Chartered Engineer C. Harendran to steer Altair project to completion

Chelvadurai Harendran, a highly experienced Chartered Civil Engineer with over 45 years of experience in the design, construction and project management of several landmark projects, has been appointed Director of Colombo’s Altair project now in its final stages of construction.

He started his career in 1971 with Ove Arup and Partners, a leading Consulting Engineering firm in London, and worked on the analysis of the Superstructure Steel Frame of Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris, one of the most famous and radical building of our time.

Announcing his appointment as Board Director in charge of all construction aspects of Altair, Altair promoter Indocean Developers Director J. K. Khetawat said: “The Altair project has reached the critical stage when the focus shifts from the structure, which is almost complete, to the finishing of the exteriors and interiors. In Mr. Harendran we have found the best person to steer the project to its completion.”

Fellow Director Pradeep Sureka added: “Altair is not only structurally unique, it also a new paradigm in design aesthetics. Meeting the expectations of the architect, the project’s promoter, its 400 future tenants and the community at large, requires the depth or expertise and breadth of vision that Mr. Harendran brings to the table.”

Harendran transferred to Singapore in 1975 and among many iconic projects, has been responsible for the design of the Sabah Foundation Headquarters Building, the construction of New tech Park and Keppel Distripark in Singapore, the project management of South City in Kolkata which were the tallest towers in East India at the time and the management of the structural steelwork for Suvarnabhumi International Airport, Delhi International Airport T2, Mumbai International Airport T3, Singapore Gardens By the Bay, Singapore National Stadium – the largest covered dome structure in the world, and Singapore Marina One – a high density mixed-use complex set to  become the largest public plaza in the central business district.

He graduated in 1971 with a Bachelor of Science Degree from University College, London and is a member of the Institution of Civil Engineers, a Chartered Engineer in the UK and a registered Professional Engineer in Singapore.

His new assignment, Altair, is scheduled for completion in July 2018. It comprises of two tower blocks, a 63-storey sloping tower which leans in to a taller, 68-storey vertical tower. Acknowledged as a game changer in contemporary living in Sri Lanka, the Altair building has already brought a new dimension in aesthetics to Colombo’s skyline. It is intended to be a one-of-its-kind development in South Asia in terms of architectural design, structural engineering, and living experience. Altair will offer its 400 apartments spectacular views of the Beira Lake, the Indian Ocean and the city of Colombo. The development’s 1.5 million square feet of high-end eco-friendly living space will be supported by 40,000 square feet of supportive up-market retail space. The building was designed by the globally recognized celebrity architect Moshe Safdie.