A Community Platform Inspired From Ancient India’s Stepwells
Located in Madhya Pradesh, the Prestige University campus is currently undergoing expansion. Among the 130,000-square-metre site, the most prominent structure is a five-storey multi-functional building rising 28 metres in height. Housing the main administrative offices, auditorium, seminar rooms, library, and cafeteria, the building leaves a strong impression with its monumental stepped form reminiscent of ancient pyramids. The total area of its 463 platforms arranged in tiers amounts to 9,000 square metres. Because the platforms are fully walkable, the structure functions as a large outdoor amphitheatre as well as a space for informal gatherings and rest, serving as a central hub of exchange on campus. Once the campus is complete, it will operate as an open auditorium capable of accommodating a large number of students.
The distinctive design draws inspiration from India’s ancient stepwells. Once used to store water, the historic typology is reinterpreted here as a communal node. With a gross floor area of 30,800 square metres, the building gradually ascends diagonally from the north. A shallow water body at the base helps achieve passive cooling. The stepped configuration provides venues for events and gatherings while mitigating the building’s visual mass. Its gradual variation in height maintains a low, horizontal profile, reducing reliance on lifts and escalators. Courtyards are distributed across the rooftop, and an interior “street” running diagonally through the ground floor draws light and air deep into the building. Rooted in traditional Indian architecture, this strategy reduces reliance on artificial lighting and mechanical air-conditioning systems.
The primary structure Is built of concrete and fly ash bricks made from coal combustion residue, while the exterior is finished with clay brick. Perforated screens made of glass fibre–reinforced concrete are applied to the façade to encourage natural ventilation. Interior floors are finished with Indian sandstone, and the concrete structure is left exposed. A 700-seat cafeteria and indoor auditorium are located on the ground floor, and the courtyards are used for recreational activities. A large library on the second floor is connected by a bridge spanning the interior street below. The third and fourth floors contain 45 classrooms, while the top floor houses administrative facilities.
Beyond an educational facility, the building integrates programmatic spaces and landscape into a three-dimensional public realm that enables diverse interactions. The expansive stepped roofscape forms both a landscape and a stage. Accumulating layers of learning, rest, events, and exchange, the space where everyday life and celebration coexist serves as a spatial framework for community formation.
Project: Prestige University / Location: Indore, Madhya Pradesh, India / Architect and interior: Sanjay Puri Architects / Principal designers: Sanjay Puri, Ruchika Gupta, Madhavi Belsare / Project team: Manveer Chopra, Devendra Dugad, Arjun Gupta, Bijal Bhayani / Structural consultant: Pyramid Consultants / MEP consultants: SEED Engineering Consultants Pvt. Ltd. / Landscape consultant: Envision Landscape Consultants / Facade GFRC work: Everest Composite Pvt. Ltd. / Contractor: BL Constructions / Client: Prestige Education Society / Use: educational, institutional / Gross floor area: 30,843m² / Bldg. scale: four stories above ground / Cost: 10,945,055 USD / Commencement: 2018.8 / Completion: 2026.1 / Photograph: ©Vinay Panjwani (courtesy of the architect)
