Sir David Adjaye has been selected to design the new Kiran Nadar Museum of Art and Cultural Center (KNMACC) following a global competition that brought together 47 of the world's most prestigious architecture firms.

Planned for New Delhi, the attraction – Adjaye's first cultural commission in India – will house a 6,000-piece collection of South Asian contemporary art as well as facilities for music and creative education.

Adjaye's "veil of triangles" design for the museum, which beat out proposals by Snøhetta, Selldorf, Ennead, and Thomas Phifer, was praised for its reference to the "sacred geometries of trees and mountains".

"For me, this is the culmination of a personal and much longer journey," commented Adjaye.

"We hope this new addition will offer a much-needed place for thinking, observing, reflecting and learning, granting a renewed sense of togetherness and belonging."

Speaking on the winning concept, Kiran Nadar – founder of KNMACC – said: "It creates a cinematic experience for visitors, who encounter artworks and artists as they move from the street through the atrium and up through the building to the lush rooftop garden."

Collaborators attached to the scheme include local architects S. Ghosh & Associates, engineering company WSP Global, and theatre and acoustic design consultancy Charcoalblue.