Prestige University, like an ancient Indian stepwell

Completed in January 2026, by Mumbai-based Sanjay Puri Architects, the administration building of Prestige University in Indore reinterprets the ancient Indian stepped well for an academic building. The five-level structure is set within a 32-acre campus and houses administrative offices, an auditorium, seminar halls, a library, and a cafeteria.

Prestige University, The Spatial Logic of the Indian Tepwell

The design is rooted in the spatial logic of the Indian stepwell, a building typology that has existed for over a millennium, conceived not merely to hold water but to draw communities together around shared, accessible space. The traditional language is reinterpreted through 463 stepped platforms cascading across the rooftop, forming a 9,000 m² garden capable of gathering up to 9,000 students for open-air events.

The building, , featuring an exposed brick façade, gradually reveals its 28-m height, with a silhouette that defers to the landscape. The diagonal ascent from the northern point opens onto the entire terrace, transforming the roof into a multifunctional stage for students' and faculty's daily life.

A Series of Interlocking Spatial Experiences

The interiors are organised around landscaped courtyards that filter natural light through every level, drawing from the traditions of Indian vernacular architecture. This is also a response to a precise climatic necessity: Indore experiences temperatures between 30°C and 40°C for eight months of the year.

To mitigate the heat – in addition to this system of open courts – the project integrates a continuous diagonal indoor street, ventilated GFRC screens on the east, west, and southern façades, minimising dependence on artificial cooling and lighting.

The section has been thoughtfully designed, as much as the plan. Common facilities, such as the cafeteria, occupy the ground floor for universal access, while classrooms rise through the upper floors, each deriving ventilation and light from the courts below. The library extends across several levels and connects to the other spaces via a bridge over the indoor street.

The result is a building that functions as a series of interlocking spatial experiences, scaled for the individual but oriented toward collective life.

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