The past always catches up with us. IMI Bhubaneswar aims at presenting a timeless piece of architecture which bridges the gap between the past and the present cultural and social life of the people of Orissa. Orissa is a state widely known for its opulent cultural heritage and rich architecture. Instead of letting the treasures be a part of the past, we attempt to recreate them in a modern setting, so we remember our roots, yet grow with time. Keeping in mind the extreme tropical summer temperatures, the structures have been designed and oriented on site to minimize heat gain and reduce use of electro-mechanical energy. Interactive zones where students can spill out, unwind or just be inspired are a very essential part of campus design. A lot of attention has been paid to the spatial quality of the central plaza as it is the interactive node of the campus. A central water court acts as a natural exhaust by cooling the air passing over it and hence making the court a solace in the hot summer. The iconic tower in the centre of the plaza acts as a wind breaker and also helps in the evaporative cooling, hence controlling the micro climate of the nodal plaza. Locally available laterite and khondalite has been extensively used as material for the outdoor areas. The central stepped plaza has been designed using solid laterite blocks. The energy spent in transportation was cut down immensely. Rain water harvesting has been employed to conserve water. The water bodies throughout the site act as catchment areas catering to the dual purpose of water conservation as well as controlling micro climate of the site. The huge library block has been strategically placed to cast shadows all over the central plaza at different times of the day thus creating comfortable outdoor spaces in the scorching heat. To cut down heat absorption substantially, large overhangs have been integrated in the design from the very beginning to create huge shadows on the building itself and the outdoor spaces. The atrium of the library block has been pushed outside with an inclined glass box to invite natural light in, hence reducing the cost for artificial lighting. Daylight analysis reveals that the design of interior spaces allows for optimum daylight penetration with the aid of the huge glass wall in the library atrium. Moreover low VOC paints have been extensively used keeping in mind the indoor air quality and the public health.
