Indian Council of Social Science Research, New Delhi

Institutional

The natural ridges of Delhi have long been home to a number of significant educational and cultural institutions. This includes the esteemed JNU, whose greenery and open landscapes have, for long, preserved the biodiversity of the SouthCentral Ridge. The complex for the Institute for Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR), located along Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, is one of the South-Central Ridge’s other prestigious institutions. With keen consideration to conserve ecology that governs the geography at the site, the architectural design of the ICSSR campus was derived from a sustainable perspective, keeping in mind the need to protect existing flora in particular. The underlying concept for the design was, therefore, bolstering a natural flow of greenery and open spaces as structuring elements within the campus. The overall volume of the Institute was broken and a staggered form achieved, which not only reduced built footprint but also induced a playful character to the design. The built space extensively embraced open areas in the form of courtyards, plazas and green courts, which also became interactive public spaces on the campus, boosting learning both inside and outside the classrooms.