Ahmedabad: The famed Calico Dome, a unique geodesic structure built in 1962 for textile exhibitions, continues to be in a state of disrepair years after restoration efforts began following its collapse in the 2001 Gujarat earthquake and the 2003 deluge. Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) initiated paperwork for its restoration in Jan 2013. After lengthy delays, work seems to have eventually begun at the site.
The repair and restoration journey has been haltingly slow. In Aug 2020, hope for the dome’s resurrection appeared to gain momentum when a contract worth Rs 2.26 crore was approved. A Vadodara-based project management consultant (PMC) was tasked with preparing the roadmap to restore the dome to its original form using 18mm plywood, computer numerical control (CNC)-cut panels, epoxy, and copper sheets, with a completion target of 2021.
Despite the work order being issued and work commencing, the restoration remained incomplete. Inspired by the geodesic dome popularised by Buckminster Fuller in 1954, the Calico structure was designed and built by Gautam Sarabhai and his team. The dome was inaugurated in 1962, and the 12m wide structure served as the location from where the administrative building of Calico Mills was to operate. tnn