Helipads on top of High rises in India - is there a rationale?

I was reading through the article regarding the Los Angeles' Mayor's announcement saying that for new buildings it wasn't mandatory to have helipads on top as per fire rescue guidelines, as they limit the city's skyline to flat topped boxes and wondered about the relevance of this rule in an Indian context. The intention behind the Mayor's move was to have a more interesting skyline for Los Angeles, giving architects the freedom to go beyond flat-tops.

Image courtesy  - www.dailynews.com

los-angeles-no-longer-requires-helipads-on-buildings-allowing-for-bolder-skyscraper-designs

The logic behind this particular guideline, which is mandatory as per the National Building Code for buildings above 60m in height, is to have an escape mechanism for helicopter evacuation in case of fires in high-rise buildings. Although altruistic in intention, the practicality of landing a helicopter on top of a burning building needs to be analysed, with several experts felling that this is extremely dangerous. What is interesting is that Los Angeles was one of the few remaining cities in the US were this rule existed. Alternate mechanisms like separate elevators for firefighters, additional staircases etc. could be more effective and practical. 

In an Indian context, as was seen during the recent fire in Mumbai, helicopter evacuation was sought as a last resort to evacuate the trapped firemen. There also, the helicopter did not touch down on top of the building but only lowered the Navy sailor to rescue the trapped firemen. This does lead to question whether such a tactic can be employed instead of having a full fledged helipad on top. There have been plenty of instances where the DGCA has refused permission to land a helicopter on top of these helipads citing safety concerns. If the helipads are seen unsafe by the aviation authorities then why bother having them in the first place?

Image courtesy - www.indiatimes.com

Mumbai highrise fire

More than any aesthetic consideration, one needs to wonder whether spending such a lot of extra money for the structural design and reinforcement required for erecting a helipad on top of a high-rise building is worth the expenditure if it is not going to be of much practical value. This is especially relevant in high-rise residential developments where this cost accrued to the builder is directly transferred to the resident. We need rules and regulations which work, which are practical and which takes into consideration all the stakeholders and not merely rules which exist on paper for a feel good factor. We must also understand that the value of a life is paramount and should not be compromised at all. It is high time that we rationalize the regulations and take into confidence the building community so that they do not cut corners and come up with inventive solutions to work around ineffective rules. It is thus critical that we revisit these regulations and reframe rules which are really effective and relevant in today’s context. Parallelly, we need to strengthen and better equip our fire services to deal effectively with emergencies in high-rises. The Los Angeles announcement has come at just the right time for us to introspect on our situation and address the existing concerns.

MOSHE SAFDIE - KHALSA HERITAGE COMPLEX

The Khalsa Heritage Complex has been conceived as a heritage museum covering 6500 square meters with multimedia and state of the art communication facilities, which act as a setting for unfolding the drama of the Sikh heritage. This complex is the brainchild of Punjab's cheif minister Mr.Prakash Singh Badal, who was inspired by the Jewish Museum built by Moshe Safdie in Jerusalem and invited him to design the museum in Punjab. For the Sikhs, this complex would serve as a reaffirmation of roots. For the non-Sikh, it will be an inspiring journey into a spirited culture, providing a fascinating insight into Sikhism.

Situated at the foothills of the Shivalik range at Anandpur Shib in Punjab, the site is on a plateau formed by a series of sand cliffs facing a small ravine. It consists of well pronounced ridges and valleys with varying degrees of slopes and existing natural water courses for draining the area.

 

The entire complex is conceived as two spaces, one on the east and another on the west. The western complex forms the gateway for the town and houses exhibition galleries, archives, audio-visual resources, libraries as well as a 400-seater auditorium.

The eastern complex is accessed through a pedestrian bridge. The eastern complex houses the Khalsa Heritage Museum, which houses the permanent exhibition gallery on 500 years of Sikh heritage. The two complexes are separated by a series of reflecting pools which create a 7 acre water body, which floods the valley into a series of water gardens and link it to the fort and to the town. Arcaded walkways & gardens on either side gently cascade towards the water body. All the building exteriors are clad with yellow Gwalior sandstone over concrete walls. The main museum comprises of a series of sandstone clad structures, some curves, some triangular and some rectangular in shape that rise from the cliff faces becoming extensions of the sand cliffs. The roofs of these spaces are formed of concave shaped concrete slabs clad with stainless steel cladding which reflect the sky. The roofs are facing the south and reflect light towards the temple. When one approaches from the north, the entire complex is set as a series of masonry structures rising up from the hills, evoking the tradition of the fortress.

From Moshe Sadfie's Sketchbook