An artist’s view of the proposed Nalanda University Campus in Bihar. An international jury chose the design drawn by Vastushilpa Consultants, Ahmedabad-
Plans to build a new campus took shape a few days ago when the
international jury comprising four architects from Singapore, Japan,
China and India and three members from the University chose the winning
design from an international competition.
Of the eight proposals submitted by pre-qualified architectural firms,
including five from abroad, the jury selected the design drawn by
Vastushilpa Consultants, a well known architecture firm based in
Ahmedabad for its “conceptual planning, clarity of thought and ability
to take forward the vision of Nalanda.”
Nalanda University, conceptualised as a standalone international
institution, would be constructed on a 455-acre site to accommodate
2,500 students and 500 teachers. The University has proposed seven
schools of learning including Historic Studies, Buddhist Studies and
Information Technology, but only two of them — Historic Studies and
Environment Studies — would be built in the first phase.
Rajeev Kathpalia, one of the two principal architects of Vastushilpa
Consultants in a telephone interview said that their design ‘envisions
the new campus as an institution of future, a beacon of sustainable
practices and a model of integration with local community.’ He also
explained that they have planned buildings as a close-knit group and
located amid a tranquil agrarian landscape. More than half the site is
intentionally kept open to take care of the aquifers and recharge them.
The overall aim is to create an integrated ecosystem where flow of air,
water and energy are channelled in an almost natural way, he added.
Balakrishna Doshi, a Padma Shri awardee, is the senior partner and founder of Vastushilpa Consultants.
Nalanda flourished as an important centre of learning for about 800
years. It fell into ruins in the 13th century, and the British
archaeologists discovered the historic remains in the 19th century.
Following the decision to revive the university at the Second East Asian
Summit in 2007, the Indian government established Nalanda University in
2010 after passing an Act in Parliament. Many Asia-Pacific countries
have extended support for the project. Last year, the University floated
the international competition seeking designs for the proposed campus.
source:THE HINDU Chennai,
May 17, 2013
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