Commuting through a busy commercial district in India can bring pedestrians face-to-face with a four-story stainless-steel fish hovering in mid-air. In Hyderabad, this surreal sight is an everyday reality. Elevated above the pavement on pale blue pillars, a massive aquatic creature operates as a fully functional government headquarters.
The structure is one of the boldest examples of mimetic architecture on the planet, hiding functional staircases and government offices within its metallic fins and scales.
A Headquarters Built for Its Function
The gigantic metallic fish serves as the official regional headquarters for India’s National Fisheries Development Board. Opened in April 2012, the 1,920-square-meter facility was conceptualized and designed by the Central Public Works Department of India.
The government explicitly wanted a unique office that immediately displayed the aquatic focus of the department. The result is a prime example of mimetic or novelty architecture, a design style where the physical shape of a building directly imitates its everyday function.
Scales, Fins, and Functional Eyes
Every part of the giant fish was engineered with dual purposes in mind. The building is elevated entirely off the ground by pale blue columns known as pilotis, which create the visual effect that the creature is suspended in water. The left pectoral fin of the fish physically functions as a large awning, projecting outward to shade the main staircase where employees enter the building each morning.
Along the sides, rectangular windows replicate the visual texture of fish scales. At the front, the fish features a gaping hollow mouth, and two large circular blue-glass windows operate both as the eyes of the creature and as practical observation points for the staff working inside.
Inspired by Public Art
The overarching design for the Hyderabad office was reportedly inspired by a famous piece of European art. Architects drew heavy influence from Frank Gehry’s monumental fish sculpture, which was constructed in Barcelona for the 1992 Olympic Games.
Like that artwork, the Indian government building is wrapped entirely in reflective stainless-steel panels. These metal plates catch the sunlight during the day, replicating the natural shimmer of a real fish moving through the water.
The Nighttime Swim
The architectural effects extend long after the sun sets. When darkness falls over Hyderabad, a specialized lighting system activates around the perimeter of the headquarters. Bright blue and purple spotlights are angled directly at the stainless-steel exterior.
The colored lights reflect heavily off the metallic panels and the surrounding elevated structure, specifically designed to give pedestrians and drivers the distinct impression that a giant glowing creature is actively swimming through the dark city sky.