With bamboo in design, the TAPMI Sustainability Center in Manipal, South India, seeks to address academic spaces. Its development began in early 1953, with a population of 2000-5000 people with Dr T.M.A Pai who laid the foundation of the educational hub. Manipal today is home to an estimated 25,000-30,000 students, constituting roughly 50-60% of the city’s population. With the infrastructural blocks mushrooming, the urban fabric becomes rigid and devoid of social spaces for the young floating population.

Editor’s Note: “The TAPMI Centre for Sustainability in Manipal re-imagines academic spaces through design strategies that promote growth while strengthening the communities. Incorporating bamboo in design, TAPMI holds traditional chhatris serving as shelters while symbolizing and supporting local artisans. Reflecting the surrounding context and terrain, the design carefully zones multi-functional spaces throughout the center. ” ~ Anusha Sridhar

TAPMI Echoes Sustainability Through Bamboo In Design | The Purple Ink Studio

The Site Context 

The Centre for inclusive growth & competitiveness is nestled inside the 40-acre residential campus of TAPMI located on a hillock, overlooking a picturesque valley with views of the forested green canopies. Occupying a humble land parcel of 5,000 sqft, holds a significant position within the campus, offering a dynamic interplay between its immediate context and the broader environment. The site holds a prominent position in the campus, it is encircled by a road that originates at the campus and weaves its way down, hugging the contours of the terrain. The views surrounding the site are an interplay of open and academic blocks.

The Program & Narrative  

The client’s brief was deeply rooted in the institution’s core values, emphasizing the design of academic spaces that inspire collaboration and meaningful interaction. The Program, which included classrooms, administration, workshops & a small cafeteria could be accommodated in a Ground and an upper level. 

This raised a pivotal question for us – could the project move beyond fulfilling the spatial requirements and redefine what academic places mean for a place like Manipal? Reinterpreting the conventional academic block, the intent was to design spaces that transcended beyond academic hours re-imagining them as community hubs.

The Design Strategy

The design approach for TAPMI Centre for inclusive growth & competitiveness reflects and redefines its role within the campus, the community, and the city. This vision is driven by three key ideas:

Building as a Social and Communal Space – Instead of expanding the program vertically or horizontally, we explored the potential of the terrace. Conventionally an under-utilized element in this region, due to heavy rainfall, we added a covered layer to make the space adaptable and open for community engagements.

This added an “after life” to the structure, where learning as well as community can co-exist. The terrace becomes part of the land and is stepped down to encourage a connection between the people, land, and the building. At the heart of the center is Angala, an open amphitheater that serves as a hub for several activities, which almost merges with the abutting road. 

With Angala serving as a porous connectivity hub, covering the terrace became essential in addressing the local climate.  Moreover, we drew inspiration from the “Chhatris” of bamboo in design, commonly seen in the ghatscapes of Varanasi, India. These traditional sunshades signify the starting point for various commercial, religious, and recreational activities. Beyond providing shelter, chhatris stand not only as architectural elements but also as symbols of cultural continuity for local artisans.

We collaborated with skilled craftsmen to connect the craft not just with its historical lineage but also to empower future generations. The network of parasols stretched across the terrace, thoughtfully intersecting at strategic locations to create a cohesive yet functional space.

Building as a Landscape

The Building dissolves the rigid separation between the land as well as the built form.  The building extends outwards expanding its functionality into community spaces, formal spaces for events and gatherings and often acting as a thoroughfare connecting the terrains at different levels. Furthermore, bridges, ramps, and buildings reaching the land make the space accessible to all.

Building for the City 

TAPMI center functions as a vibrant node for a larger community, bridging the gap between academic as well as community spaces.  The building is devoid of entry or even a main door, fostering openness and accessibility. Even after the academic hours, students use these spaces for various activities making it a hub of continuous engagements. By weaving together the idea of landscape and the idea of shared resources the project embodies a vision of sustainability that is both innovative and rooted in context.

Structure as Architecture, Architecture as Interiors – We interwove the entire narrative for the structure to become the architecture and flow seamlessly into the interiors. The interiors though layered celebrate the rawness and the tactility through the choice of materials.

The project engages materials and methods that connect the past with the present while ensuring that the craft traditions of the region are celebrated and preserved. The project offers a fresh perspective on sustainability that transcends ecological considerations and embraces cultural continuity by opening the building to everyone.

The Future 

TAPMI Sustainability Centre embodies the vision that the future of academic campuses can be democratic, non-linear, and porous. A transformative model that can evolve to meet the demands of modern learning while embracing the cultural roots and empowering the “now” to be future-ready.

Fact File

Designed by: The Purple Ink Studio

Project Type: Educational Architecture Design

Project Name: Center for Inclusive Growth & Competitiveness for Tapmi

Location: Manipal, Karnataka

Year Built: 2024

Project Size: 12486.14 Sq.ft

Principal Architects: AkshayHeranjal & Nishita Bhatia

Principal Landscape Architect: Aditi Pai

Project Team: Arpita Pai, Jinan Fuloonah, Rajvi Shah, Anareen Reynolds, Aziz Rajani, Bansaree Mody, Jaikumar V, Sujith Kamath

Photograph Courtesy: Suryan//Dang

Director Projects: Khilesh Surana

Pro Vice Chancellor (Mlhs), Mahe Manipal: Prof. (Dr) Madhu Veeraraghavan

Head, Centre For Sustainability: Ishwar Haritas

Structural Consultants: Ace Technocrats Pvt. Ltd.

Civil Contractors: Blueladder Ventures

Furniture: Beruru, Chesters

Source: Archdaily

The Firm’s Website Link: The Purple Ink Studio

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