The WOXSEN Business School, situated along the serene stretch of the Hyderabad-Mumbai national highway in India, is an ambitious development spanning nearly 200 feet (approximately 800,000 square meters). With the vision of joining the global alliance of premier business schools by 2020, WOXSEN aims to transcend traditional teaching standards, fostering entrepreneurial skills and embracing innovative educational methods and sustainability principles.
In line with their desire to establish a distinctive identity, the decision-makers envisioned that the building itself should embody their unique insights into the curriculum and pioneering teaching approach.
This project embraces barrier-free design, self-balancing systems, and green architecture. It aims to minimize the carbon footprint by providing a sustainable clay building that fosters engagement and enriches both learning and living experiences.
The campus buildings showcase a minimalist style, prominently featuring exposed concrete as the main surface material. This design choice results in a series of dense geometric forms and dynamic open spaces created through the interaction with the natural terrain, reflecting the pursuit of excellence through architecture.
A modular design approach was applied throughout the campus, including service areas, allowing precise planning of every inch of space without compromise. The service areas are thoughtfully integrated with the site’s terrain, reducing indirect costs and ensuring a fully barrier-free environment.
The expansive green zones act as natural outdoor social spaces, offering comfortable areas for sunlight and ventilation between buildings.
The administrative building serves as the centerpiece of the entire design, playing a key role in campus activities and presenting an inspiring presence to visitors. It features a triple-height atrium that accommodates both formal and informal events.
The building’s walls showcase an oval cut-out with a short-to-long axis ratio of 1:1.6, aligning with the golden ratio, which accentuates its unique identity. A wide skylight made from low-e glass ensures high solar performance while enhancing the grandeur of the space.
A long, straight road lined with a water storage tank and manicured lawns leads to the building, creating a welcoming entrance and a soft foreground for the exposed concrete and glass façade.
Brightly colored furniture adds vibrancy to the interior without compromising its dignity. Exposed heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) ducts emphasize the design’s honest integration of structure and function.
The eastern section of the teaching area includes classrooms and lecture halls arranged in alignment with the structural grid. This system connects interlocking spaces to the outdoors through corridors at various heights, open walkways, platforms, and courtyards.
The lecture halls stand out with their elliptical floor plans, featuring tiered seating designed to maintain student focus on the instructor. The continuous exposed concrete finish unifies the aesthetic across the entire building complex.
Student dormitories are strategically placed at a comfortable distance from the main academic buildings, encouraging walking and cycling. At the heart of the residential area lies an activity center, complemented by amenities such as a restaurant, gym, swimming pool, spa, and hair salon.
For any educational institution, having a core concept is vital. WOXSEN Business School’s concept centers on creating a space focused on place, education, and growth experiences designed to evoke lasting memories.
WOXSEN continues to progress steadily towards realizing this vision.
Project Drawings
Overall Planning Map
△ General Layout Plan
△ Floor Plans
Project Information
Architect: Designhaaus Solutions
Project Year: 2017
Photographer: Ricken Desai
Suppliers: Armstrong Ceilings, Lafarge Holcim, REHAU, Saint-Gobain
Location: India
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