A Diwaniya Built for Speed

The brief for this project was to create a diwaniya that celebrates the pleasures of collecting and displaying a cherished trove of automobiles. Choosing to forgo the typical model of a purpose-built ‘car gallery’, the concept was to create an auto kunsthalle: a design in which the cars are free to circulate through multiple levels of the building’s interior, thus forming an ever changing spectacle. In developing this approach, many of the spaces have a hybrid function. A shaded pool terrace serves the dual purpose of a vehicular access ramp, while an interior reception space serves as an intermediate through-way connecting a multi level parking lift to an internalized auto staging area. Drawing equally from industry standard materials such as concrete and raw steel, as well as finely crafted woodwork and polished stone, the building’s architecture fosters a confluent series of spaces well tailored to man and machine.