including the U.S., Europe, Russia and Australia, among others.