SRCC College Tower, 1930s
Location : Delhi University
Architect : Walter Sykes George
Patron : Lala Shri Ram
The Shri Ram College of Commerce was established by Industrialist, philanthropist and a member of the Delhi Improvement Trust, Lala Shri Ram. Walter George, another member of the Trust was appointed as the architect, who chose exposed brick with Delhi quartz stone to render the building. While the college is profiled as a curvilinear facade with staircase turret in ends and additional blocks, its most striking feature, the central Tower reflects a similar recess in its mass, adding to the essence of verticality of the tower along with a floating roof projection. In addition, on either side, symmetrical along the central tower, are swiftly flowing helical staircases, which protrude as corner circular towers. As a special marker, jaalis in the college have ‘SRCC’ pattern, perhaps as marking initials of the college.
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Image Copyrights : Deco in Delhi References : SRCC Official Website (Online)
Central Tower
Laying emphasis on the verticality of the building. Features like towers, fins, flutes and reeds help lay upward rising emphasis
Recessed Tower
Recess in the surface of the facade to create a stepping pattern in the mass, like setbacks. Ornamentation like bandings, flutes, reeds and motifs would often highlight the profile, in addition to the recesses
Staircases
Staircases under Art Deco showcase simple clean flights, soffits which smoothly curved towards the subsequent floor, forming a pivotal space in the buildings