Prestige University in Indore, designed by Sanjay Puri Architects, introduces a five-level institutional building that combines academic functions with public gathering space. Located within a 32-acre campus, the structure accommodates administration offices, an auditorium, seminar halls, library facilities, classrooms, and a cafeteria. Completed in January 2026, the 30,843-square-meter project organizes these programs within a stepped form that extends usable space beyond conventional interior boundaries.
ARCHITECTURE
The building rises diagonally from the northern edge, reducing the visual impact of its 28-meter height while establishing a sequence of accessible terraces. Each level connects directly to the exterior, allowing students and faculty to occupy the roof as an extension of campus life. A total of 463 stepped platforms create a rooftop garden and open-air auditorium capable of seating up to 9,000 people. These terraces function as gathering areas, event venues, and informal study zones, transforming circulation surfaces into active social infrastructure.
Sanjay Puri Architects drew inspiration from historic Indian stepwells, which historically served as both water reservoirs and communal spaces. Prestige University adapts this spatial logic to contemporary education, where stepped platforms and layered volumes support interaction at different scales. The project avoids a singular monumental gesture and instead develops a continuous landscape that integrates architecture and open space.
Interior spaces maintain strong connections to light and air through landscaped courtyards placed across all levels. These courts introduce indirect daylight and encourage natural ventilation through the building’s section. A diagonal internal street links major functions and strengthens airflow while providing visual continuity between floors. Classrooms, library areas, and administrative offices all benefit from these open voids, which also serve as informal recreation areas.
Climate response guided material and facade strategies. Ventilated GFRC screens wrap the east, west, and south elevations, reducing heat gain while allowing air circulation. This passive approach responds to Indore’s prolonged periods of high temperatures and reduces reliance on mechanical cooling. Through its stepped terraces, shaded courts, and accessible rooftop landscape, Prestige University expands the academic building into a shared civic environment shaped by climate, movement, and collective use.
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