City: AIZAWL

INTENT

This architecture school is envisioned as an inspiring learning environment that encourages aspiring students to stay grounded. By responding to the local context, the campus promotes an understanding of our roots and surroundings. Informal learning spaces that spark dialogue and interaction are designed to nurture discovery and intellectual growth.

LOCATION & SITE

The school is sited on a 2-acre stretch of rolling hills on the far edge of Mizoram University’s campus, surrounded by forests. From the road, the site rises 1 metre before sloping down westward at a 14-degree incline. It offers a sweeping 180-degree view of the surrounding hills. The climate is humid sub-tropical, with moderately hot summers and cool winters. Annual rainfall ranges from 1800–2150mm, and cool breezes prevail throughout the year.

BUILT FORM – Response to Topography and Climate

The design seeks to preserve the natural terrain, embedding the building into the landscape with minimal disruption to the topography. To ensure the built form does not dominate, the program is expressed as a series of low-rise buildings arranged around a central quadrangle with several courtyards.

A level difference of 8.7 metres between the entrance and the lowest court allows the blocks to cascade naturally down the slope. The resulting courtyards double as informal gathering areas and impromptu performance spaces. A cafeteria and student terrace anchor the quadrangle and remain visible from all blocks. The stepped layout also ensures uninterrupted views of the distant mountains.

Cross ventilation is prioritized given the sub-tropical climate and prevailing cool breezes. The blocks are spaced apart to allow airflow through their intersections, and all rooms are cross-ventilated with openings on opposite walls. Bridges and open corridors knit the blocks together, while the courts are linked by meandering stairs and ramps—offering students multiple pathways around the campus.

Sloping roofs echo the surrounding hills, and muted light grey CGI sheets reflect the mountain hues without overwhelming the landscape. A 25mm insulation layer underneath the CGI sheets minimizes heat gain and deep eaves (1.2m–2m) shield the buildings from sun and the rains. Gutters are recessed/concealed within the roof rather than placed at the eaves. This creates a sharper profile and the illusion that it lightly floats above the structure—mirroring the flowing terrain. Thin steel columns supporting the verandahs and corridors reinforce this sense of lightness. Rainwater is harvested from the roofs into a 1 Lakh Litres storage tank, supplementing the water supply.

STUDIO CONCEPT

Each student batch is housed in a cluster comprising a 12m × 8.5m studio, a 6m × 8.5m classroom, generous verandahs on two sides and toilets. Studios open to deep verandahs via large sliding windows, while clerestory windows boost daylight and cross ventilation. Below the clerestory line, additional windows open onto wide verandahs and circulation corridors. These transitional verandahs encourage observation, loitering, and peer interaction without obstructing circulation. This spatial arrangement will hopefully foster openness, collaboration, and holistic development for students.

MATERIALS OF CONSTRUCTION

Due to budget restrictions, construction largely employs local materials and labour. RCC frame structure with brick masonry for civil works, steel works such as roof frames and railings of MS steel sections make up the structure. Windows are anodised aluminium sections with clear glass; door frames of locally available timber and door shutters are marine plywood. Roofs are of 0.5mm thick pre-coated corrugated steel, with 25mm thick insulation sheets. Interior floors are matt finish full body vitrified tiles and courtyards are paved with Kotah stone with alternating polished and non-polished surfaces for best traction in rains. 

The design harnesses natural light, reducing the need for artificial lighting. Passive cooling through ventilation and insulation eliminates the need for air-conditioning. Rainwater harvesting alleviates pressure on municipal and university water resources.

Salient Features of the Project

Name & Location : Department of Education, Mizoram University, Aizawl.

Project Cost : Rs. 18.53 Crores

Built-up Area : 5,000 sq.m.

Description of the Project:

Located within the campus of Mizoram University on the outskirts of Aizawl (elevation 1132m), the site is centrally located in the tropical evergreen wooded area close to the Administration building (Pic 13). Besides the building program, the condition given by the University authorities was that the existing water tank (9.5m dia) had to be retained (Pic 11). The water tank becomes an anchor for generating the built form, and also provides visual seperation from the parking lot (Pic 1).

The design approach was to insert the building in the landscape without affecting the surrounding tropical forest; and to create pleasant informal learning and meeting spaces beyond the general program. Care was taken during construction not to touch beyond the necessary footprint of the building. 

To reduce the overall mass of the built form, the program was divided as five buildings clustered around three courtyards. The individual buildings are oriented to shade the courtyards from the strong afternoon sun, and to channel the prevailing cool breeze; the west-facing walls and openings above the tree lines are given deep shading. The orientation and fragmentation of the built form also creates the feel of living just next to a forest, as views of the thick grove of trees and the hills beyond reveal themselves from corners and windows within the complex (Pic 07). In an effort to further reintegrate the building with surrounding forest, canopy trees (mayflower, jacaranda) and ornamental trees (pagoda tree, herhse) saplings are already planted and when full grown, the softness of the landscape will be further enhanced.

The Building Blocks consist mainly of the Academic Blocks for Research Scholars, Students, Faculty and Staff of B.Ed, M.Ed and M.A. (Education) assigned as Blocks A, B, E, F connected by courtyards and porous bridges; Computer Lab as Block D. Seminar Hall and Conference Room are housed as Block C which has easy direct access from the Parking Lot (Pic 05), so that visiting public need not wander through the Academic Blocks.

The level difference of 24.1 metres between the road and lowest floor of the building  results in the individual buildings sitting at different levels (Pic 10); and the courtyards between them creating informal meeting spaces and impromptu performance spaces along the slope (Pic 06). The main entrance court is located 2.7 metres below road level, presenting an inviting feel to the complex (Pic 02). As the road slopes down towards the Parking Lot entry (Pic 03), the level difference between the Parking Area and the main entrance court is also minimized. Keeping a low building height on the entrance side also results in unobstructed views of the distant hills and horizon from the nearby Administration Building (Pic 01).

Two lifts in separate buildings (Blocks B & F) interconnect at a common courtyard level, ensuring accessibility to all floors. Buildings are connected by bridges above the courtyards (Pic 10,12) , presenting places to enjoy the views and prevailing cool breeze. 

Materials of Construction:

Materials and construction methods are done mostly with locally available materials and labour. RCC frame structure with Brick masonry for civil works, steel works such as roof frames, railings and bridges are of MS steel sections. Windows are white powder coated aluminium sections with clear glass; door frames of locally available timber and door shutters are marine plywood. 

Roofs are of 0.55mm thick pre-coated corrugated steel; flat RCC roof for one building, for future installation of solar panels. Interior floors are vitrified tiles for easy maintenance and courtyards are paved with Kotah stone with alternating polished and non-polished surfaces for best traction in rains. Compact laminate boards used on clerestory walls and skilled labour for handling them are sourced from Guwahati.

Special Features:

The buildings situated on a steep slope poses a challenge as ramps become impractical; this is solved by providing separate lifts meeting at an interconnected courtyard – ensuring barrier free access for all floors.

The extra deep roof projections protect the buildings from heavy rains that the region experience the major part of the year, and rainwater from the sloping roofs are harvested to the pre-existing water tank on site. The gutters are designed such that they are not on the edge of the roof but set deeper within the roof; this creates a sharper edge to the roof and a feeling of the roof lightly floating above the buildings; and relates well to the flowing landscape. The roofs slope away from the inner courtyard giving a soaring feeling (Pic 07) and add to the dynamism of the space. This is expected to energise and excite the students, faculty and visitors to foster an open and active mindset for learning. The extra height also create a clear storey providing extra light for the rooms. Two sloping roofs almost touching each other above a courtyard is a reinterprtation of the vernacular gabled roof (Pic 10).

Orientation of the building clusters are done as to shade the courtyards and channel wind movement (Pic 08). The bridges are designed to allow wind to pass through; however half the width of the brige floor is impermeable to allow use by women wearing high heels and to protect from voyeurism. These permeable bridges provide pleasant places to enjoy the breeze on a hot afternoon (Pic 12).