Before the Statue of Unity, New York’s favourite, Statue of Liberty, was the world's tallest figure. However, the Statue of Unity is four times the latter when plinths are discounted. The Statue of Unity is around 182 meters tall, towering China’s Spring Temple Buddha Statue by 29 meters and the Statue of Liberty by 89 meters. Moreover, the size of the base of the Statue of Unity is around 58 meters. But that’s not about it. Its viewing gallery at 153 meters will accommodate up to 200 visitors at a time. Because of its incredible height and size, the statue can be seen from a radius of 7 km and, according to Planet, from space.

The statue is located in Gujarat, India, near the Sardar Sarovar Dam on the Narmada River. The site was chosen because Patel played a critical role in the dam's development while serving as India's Deputy Prime Minister. The monument and its environs cover more than 2 hectares (4.9 acres) and are encircled by a 12 km (7.5 mile) artificial lake created by the Garudeshwar weir downstream on the Narmada River. 

The Statue of Unity stands on a pedestal and shows the national leader with a determined expression in his eyes. The statue's height was fixed at 182 metres to represent the number of seats in Gujarat's legislative assembly. The statue's 70,000 tonnes of cement, 6,000 tonnes of steel, and 18,500 tonnes of reinforcement bars make it immune to winds gusting up to 180 km/h and Richter-scale earthquakes of up to 6.5. As part of the 'Loha Campaign,' around 129 tons of iron were freely contributed by farmers across the country and used to construct the statue's base. The structure measures 22,500 square meters in surface area and is clad with 1,700 tons.

The project was launched in 2010, but the ceremonial ground-breaking occurred on October 31, 2013, while Narendra Modi was Gujarat's Chief Minister. The Statue of Unity is said to be Modi's dream project. The Gujarat government established the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Rashtriya Ekta Trust (SVPRET) to create the statue. Since that day, the trust has conducted various outreach events to collect the basic materials needed to construct the statue. Larsen & Toubro, an Indian infrastructure business, received the contract for the design, building, and maintenance of the statue on October 27, 2014. The Sadhu Bet mound was flattened from 70 to 55 meters to build the base for the statue. 

Tadvi tribal members protested land acquisition for the establishment of tourism infrastructure around the statue. Approximately 300 activists were arrested before the statue's unveiling. Residents of Kevadia, Kothi, Waghodia, Limbdi, Navagam, and Gora villages protested the statue's erection and demanded the recovery of land rights over 375 hectares (927 acres) previously acquired for the dam, as well as the foundation of a new Garudeshwar subdistrict. They also opposed the establishment of the Kevadia Area Development Authority (KADA) and the construction of the Garudeshwar weir-cum-causeway project. The Gujarat government accepted the majority of their demands.

The Statue of Unity's construction schedule was set at 42 months, however, it was completed in a record 33 months. The Spring Temple Buddha Statue in China took the longest to complete, at 11 years. 

The iron required to build the statue was collected through the Loha campaign. This effort was organized by a trust that gathered iron from each state in the country. According to resources, more than 50 lakh kg of iron was crowdsourced, and over 3400 people worked on the Statue of Unity. The statue was constructed with around 2.25 crore kg of cement, which is equivalent to the weight of 56 Boeing 747 jets. The design was finished by sculptor Ram Vanji Sutar, who received the Padma Bhushan in 2016. Throughout his career, the acclaimed sculptor has created over 50 figures, including the Mahatma Gandhi statue in the Indian parliament. 

The Statue of Unity, built of iron, will become green from its original bronze tint in 100 years owing to natural ageing. Constructing such a large statue presented various engineering hurdles. Advanced technology was used to assure its stability and endurance, such as seismic dampers that can withstand earthquakes and wind-induced vibrations. It has been built to withstand wind speeds of up to 60 m/sec, which is expected at a height of 182m. In addition to that, it can also withstand an earthquake of up to 6.5 Richter.

After researching sculptures of Patel across the country, a group of historians, artists, and scholars selected a design offered by Indian sculptor Ram V. Sutar. The Statue of Unity is a larger version of the leader's statue, which was put at Ahmedabad International Airport. Ram Sutar's son, Anil Sutar, commented on the design, stating that "the expression, posture, and pose justify the dignity, confidence, iron will, and kindness that his personality exudes." The head is up, a shawl slung over the shoulders, and his hands are on the side as if he is about to walk." The design was first constructed in three variants, each measuring 3 feet (0.91 m), 18 feet (5.5 m), and 30 feet (9.1 m). 

Once the design of the biggest model was approved, a detailed 3D scan was produced which formed the basis for the bronze cladding cast in a foundry in China. With a slenderness ratio ranging from 16 to 19, the statue's design, which showcases Patel's dhoti-clad legs and sandled feet, makes it thinner at the base than most tall buildings, which have ratios between 8 and 14. This poses a stability problem, which was partially mitigated by the installation of two tuned mass dampers weighing 250 tonnes each. 

The statue is designed to withstand winds of up to 180 km/h (110 mph) and earthquakes with a magnitude of 6.5 that occur at a depth of 10 km and within a 12-kilometer radius of the monument. With a foundation of 58 meters (190 feet) and a statue that is 182 meters (597 feet) tall, the structure's overall height is 240 meters (790 feet). The elevation of 182 meters was deliberately selected to correspond with the number of seats in the Gujarat Legislative Assembly.

For more such insights and tips about the architectural world, subscribe to the Volume Zero newsletter and get the latest articles delivered to your inbox.

Text provided by Pallavi Prabhupatkar -

Being an architecture student, Pallavi believes that architecture is more than a mere physical construct, it embodies a profound emotional resonance as well. Beyond structural elements, it encapsulates a spectrum of feelings, shaping our connection to spaces. Her thoughts dive into writing, where she blends imagination and reality to tell engaging stories.