The NIT campus sited on over 2 lakh sq. m of site area situated on the outskirts of Delhi is regarded as the first’ vehicle-free campus’ built on the principals of sustainability and design innovation. Being designed as the’ future of India’, the campus aspires to generate an environment that will summon the spirit of innovation, technology, and invention through its built volume, hence inspiring the students. Campuses within the city are typically congested owing to small sites; therefore, the prime objective was to create a compact, vehicle-free campus, one which allowed walking from one building to another, yet enable openness that was devoid of clutter and congestion.
The planning is derived conceptually from the intent of zoning and building segregation and is essentially divided into 4 Units that include the Administration block, Academic Block, Cultural Block/ convention center and the residential complex with each zone imbibing its own social fabric. Keeping this in mind, the ground coverage is planned in a manner that is 45% academic, 25% residential, 15% sports/culture and 15% administration. A fine balance is further achieved by positioning all the sports facilities in the center using them as an open buffer, surrounded by an amphitheater that can accommodate 3000 students. This oval-shaped central green on a triangular site provides openness to the built form and is flanked by the academic block on one side and residential on the other. The green buffer zone on the outer periphery from all three sides of the site ensures an acoustical barrier and reduces the noise of honking traffic and heavy motor vehicles. It also contributes to the enhancement of air quality inside the campus.
The sports facilities provided are tennis courts, basketball courts, badminton court, volleyball courts, jogging track, athletic track, and a cricket stadium near the site. A series of different plazas dedicated to various activities is carved; a plaza of contemplation, ceremonial plazas, the plaza of synapse and an arrival forecourt. The gated hostels with high-level lux in the open spaces provide a sense of security to the inhabitants. Keeping safety in mind as an important determinant, the overall planning provides visual connectivity and transparency.
Design Forum International is a young-old organization with almost 25 years of experience that has quickly set the right foot to be one of the best architecture firms in India. The firm is a vibrant mix of young and experienced professionals bounded by a common thread: the passion to design. An active contributor to the Nation Building drive and the Indian infrastructural boom, DFI holds vast industry experience in both national and international projects with millions of square feet of construction in a varied range of typology like Affordable Housing, Master planning, Mixed-use & Retail, Institutional as well as Healthcare. Some of DFI’s notable projects include the famous Select Citywalk mall, and the recently inaugurated New Courts Block of Delhi High Court., the ITO Skywalk, Delhi and the Dakshineshwar Skywalk in Kolkata. The Guwahati International Airport in Assam, designed by DFI is also under completion and is scheduled for completion in 2021.
As architectural boundaries continue to be pushed, luxury housing in India will undoubtedly remain at the forefront of architectural innovation, offering residents a life of unmatched luxe and style while enabling community living.