The design proposal for the School of Planning and Architecture in Delhi is rooted in the belief that space for recreation is essential in a city and that this space should not merely exist for recreation.

Plan 0
Plan 0: 1. Vehicular Entrance for the Academic Facility, 2. Parking Lot for the Academic Facility (G+B), 3. Administration, 4. Cafe, 5. Studios, 6. Lecture Rooms, 7. Offices, 8. Campus Centre, 9. Study Area, 10. Games Room, 11. Health Centre, 12. Vehicular Entrance for Residential Facility, 13. Parking lot for the Residential Facility (G+B1+B2), 14. Outdoor Sports Plaza, 15. Orchard, 16. Pedestrian Entry © Architecture BRIO + Parallax Design Studio

The location of the site puts the proposed school campus not just adjacent to, but within the eco-system of the Delhi Ridge. The campus design seeks to maintain and enhance these eco-systems. A variety of landscapes are created using the characteristics of the topography, climate and vegetation cover.

Phasing, with Phase 1 (top) and Phases 2 + 3 (bottom)
Phasing, with Phase 1 (top) and Phases 2 + 3 (bottom): Phase 1 (Year 0): The academic blocks get organised on either side of the canyon defining the movement spine through the site and pedestrian plaza defines the northern edge of the canyon entrance. Phase 2 (Year 5): Additional Academic Blocks begin to define the secondary, east-west axis of movement along the preserved forest area and the proposed fruit orchard. Phase 3 (Year 15): This completes the final organisation of the campus, the site will have a total of three vehicular access points: (a) principal entry, (b) residential entry and (c) the secondary academic entry on the west side. © Architecture BRIO + Parallax Design Studio
Concept Sketches
Concept Sketches © Architecture BRIO + Parallax Design Studio

The experience of a city can only be positive when the there is an intricate network of open, public and recreational spaces with a variety of uses, ranging in scale and differing in potential activities:play, sports, shopping, walking, gathering, etc. The Open Campus will add to this network with an almost iconic public space: ‘the Canyon’. 

The Site
The Site From left-to-right: International Airport – Aravali Biodiversity Park – Site, SPA Delhi – Lutyens' Delhi – Red Fort – Qutb Minar – Metro Line © Architecture BRIO + Parallax Design Studio
'The Future Landscape'
'The Future Landscape' Along the Southern and Western facades of the buildings a buffer of deciduous trees is proposed for shade 1. Access to Biodiversity Park, 2. Academic Entry, 3. Residential Entry, 4. Parking, 5. Pedestrian Entrance Plaza, 6. Canyon Entrance: 'zig-zag staircase', 7. Pond, 8. Rock Garden, 9. Orchid Orchard, 10. Fruit Orchard, 11. Existing Forest, 12. Butterfly Garden, 13. Canyon Entrance from Vasant Kunj, 14. Jogging Track, 15. Cricket Pitch, 16. Sports Complex. © Architecture BRIO + Parallax Design Studio

The design of the ‘Open Campus’ uses multidirectional building blocks, giving one the possibility to move from one arbitrary spot into another arbitrary spot in the master plan through numerous different routes. These multiple points of access increase the potential for interaction and communication in an enormous way.

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