IIM Bodhgaya all set to get new, green campus building inspired by Buddhist ideology

Gaya: The Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Bodh Gaya in Bihar is all set to get a new look by 2020.The new IIM campus, located in the sacred and historic and city of Bodhgaya, will be spread over 73 acres.

The concept for the campus takes inspiration from Buddhist ideologies, evolving into a design which promotes a search for progression in the field of management studies, an official said on Saturday.

Established in 2015, IIM Bodhgaya is the 16th such institute in the country. One of India’s leading architectural firms, C.P. Kukreja Architects have been selected through a national competition to design it.

Speaking on the execution of this first-of-its-kind project, the C.P. Kukreja Architects Managing Principal Dikshu C. Kukreja said: “It is our endeavour to create a 21st century world class campus set in a city with deep-rooted historical significance.”

“Our design is an amalgamation of these renowned ideologies with a modernism which contributes towards a futuristic vision of establishing a holistic form of an educational space,” Kukreja said.

The grandness in the campus architecture is translated through different design elements. Entering the campus, one is greeted with the Buddhist ‘toranas’ (ornamental gateways), the abstract demeanours of which are imposing and yet rooted to the ground.

Another striking feature of design that sits adorned between these ‘toranas’ is the Bodhi Tree under which Lord Buddha attained enlightenment. The Bodhi Tree is the inspiration for a striking steel edifice. The glorious scale of this edifice is visible from every point in the campus and helps transmit the values of wisdom, dynamism and tranquillity within the site.

The institute’s library block is a literal translation of the inside space onto its facade. The library walls are shaped as a vertical stack of books, while open books form the inspiration for the skylights on the building.

The architects have ideated the campus in a manner which consciously embraces the site’s context. The designs seek to enrich the overall educational experience of students aspiring for holistic human development.