NID help sought for museum dedicated to PMS

We have written to the NID for design assistance, to help us translate the concept. SHAKTI SINHA, NMML director

NEW DELHI: The Nehru Memorial Museum and Library (NMML) has called in the Ahmedabadbased National Institute of Design (NID) for assistance with the Museum of Prime Ministers to be set up at Teen Murti Bhavan after seven design firms shortlisted to prepare the interface were unable to capture the essence of the project, according to officials familiar with matter.

The NMML asked for proposals from design houses on March 23 and from the initial presentations, a shortlist of 13 firms was prepared, which was later pruned to seven — UK’S Museum & Expo International (MUSE), Germany’s Atelier Bruckner in partnership with the Delhi-based Archohm, Bhubaneswar-based Arkitechno, Bengaluru-based FI Design P, Edinburgh-based Studiobm in partnership with Design Matrix UK, and Hyderabad’s Visual Quest.

However, NMML has not been able to zero in on any one of the design houses. “They could not capture the essence of the brief. We may now write to some of them, asking them to tweak their designs in some fashion,” said an NMML official who asked not to be named.

NMML director Shakti Sinha said that all possibilities were open. “We have written to the NID for design assistance, to help us translate the concept. Most of the museum’s exhibits will be interactive installations with digital display platforms that has a narrative for the visitors,” he said. He added that the deadline for the museum, March 2020, has not been affected. NID director Pradeep Nahar said the institute had invited NMML officials to discuss their design requirements. “We will discuss the requirements and understand what the project entails before deciding on an appropriate course of action,” said Nahar.

Yogesh Shrinivasan of Bengaluru-based FI Design and Development said that his firm had a meeting with NMML officials earlier this week to discuss modifications in their Request for Proposal entry. “We are looking forward to NID’S assistance...,” he said.

The museum was to have rare photographs, video footage, microfilms and newspapers and records from the NMML’S own collection as well as private collections. PM Narendra Modi is the president of the NMML Society, while the direction, control and administration of the affairs of the society are vested in the executive council of NMML.

A member of the council, wishing to remain anonymous, told HT that the last meeting of the council took place in December.