Keventer Realty Invests Rs 3,500 Crore In Kolkata’s Most Ambitious Real Estate Projects

Kolkata-based Keventer Realty has made an investment of over Rs 3,500 crore to develop a number of landmark properties. It has a land bank of 200 acre and when it comes to construction executed and under construction, it has dealt with 1 crore sq ft of realty space including the iconic Urbana, Altius, Crosswinds, Unimark Asia, to name a few. Keventer Realty, an established player in the real estate market since 1995, delivering landmark residential, commercial and retail projects, offering state-of-the-art conveniences, plush amenities and riveting architecture at each of its world-class properties, now promises to come up with all these and much more at Keventer One.

And here is a man, who, on behalf of the company, has been creating some of Kolkata’s landmark development, fostering a culture of quality and trust, developing innovative, challenging and unmatched building spaces for the customers. He has more than 35 years of experience in developing concepts and leading design teams across Europe and Asia, from a 2.5 million square meter urban development in China, multiple retail and infrastructure projects in Hong Kong, to a private house in London. Stephen Coates is the hand behind all. He has much experience across a wide range of sectors including commercial, residential, education, master planning and infrastructure-related projects, from concept design to implementation.

Speaking to Bizz Buzz exclusively, Stephen Coates, Senior Design Principal, Coates Design, London and Lead Architect for Keventer One, explains how through unique architectural techniques or technologies, sustainability and eco-friendly features can be integrated with designing of a ‘smart property’.

Could you share the brief you received from Keventer Realty regarding the design of Keventer One?

Create Kolkata's most important landmark office building for a unique and prime site located both in the heart of Kolkata’s CBD, on the serene banks of the Hooghly River. Maximum number of offices should benefit from the panoramic views of the river to the West and the City to the East.

The buildings design should epitomise sleek, modern architecture with stringent environmental considerations. Facades should maximise the amount of daylight admitted in and views admitted out, whilst tempering the amount of harmful heat permitted into the building using high-quality double-glazed units. The building should capture the dynamic energy of the city while offering tranquil moments of reflection and inspiration. This new office will become more than just a place to work; it will be a hub of innovation, collaboration, and creativity.

The office will be supported with plentiful parking, a club with pool, restaurants, food court, restaurant skybar and club and helipad. Riverfront terraces and outdoor lounges will allow teams to take a breath, recharge, and reconnect with nature. The building should be both a hive of activity and connectivity, whilst offering a calm and contemplative environment

What was the core concept or inspiration behind the architectural design of Keventer One?

The building responds to the program and the desire to maximise views from the heart of this big building to both the River in the West and the City in the East simultaneously.

The resulting massing placed two glazed office towers sitting high above the Ground atop a 10-storey car park. The architectural concept responds to this disconnect by draping a curtain wall ‘jacket’ from the shoulders of the building to just above the ground thereby creating a unified composition with more elegant proportions

The ‘jacket’ opens and draws the eye up to the central atrium, its double deck wall climber lifts and to the West, the Cloud seemingly hovering between the two wings. Green ‘waterfalls’ cascade from the 10th floor to both East and West, further drawing the eye upwards whilst simultaneously purifying the air form the car park over.

The huge and iconic X-brace on the West river facing façade braces each wing against the other to stabilise the structure against strong wind loads and is expressed as ‘braid’ or edging to the jacket glazing. The X brace was refined to reflect a double K representing the father and son leaders of Keventer. The braid continues around all edges of the jacket to house practical considerations such as facade cleaning rails.

The braid will be illuminated and mullions on the jacket are pronounced to add texture and will contain a full height LED insert to add drama to the night time spectacle. The curtain wall ‘jacket’ with cascading green ‘waterfall’ spilling out combine to create a unique and powerful iconic building to the Kolkata skyline and be a landmark that declares Kolkata as open to business in the 21st century and beyond.

What new or innovative elements have you introduced in the design of Keventer One that differentiate it from other commercial spaces?

Keventer One stands out from other commercial spaces through its innovative design elements that blend sustainability, functionality, and modern aesthetics while drawing inspiration from Kolkata’s rich cultural and architectural heritage. Here are a few key differentiators:

Sustainable and Green Design: Keventer One integrates eco-friendly building practices with LEED certifications and energy-efficient technologies. The building maximizes natural light with full height glazed curtain wall with insulted glazing, while advanced water recycling and rainwater harvesting systems ensure sustainability. Lush green terraces and vertical gardens further enhance environmental consciousness.

Riverfront Aesthetic: One of the most striking features of Keventer One is its close relationship with the Hooghly River. The design incorporates river-facing lounges, terraces, and break-out spaces that allow tenants to unwind while taking in panoramic views of the river. This riverfront integration also enhances employee well-being and creativity, making the workplace experience unique.

Flexible and Modular Spaces: Unlike traditional commercial spaces, Keventer One provides highly flexible, modular interiors. Businesses can customize their office layout to meet their changing needs, ensuring scalability and adaptability over time.

Smart Building Technology: The building is designed as a “smart office” with integrated IoT solutions, automated lighting, climate control, and security systems. A tech-enabled environment provides data-driven insights into space usage and energy consumption, promoting efficiency and user experience. Keyless entry, contactless elevators, and smart workstations enhance the overall tenant experience.

Community-Centric Spaces: Keventer One offers a curated mix of co-working areas, social hubs, and wellness centers that foster a sense of community. Amenities such as cafes, gyms, and wellness rooms encourage interaction, relaxation, and networking, creating an ecosystem that supports both professional growth and personal well-being.

Art and Culture Integration: Reflecting the cultural vibrancy of Kolkata, Keventer One integrates local art and design elements into its architecture. From the lobby to common areas, curated artworks and installations pay homage to the city’s heritage while adding a distinctive cultural narrative to the building’s identity.

Sustainable Transportation and Accessibility: With a focus on reducing its carbon footprint, Keventer One supports alternative transportation methods like bicycle parking, EV charging stations, and proximity to public transport hubs. This fosters convenience while encouraging environmentally conscious commuting.

These elements combine to make Keventer One a cutting-edge, holistic workspace that reflects modern demands for sustainability, flexibility, and technological integration, all while maintaining a connection to Kolkata’s unique heritage and riverfront beauty.

Are there any new architectural technique used in this project that you haven’t used before?

Yes, the huge full-height cross (X) brace bracing the West side of the building against wind loads. It has a real function and it was natural to want to express it to help enhance the unique character of the building. The introduction of India’s first double-deck lifts due to the high demand from the 5,000 people who will work here daily and the huge number of visitors expected. Building is being modelled using BIM (Building Intelligent Modelling) to ensure smooth integration between the many design disciplines involved.

How have you ensured that the design of Keventer One remains relevant and functional in the future, considering the evolving nature of commercial spaces?

It is always difficult to predict the future, and never has this been truer in our post-COVID world. Work practices- working from home, video cons etc- led some to predict the function of a central office would be as a meeting place where colleagues and associates could come together in an inspiring environment to collaborate most effectively. Two years post-Covid, more and more businesses are demanding their staff be in station at least 3 days a week.

It is fair to assume that flexibility will be key to designing effective office spaces. To this end, Keventer One will be blessed with large floor plates- both North and South wings are 13,000 sqft- and high ceilings. Huge vertical service risers are designed to with future unseen needs in mind.

Glazing is highest performing insulted double glazing possible to maximise the amount of controlled daylighting permitted into the building to ensure a conducive work environment where occupants can enjoy maximum amount of controlled natural daylighting, good for the health and well-being. This is a

Could you share any thoughts on how the design might be adaptable for future expansion or changes in business needs?

The concrete structure is robust and will survive 100 years minimum. All other components from the façade to the lifts and all services can be easily replaced when components reach their useful life, and if and when required technologies change.

How have you integrated smart building technologies into Keventer One’s design to enhance user experience and operational efficiency?

Entry to the building and calling of lifts will all be done remotely through virtual Personal Identification Card Access System accessible through a mobile phone. This will allow a holder of such a card to be informed which car park space has been allocated to them and which lift to take them to their floor in the most efficient way. This virtual card will not permit them to unauthorised floors.