The Stonewall Inn, located in New York City's Greenwich Village, was a mafia-owned gay bar and one of the few establishments in the 1950s and 60s in the city that welcomed openly gay patrons. Serving as a safe space for free expression, it attracted members of sexually marginalised communities, including but not limited to homosexual men and women. In June 1969, a police raid on the bar led to a series of uprisings by sexual minorities, marking the beginning of the Gay Rights Movement in the United States. This violation of a safe space by a government-sponsored system that persecuted sexual minorities ignited a pivotal moment in the fight for LGBTQIA+ rights. The following year, on the first anniversary of the Stonewall riots, a series of pride marches across cities in the United States and other countries celebrating ‘Christopher Street Liberation Day’ became the first illustration of Pride Month.

Along with Christopher Park and Christopher Street, which formed the site for the Stonewall riots, the bar was designated the status of the Stonewall National Monument in 2016 by President Barack Obama and became the first US national monument dedicated to queer rights and history. The Stonewall Inn thus stands as a symbol of historically significant queer spaces.

A queer space may often be defined as a space, or a strategy, that is either designed, modified, or even appropriated or encroached to inherently link space or its occupation with a person’s sexuality and gender identity along the lines of safety, community, and collective being. In fact, the Stonewall National Monument demonstrates its queerness through its ability to assimilate queer bodies, through its adaptability to be reappropriated and reclaimed as a space of resistance, through its evolution as a space of refuge and safety, through its accommodation of intersectional identities, and through an ecosystem that provides the right conditions for queer bodies to have a healthy relationship with change—both personal and social—a queerness that is neither designed, nor strategised.

Queer spaces have therefore existed historically as sites of a thriving counterculture, not only as a means to form political affiliations and activist groups but also to develop romantic relationships. The spatial spectrum of these safe spaces is vast enough to accommodate a park bench as profoundly as an institution. Today, community centres are emerging as a typology of safe spaces for the queer community to battle social exclusion and violence. The New Delhi LGBTQIA+ centre, an initiative by the Naz Foundation in New Delhi is among the first of its kind community centres for the queer community in India.

Designed by Delhi-based Studio Juggernaut and Studio GreyMatter, the LGBTQIA+ centre serves as a multifunctional community space for queer gatherings and hosts diverse activities such as screenings, book readings, performances, and discussions, as well as offering free counselling and medical advice. Located in the basement of the Naz Foundation building, the centre uses a combination of vibrant graphics, wayfinding techniques, and bright colours to ensure a lively atmosphere.

As one descends the stairs to the centre, a graphic integrating the pride flag and a map of the city created by Delhi based graphic designer Prateeq Kumar, along with encouraging quotes welcomes visitors to the centre. At the entrance, a wall of glass blocks featuring the pride colours not only lends privacy for the events taking place at the centre but also attempts to tie the space together. Iconic phrases from queer history, cut from sound-absorbing panels adorn the ceiling, helping with acoustics and adding colour.

The multipurpose main hall is a versatile space characterised by the arch motif - a ubiquitous element in the architecture of Old Delhi, and adaptable furniture that facilitates events ranging from book readings to art exhibitions. An open pantry on the north wall serves administrative functions and doubles as a bar or catering counter during events. Featuring a neutral grey palette, lime plaster walls, light-toned timber furniture and ceiling slats, along with resilient industrial flooring, the space exhibits an eclectic mix of materials and finishes.

A gender-neutral washroom with an affirming quote reiterates the aim for an inclusive space. A small library constituting of free-standing bookcases and high tables provides a repository of books on queer literature and history, contributing to the centre’s role in creating awareness about queer history and being. A medical room and two counselling rooms form private alcoves for healthcare, both physical and psychological.

Queer spaces, embodying a haven where LGBTQIA+ individuals can freely express themselves without fear of discrimination may not always exhibit distinct architectural features but aim to accommodate diverse needs, fostering interaction, collaboration, and solidarity among communities. However, these spaces often walk a thin line between providing inclusivity but simultaneously and inadvertently creating segregation.

In the case of The New Delhi LGBTQIA+ centre, the vibrant illustrations and bright colours contribute to a lively and welcoming atmosphere, reinforcing its role as a safe space. However, the centre's location in a basement, away from natural light and street visibility, highlights the potential risk of segregation. While the intent is to provide privacy and security, the physical separation from the mainstream environment can reinforce the notion of queer spaces being marginalised. This seclusion, doubtless also dictated by financial and spatial constraints, can inadvertently suggest an additional kind of closeting and blanketing for the LGBTQIA+ community, perpetuating a form of spatial segregation even within an inclusive design. However, even within the limited resources available, the basement space becomes a symbol of the reappropriation and queer-ing of a space historically associated with subjugation and illustrates the complexity of creating environments that are both safe and integrated, demonstrating the nuanced relationship between social segregation and social inclusivity.

So while The New Delhi LGBTQIA+ centre underscores the delicate balance that is to be maintained between creating a protective environment and avoiding the pitfalls of further segregation, it also exemplifies a progressive and inclusive approach to queer space design. In the context of India which is still due to make any significant progress in queer rights and visibility after the striking down of the draconian Section 377 in 2018, this community centre in Delhi is to be especially seen as more than an architecture with a profound social program. It materialises an idea that has mostly remained abstract in the country’s urban capital, facilitating an ecosystem that seeks to provide optimal conditions for queer bodies and communities to grow, change, and simply be.

Project Details

Name: LGBTQIA+ Centre
Location: New Delhi
Client: Naz Foundation
Architect: Studio Juggernaut, Studio GreyMatter
Floor Area: 150 sq. m.
Design Term: January 2021 to September 2022
Construction Term: February 2023 to December 2023
Building Construction: Juggernaut Associates Private Limited
Design Team: Saurabh Jain, Tanuj Biyani, Harsh Vardhan Jain, Smruthi Mohan, Prabhjot Kaur
Graphics: Prateeq