Designed by 3XN, the new Chancellary for the Danish Embassy in New Delhi demonstrates the story of the classic Danish house turned upside down. The typical Danish house has four outer walls to protect against the cold and wind and the saddle roof keeps the snow and rain at bay. In India, on the contrary, the hot climate creates the need for protection against the sun and cool, shaded rooms.
The Chancellary is constructed around 12 simple inverted houses combined in a repetitive structure. The easily recognizable Danish shape is turned on its head enabling one to walk in the shaded galleries along the roof of the inverted houses. Water basins cool down the adjacent areas and create beautiful reflections on the ceilings of the buildings.
| Project at a Glance | |
| Project | : Danish Embassy |
| Location | : New Delhi |
| Architect | : 3XN |
| Developer | : Danish Foreign Ministry |
| Status | : Designed |
The compound includes a number of different functions in each three-level house. The spine of the structure is formed by the triple high hall and reception area leading to two different chanceries – the Danish on the right and another country on the right. The incubator rooms function as temporary offices for Danish companies expanding into India. Three residence houses are placed at the back – away from the entrance activities – placed around their own swimming pool and garden area with space for play and recreation. The buildings also contain parking and showroom in the basement, roof terraces, and visa offices with their own separate entrance. The decentralized structure with small volumes makes it possible for the Chancellary's many different activities to unfold without necessarily interfering with each other.
Four basins connect the two chancellaries, the residences and the reception area like blue courtyards. They are carefully decorated with art, stepping stones and water lilies for soothing visual breaks for the employees and guests. A mix of Danish and Indian trees provides outdoor shading areas in the garden and the surrounding wall with climbing plants is a colorful backdrop to the scenery.
