THE EARTH HOME

Jagran University required to build a new block in their campus to house the Law Faculty. Placed within a conservation zone the site is surrounded by expansive views of forestry and natural habitat. The design process started with a question as to how to best zone the spaces such that the academic areas, public functions and spaces for the faculty each get their own identity while creating seamless movement from one space to another. An important design tool that helped shape the building was day lighting, that would be fit for lecture halls and other academic areas, maximizing the natural light while reducing the usage of artificial lighting within the spaces without exposing the building to solar heat gains. The external finish was chosen to match the rest of the buildings in the existing campus. The overall plan was set over 3 zones. The first zone is an entrance courtyard opening into a triple height foyer holding the main central staircase and the horizontal connections, which take the form of bridges overlooking the foyer. The second zone is the public block on the side facing the open green of the canteen and housing the main auditorium on the ground floor, the moot court and the labs on the upper floors and an academic block. The third block is the academic block with interspersed courtyards on the periphery and a central students court rising from the first floor onwards.