The multiple student housing building of CMR University is located on the site with very unique characteristics. It is surrounded by streets on the three sides sitting amidst a dense residential neighborhood in Bangalore city. The front facade / main entrance to the building faces a cemetery. The nature of building use is very dynamic and vibrant whereas the site context is its exact opposite. The challenge was to blend the two and at the same time redefine the stereotypical image of student housing existing in the country.
Location CMR University, Bangalore, India
Photos by Sandesh R
Lead architects M9 Design Studio
Design team Nischal Abhaykumar, Kaushik Kumar, Bala Harikrishnan
Structural engineers Avinash A
MEP Electomac Consultants
Contractor Jaista Constructions
Client CMR Group of Institutions
The view outside was not something to look at. Hence it was certain that the building had to be closed or introvert. This resulted in the plan with internal central court/light well surrounded by various rooms that were facing the streets. This internal court becomes a vital space for student interactions.
The rooms needed natural light and ventilation. A regular window would have served the purpose but was not an acceptable solution with the given site conditions. This lead to the development of a new window typology termed as niche. Each room has a niche that is pushed out of the building facade. From inside the room spaces, this niche provides utility pockets that every student can use in a unique way.
