Nalanda University

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated a new campus at Nalanda University on June 19, 2024, near the ancient ruins of Rajgir, Bihar.¹ Flourished over 1,600 years ago, it is one among the greatest centres of learning in the ancient world. Considered by historians to be the world’s first residential university, Nalanda operated from 427 CE (common era), housing some 10,000 residents. In 1193 CE, the campus was destroyed by invaders.

The construction of the new campus, designed as a ‘net zero’ Green campus, began in 2017.² Nalanda University is envisioned as a collaborative effort between India and the East Asia Summit (EAS) countries. Designed by the Pritzker Prize-winning architect, the late Balkrishna Vithaldas (BV) Doshi,³ the design of the campus pays homage to the ancient university, reflecting vernacular traditional forms using modern construction methods.

Spread over 100 acres, and constructed at a cost of USD240 million, the new campus integrates eco-friendly architecture with ancient Vaastu principles, ensuring a net-zero carbon footprint. The campus has two blocks with 40 classrooms for nearly 1,900 students; two auditoriums with a combined seating capacity of over 300; and hostels for up to 550 students, alongside 197 academic housing units for faculty. Amenities include a sports complex, medical centre, commercial centre, faculty club, and a library with a capacity for 300,000 books and 3,000 users.

RESPONSIVE TO CLIMATE AND SITE

There are long hot summers and short winters in Rajgir with heavy rain common from mid-June to September. The design responds to the desirability for shade in summer and solar access in winter by the use of overhangs on roofs and shutters on glazing. The streets in the master plan have a strong north-south alignment, which will tend to ensure that the walkways are shielded from direct sun for much of the day. The environmental objectives have been closely integrated with the architecture to control solar gain and daylight. The project has retained the existing site contours and slopes, existing natural water bodies, and dense tree clusters for more than 75 per cent of the site area.

The buildings feature thermal insulation in walls to minimise heat transfer during extreme weather conditions, while exposed thermal mass helps maintain comfortable indoor temperatures during winter and transitional seasons. The thermal envelopes of the buildings have also been designed to minimise the energy demands on systems and the use of fossil fuels. The design includes cool water features in courtyards to enhance the microclimate and promote evaporative cooling, further reducing the need for mechanical cooling systems.

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PROJECT DATA

Read more stories from FuturArc 4Q 2024: Tempering Temperatures!

1 https://indiplomacy.com/2024/06/21/prime-minister-narendra-modi-inaugurates-new-campus-of-nalanda-university/
2 https://nalandauniv.edu.in/about-nalanda/history-and-revival/#:~:text=The%20State%20Government%20of%20Bihar,campus%20during%202017%20to%202023.
3 Ibid.