With the sobriquet 'IT capital of India' came a host of 'IT trends'. IT is where the money
is and everybody jumped on the bandwagon, food to entertainment, advertising to casual
wear, the hype created a fashion statement that helped sell products. While most IT
prefixed spiels smacked more of the hype than real value, one industry actually created
middles specifically for the IT sector. The real estate industry in Bangalore cashed in
smartly on the demand for IT specific spaces in the city and got earnest in designing such
buildings.
With IT touching lives of many urbanites in a significant way, it is only natural that is
has to be factored in while setting up homes or offices. And the trained is here to stay.
A smart or IR savvy building has to incorporate the unique security and connectivity
requirements that this sector functions in. The lifestyle and functioning of the IT
professionals too dictate the design and construction of these buildings. C B
Raghunanandan, Manager, Administration Facilities, Wipro Technologies, explains, 'in an IT
organization, there are basically three zones the technology area, the communications area
and the enterprise area. The tech and communications area and the enterprise area. The
tech and communication area is where the software designing, coding and such functions as
e-commerce happen and can be a workstation with lesser infrastructure backup. 'If
organizations that require such facilities do not get power in the particular location
because there is no place there for a transformer that or the Corporation will not allow
digging or roads to lay phone lines, it will not be feasible for the company to set up
office there', he adds.
Apart from the infrastructure, Raghunandan stresses on adequate need for recreational and
cafeteria spaces. 'We have a pool, II table, gym, basketball and tennis court and a good
cafe at out corporate office on Sarjapur Road', he says. The IT professionals live lives
of high stress and need to relax. Also, with the skyrocketing salaries in this sector,
office buildings need a huge car parking. The builders in Bangalore are realizing this and
working towards putting up complexes that are suitable to IT firms.
Ramini Sastry, Sterling Developers says the demand from IT companies is for relatively
larger species, 'most of them want offices of 10,000 sqft and more.' The small and medium
IT firms prefer to lease fully furnished offices. 'They want to move into a plan n' play
building will recover costs for the builder in five to six years', says Sastry. It is no
wonder then that the property industry is not dulding complexes with IT in view.
Apart from offices, apartments too are going smart. 'We have an OFC coming directly to out
latest project, Purva Seights' says Girish Puravankara, Puravankara Projects.' This
ensures that you can come home and work on the net rather than stay back late in office',
he elaborates. Girish Puravankara stresses on the need for apartments to use IT to best
effect. 'Our apartment has a burglar alarm that is connected to a modem and triggers of a
siren at the office of the security services. We also have a panic switch that dials the
police station automatically when hit', he says. With the net ruling lives, people are
bound to prefer apartments that come with high speed internet and hi-tech burglar alarms.
IT has become a part of life. Even today's lingo has a liberal dose of IT terms. It is
only natural then that the places of work and residence will also be influenced by this
sector that has changed the way we think and live forever. The buildings coming up in
Bangalore reflect this change. And reflect its well.
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