Architecture setting spatial priorities

Project: Vidya Devi Jindal Paramedical College, Agroha, Haryana Architects: SpaceMatters, New Delhi

The architects were invited to design a paramedical college in the existing campus of the Institute of Medical Science in Agroha, Haryana. This building is a gift from a reputed industrial house whose roots lie in the city. The brief was to design a modern, state-of-the-art facility within the institute to provide affordable healthcare to a predominantly rural population. The design cues were taken from the existing campus which uses the vocabulary of Corbusier’s Chandigarh, and from the nearby ‘Mounds of Agroha’ which dates back to the glorious Indus Valley Civilization.

The college has been made like a mound emerging from the earth, hence, it is a low, horizontal building. Brown-colored exposed concrete and red sandstone refer to the earthy colour palette of the prehistoric landscape. A triple-height Gwalior-mint marble jaali/lattice wall greets people at the foyer. The white jaali soothes the eyes in this dry and harsh region, while creating shade and bringing in cool air. The cuneiform symbols of the Harappan civilization make up the lattice wall, making it a site of tribute to the knowledge and prosperity of ancient India.

At the heart of the building lies a courtyard which was scooped out of the ‘mound’ to create a space for informal discussions and learning. The building has been aligned so that wind flows through this space, creating a shaded oasis that can provide a soothing ambience, equally conducive to meditation and debates. By situating an amphitheatre in this void, we create spill-out spaces as well as formal congregation spaces. Learning happens at any time and place, which is why formal and informal merge at the edge of this void.