Piccadily Multiplex pinnacle of movie-going experience in Chandigarh

“Green building concept has been taken into consideration while designing the multiplex,” shares Vinod Joshi, Architect and Proprietor, An Architects Group
An Architects Group is a proprietorship firm under stewardship of Architech Vinod Joshi and established 20 years ago. After a great search, the developers of Piccadily Holidays Resorts Ltd. selected An Architects Group for this project. Out of a long list of major projects conducted or in hand, Vinod Joshi rates “Piccadily Multiplex” as their dream project.
With the benefits of Multiplex Policy 2004 of Chandigarh Administration, the existing Piccadily Cinema, constructed in 1973, was totally dismantled. The construction of  Piccadily Multiplex was started in 2009 and completed in September, 2012, at a cost of  ` 39 crore. Piccadily Multiplex was commissioned in September, 2012.
Green building concept has been taken into consideration while designing the multiplex. In view of sun direction, most glazing and openings have been kept on North East and minimum possible openings have been kept on South West, i.e. almost solid walls.
Chandigarh has two City Centres — Sector 17 and Sector 34 — which are fully developed. Piccadily Multiplex is located in Sector 34 and has been constructed on 0.567-acre land with three basements and five floor structure. It features retail showrooms of world-class brand and KFC on ground floor, commercial activities/area on first floor, three cinemas with a capacity of 903 along with eateries on second floor, office space/project room on third floor, and gym, spa and swimming pool on fourth floor. It has adequate surface and basement parking.
The other existing cinemas/theatre of the city, which are also on the way to get their cinemas converted into multiplex under the Multiplex Policy of Chandigarh Administration, are following suit, and the construction will be started very soon. An Architects Group is the architect of those projects also.
As City Centre 34 remains busy with traffic till night, during construction, the trucks were pressed into service for arrival building material and removal earth of three basements during night. The fully developed buildings were existing around the site, so digging 40 ft earth for three basements were difficult. Even at the depth of 35 ft ground level of water caused problems in digging the foundation, filling founds, laying raft, erecting toe walls and water proofing. The expert building contractor overcomes these hurdles successfully by applying different methods to drain out water and simultaneously erecting the walls and laying foundation/raft. The cumbersome procedures of approval building plans and grant of completion/occupation certificate as well as environment department’s clearance, fire department’s clearance, electrical department’s clearance etc. created a lot of hurdles which were overcome diligently and efficiently within the prevailing building bye-laws to see the commissioning of Piccadily Multiplex by target date.
Dream projectPiccadily Multiplex, Chandigarh• Developer: Piccadily Holidays Resorts Ltd.• Project cost: ` 39 crore• Architect: An Architects Group• USP: Designed with ‘green building’ concept• Status: Completed in September, 2012

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