Ahmedabad University Centre
by Stephane Paumier Architects
Client Ahmedabad University
Award RIBA International Awards for Excellence 2024
The Ahmedabad University student centre is a bold gateway between the University and the city. The challenge of the brief was to create an energised and energising place for the exchange of ideas, informal meetings, and social events. The resulting, remarkable architectural framework of the new building has surpassed the challenging ambition of the brief.
The Student Centre is one of three ‘’iconic’’ buildings, the School of Arts and Science, the School of Engineering, and the Student Centre itself that have been planned around a central landscaped park.
The new building is the critical student-centred facility within the university campus. Acting a social hub, the building accommodates incubation spaces, student services, a food court, multipurpose spaces for sport, performance and cinema with a running track and futsal court located on the roof.
The architectural approach takes the form of a disciplined and bold matrix of served and servant spaces, all held in a tartan grid. The rationality of the plan collaborates with a dramatic stepped section which in turn invites diagonal views through the entire building whilst enabling the penetration of reflected daylight and cross ventilation deep into the plan. The resulting spatial experience is remarkable.
The strong tectonic and spatial diagram adopts an in-situ concrete frame with prefabricated hollow core slabs. Internal partitions of horizontal polychromatic brickwork stripes add a surprising and memorable material intensity that speaks of the particularity of this place.
The concrete frame and brick partition infills act as heat sinks, tempering the internal climate. The building is LEED Platinum certified adopting various sustainable strategies including water recycling, solar roof, deeply set windows to avoid glare and solar gain, and a sewage treatment plant that maintains the central forest.
The building design is highly popular and successful in use, attracting a large number of students to linger in its cool space throughout the day and long into the evening. The architecture successfully merges a strong architectonic concept with a materiality and inventive section to create a memorable and useful building.
Location: Ahmedabad, India
Date of completion: 15/03/2022
Cost: £1,623,800.00
Gross internal area: 18700 m²
Contractor: PSP Projects Ltd.
Structural Engineer: Melior Structural Solutions
Project Management: JLL
Environmental / M&E Engineer: Engineering Services Consultants (ESCON)
