CEPT School of Architecture| Ahmedabad
by Zoeanna Upadhyay
Established in 1962, CEPT's school of Architecture building reflects Architect B.V Doshi's philosophy of learning, a school that is a community, functioning like a bazaar-where there is always an exchange of thoughts and ideas. It is free from obligatory work, and learning is a choice. Located in the humid, densely populated state of Ahmedabad, the School of Architecture is about 5000 square meters. Its materials and style reflect the traditional architecture of the city.
Surrounded by a dense cover of trees and foliage known as the north lawns, The faculty of architecture building is the nearest building to the north gate. As one enters the campus, the simple, earthy colours of the brick and the exposed concrete first catch your attention. The building is unpretentious and honest in its design, fitting seamlessly with the surroundings, like an extension of the landscape itself.
Its form and shape is simple and can be described as modernist, in the sense that it rejects ornamentation or decoration. The structure consists of a double-height volume, huge balcony doors and an open staircase that helps with ventilation and reduces heating.
The entry to the complex is through a long axis that ends up facing a blank wall, with levels articulated to create subtle demarcation of spaces.
Initially, one enters through Sagara basement, a semi-open space lined with Plumeria trees. Now used for exhibitions and holding juries, the basement opens up to the centrally located plaza and functions as a way to travel across campus. There is a constant circulation of people through this space, and faded art murals line the walls, inviting one to pause and examine them. Made entirely of exposed concrete, it is sheltered enough to hold exhibitions, but not sealed in any way. It is provided with an extensive drainage system that prevents water from accumulating here during the heavy monsoon system in Ahmedabad.
The lower part of the structure, the stairs, the basement and the ramp made almost entirely of concrete help cooling the building. The materials are thus highly efficient, reducing the need for artificial cooling in a climate as humid as Ahmedabad.
Wide wooden doors open up to the branches of neem and peepal trees planted around the campus, while large glass windows overlooking the north lawns welcome fresh air inside.
These 'north lights' are one of the buildings most iconic features. Gently sloping inwards, they angle diffused, glare-free sunlight into the studios, naturally lighting the interiors and providing cross ventilation throughout the structure. They make the interior of the double-height airier, letting the space breathe, and blurring the boundaries between the exterior and interior.
The design intentionally includes very few defined boundaries so that students can interact and learn not just from classrooms but from nature itself. The studios are spacious, with individual desks and tack-boards for each student, minimal partitions and balconies that look over into other studios encouraging students to look at the work of their peers.
There is a large, double staircase at the centre of the building. A slightly sloping ramp leads up to it, also made of concrete. From the side overlooking the plaza, one can see concrete benches as well as the north canteen. These hubs for activities, discussions and aaram are as much a part of the design as the built form itself. The philosophy of 'Education without doors' is as relevant today as when it was first built. The scattered trees and surrounding greener have significantly reduced since the time of its conception, but the idea of trees as classrooms and both informal and formal exchanges within the built form still characterizes the space.
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