Chattisgarh, India

The Raipur Training Institute Chattisgarh designed by Mandviwala Qutub and Associates is a one-of-a-kind facility commissioned by the Technoblast Mining Corporation that provides inspiring spaces for training miners and contributing workers. 

The design approach started with the philosophy that places of learning should take high priority as places for extending knowledge. 

Visual elements of the building are inspired by underground forms of mines and open-pit rock profiles, fitting the educational program of its users. 

For its inspired design, the Raipur Training Institute Chattisgarh has recently been awarded a 2022 International Architecture Awards Honorable Mention by The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design and The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies.

A raised podium with informal seating and landscaping was designed as an activity-generator and place to pause. 

The central courtyard below acts as a focal point of the structure, binding the spaces together. 

The courtyard is cross-cut in the form of an oculus, illuminating the space, and contains a staircase open to the sky.

Porosity is maintained throughout the structure. 

A semi-permeable facade with angular fins creates a sense of curiosity from the exterior and inclusivity from the interior. 

Unobstructed visual connectivity is achieved from every point on the bridge. 

Terraced gardens and spillover spaces for classrooms act as buffers and create vibrant, mixed-use zones.

Parametrics played a crucial part in attaining the form with the help of faceted facades that enable the circulation of light and wind. 

This in turn reduces dependency on artificial sources. 

Slits cut through the south façade along with angular sun shades perform a dual function by blocking the harsh southern heat and bringing in the western winds. 

The north facade is completely opened up bringing indirect light inside. 

The monolithic form is chiseled through the east direction creating a drama of internal spaces with daylight. 

A shallow body of water is strategically placed at the west end to ensure passive cooling of incoming winds, which in turn allows for a stacked effect at the courtyard level, ventilating the internal spaces. 

Partial use of green roofs and glass roofs also helps in disseminating diminished heat flow.

The institute accommodates 10 classrooms, five workshops, offices, a conference room, a cafeteria, a library, administrative spaces, and loading/unloading docks with parking.

Holistically, the design strives to inspire and facilitate a communal sense of education. 

The overall aesthetic strives to blend with the earthy scenic language of Raipur.

Project: Raipur Training Institute Chattisgarh
Architects: Mandviwala Qutub and Associates
General Contractor: R. P. Realty
Client: Technoblast Mining Corporation
Photographers: Pradnya Ranaware