Shri Dharmasthala Manjunatheshwara College of Engineering and Technology

Photograph courtesy of Shirish Beri & Associates.

Project details

• Project Name: Shri Dharmasthala Manjunatheshwara College of Engineering & Technology
• Client: Sri Dharamsthala Manjunatheshwara Educational Society, Ujire
• Project Type: Educational Institute
• Principal Designer/s: Shirish Beri
• Design Team: Y.D. Kulkarni, P. Karmbalkar, S. Kumthekar
• Contractor/s: Surendra Construction Co., Bangalore (main civil)
• Year of commencement of project: 1982
• Year of completion of project: 1986
• Location of site: Dhavalgiri, Dharwad, India
• Site Area: 150000 sq. mt.
• Built-up Area: 17400 sq. mt.
• Cost of Construction/Execution: 45 Million Rupees (civil)

Photograph courtesy of Shirish Beri & Associates.

The site's basic configuration was that of a half bowl with some comparatively flat land at the ridge and in the valley. A railway line ran along the highest contour. While visualizing a building that responds to the site character, it become more & more obvious that the main building should hug the bowl slopes and spread along it. The designing called for a thorough study of contours so that the cutting and filling is minimized as far as possible and the space and planning advantages are maximized.

Photograph courtesy of Shirish Beri & Associates.

The naturally convergent central area caters to primary common activities like Administration with a 1, 000 capacity Auditorium below it and the library above it. This area naturally formed the two main entrances to the building. The one on the east with large landscaped mound, rocks and two water bodies has the entrance at the administration level whereas the west side ceremonial entrance starts at the auditorium stage level 7 metres below the east entrance. Both the entrances meet in a large spacious lounge with a double height and with fiberglass skylight domes. This lounge has built in seating around a central landscaping feature. The stepped auditorium with the high stage sits along the contours.

Photograph courtesy of Shirish Beri & Associates.

On both sides of this central wing are the secondary common functions like the classrooms and the drawing halls.

Beyond these are various departmental labs, offices etc. viz. civil, electrical, electronics, computer and mechanical (the major mechanical dept. is in the workshops).

The staff rooms are interspersed at different places throughout the building for better control and for proximity to their respective departments. Similarly passages widen, notice boards, built in seats are provided or courtyards appear to act as student interaction spaces.

Photograph courtesy of Shirish Beri & Associates.

The amenities block near the entrance serves the students, staff as well as the outside public. Similarly the canteen at the southeast and minimizes its disturbance to the academic activities and comes nearer to the hostels and workshops.

The landscaping around and inside the building (in the courtyards) takes either a sloping or a stepped character thus bringing about a certain dynamism to the spaces. The different level terraces of the building seen from different places creates a good potential for landscaping. The spaces between the stone pillars house shrubs that can be viewed above the window sill from inside. The connecting passage was soon covered with creepers as was the canteen extension sit out.

Photograph courtesy of Shirish Beri & Associates.

The basic structural system is composite i.e. partially load bearing stone and brick masonry walls and partially a frame structure with R.C. columns and beams. The entire building is planned on a 2.5 x 2.5 m grid. This enables standardization of windows and use of standardized thin prefab R.C. bands to act as chajjas, hand rails etc. between this module everywhere.

The auditorium structure, with beams spanning 20 m, has been designed in such a way that the heavy 5 m cantilevers on both sides help in reducing the bending moment in the beams and thus the beam depth.

Photograph courtesy of Shirish Beri & Associates.

Special attention is paid to lighting in the classrooms (to minimize glare on the blackboards) and in the library (through the north light) and derived light from the central foyer. The windows in the labs, classrooms etc. not only bring in light and ventilation, but also frame the beautiful views of the rolling hills and trees outside.

The building with its new interactive and informal character helps in improving the environment by making it more conducive to learning.

Photograph courtesy of Shirish Beri & Associates.

Photograph courtesy of Shirish Beri & Associates.

Credits

• Text and Photographs, courtesy of Shirish Beri & Associates