Sanjay Puri Architects Completes Indore University Under Stepped Terraces

This blog post examines Sanjay Puri Architects’ latest academic building for Prestige University on a 32-acre campus in Indore, India. It highlights how its sculptural massing, stepped terraces inspired by historic wells, and climate-responsive design create a multifunctional campus landmark with a bold social and educational program.

Architectural Concept and Building Form

The five-level, 90-foot-tall structure consolidates the university’s administrative offices, auditorium, seminar halls, library, and cafeteria into one building. Instead of a conventional façade, the design rises gradually from the north to form stepped terraces that reference India’s historic stepped wells.

These terraces create a sequence of outdoor rooms and microclimates around the building. The rooftop acts as a defining campus space and integrates social spaces with academic functions.

Daylight, ventilation, and circulation are orchestrated across a compact footprint on the 32-acre site.

Stepped Terraces and Urban Thresholds

The building’s rooftop has 463 stepped platforms totaling 90,000 square feet. It functions as an accessible open-air auditorium with a capacity of up to 9,000 people.

These terraces maximize outdoor gathering space and act as shading devices. They reduce heat transfer and enhance the building’s identity on the campus edge.

Program, Circulation, and Connectivity

The program is arranged to foster social interaction and efficiency. Public amenities—including the auditorium, a food court, and administrative spaces—occupy the ground floor, creating active street-front accessibility.

The library sits on the first floor and connects to the rest of the building via a bridge over a diagonal internal street. This enables cross-program visibility and smooth pedestrian flow.

Classrooms are distributed across the second and third floors. Additional administrative and faculty spaces are on the fourth floor.

The top level features the rooftop auditorium, providing a flexible venue for seminars, performances, and large gatherings.

• Ground-floor public amenities including the auditorium, food court, and admin spaces
• First-floor library connected by a bridge across a diagonal internal street
• Classrooms on the second and third floors
• Administrative and faculty spaces on the fourth floor
• Rooftop open-air auditorium with a 9,000-seat capacity across 463 stepped platforms

Climate Strategy and Environmental Performance

The design uses a climate-responsive strategy tailored to Indore’s long high-temperature periods. Indirect daylight is prioritized through north-light orientation and open court spaces.

This approach helps maintain comfortable interior conditions and reduces the need for artificial cooling during peak heat. A continuous internal circulation spine supports daylighting and passive cooling, ensuring cross-ventilation and a comfortable indoor environment.

Ventilated GFRC screens on the east, west, and south façades reduce heat gain while preserving permeability and texture. This creates a cooler envelope without compromising daylight penetration.

Materiality, Landscape, and Public Realm

The material palette and landscape strategy reinforce the building’s sustainable and ceremonial character. Landscaped courtyards are embedded throughout the plan to introduce indirect natural light, improve ventilation, and create moments of respite for occupants.

Ventilated external screens and a terraced massing scheme help control solar exposure. The dynamic, porous surface responds to local climate and user needs.

Impact and Takeaways for Higher Education Architecture

As a model for climate-conscious design in hotter Indian climates, this building shows how architectural form can support passive cooling and daylight optimization.
It also encourages social interaction through its layout.

The stepped terraces, open-air rooftop venue, and diagonal-library bridge create a campus that is open and people-centered.
These features follow current trends in sustainable university design.

For architects and engineers, the project provides lessons in massing and programmatic adjacencies.
Envelope strategies are used to improve performance while maintaining a distinct appearance.

 
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