The document provides a comprehensive case study of the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Ahmedabad, designed by Louis I. Kahn, detailing its layout, buildings, and planning strategies. It highlights key functional areas such as the library, classrooms, dormitories, and the Louis Kahn Plaza, emphasizing the integration of landscape elements and circulation patterns that promote interaction among students and faculty. The report concludes with observations on the design's success in fostering community alongside noted areas for improvement in legibility and connectivity within the campus.

1. Indian Institute of Management-
Ahmedabad
A Detailed Case Study on Louis.I.Kahn Wonder

3. Content
1. Introduction
2. The General Info of IIM-Ahmedabad
3. IIM- Louis.I.Kahn Plan Layout
4. Location
5. Detailed Planning
6. Library
7. School Building
8. Faculty Blocks
9. Dormitories
10. Louis I Kahn Plaza
11. Zoning Pattern
12. Circulation Pattern
13. Landscape
14. Conclusion

4. Introduction
IIM, Ahmedabad is the top management school of India and is
amongst top business schools of Asia. Also the intuitive design
and careful planning by architect of world fame: Louis I. Kahn
further offers scope for the following.
• Analysis of the functional relationship and the circulation
between the academic, administrative and residential areas in a
management institute.
• Analysis of the spatial requirements for academic
areas like lecture halls, seminar halls, conference rooms,
library, computer centre etc.
•Role played by landscape elements in integrating the built-up
environment.

5. General Information About Indian Institute of
Management, Ahmedabad
•Year of Completion : 1961’
•Architects : Louis I.Kahn, B.V. Doshi
•Site Are : 66 Acres
•Soil Type : Alluvial Sandy Loam
•No. of Students : 500
•No. of Staff Members: 350
MAJOR PROGRAMMES....
• Two year post graduate program in management.
• Fellow program in management at doctorate level.
• Programs for practitioners from industry and government
• Management development programs
•Research and publications

7. LOCATION
• IIM is situated on a 66acres site to the west side of the city of
Ahmedabad.
•It is about 10 km away from the railway station and about
15km away from the airport.
•The institution lies near to other institutions namely Atira and
Gujarat university.
•The institute was conceived as an integrated campus to house
the different kinds of activities and to provide an environment
conducive to creative work.

9. Planning of Indian Institute of Management,
Ahmedabad
Academic Complex
1. Library
2. School Building
3. Faculty Blocks
4. Dormitories
5. Louis I Kahn Plaza

12. LIBRARY
• The library is the most prominent building of the whole
campus. It is approached by a broad, imposing flight of steps
from the parking lot. It is so designed as to become the centre
of faculty student interaction.
• Entrance to the library is from the first floor.
• The library building is a five storyed structure with a
rectangular plan.

13. •GROUND FLOOR -
Has library
administrative areas
and stores.
•FIRST FLOOR -
Accommodates
issuing counter,
reference books,
catalogues, book
stacks and carrels.
*Picture showing the plan
of first floor

14. *A View of reading hall, first floor of library

15. SECOND FLOOR
accommodates
triple height reading
hall and conference
halls.
THIRD FLOOR
accommodates
bound volumes of
journals
FOURTH FLOOR
has bound volumes
of old books and
journals.
*Image is of Second Floor of IIM Library

16. *Centrally Located Semi Circular Spiral Staircase

17. Total number of books: 1,80,000
No of periodicals: 600
Bound volumes of periodicals: 25,000
AREA STATEMENT
READING HALLS (2 nos.) 12,000 sqft.
STACKS
First floor 3,000 sqft.
Second floor 3,000 sqft.
Third floor 4,500 sqft.
Fourth floor 4,500 sqft.
LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION
Ground floor 4,500 sqft.
Estimation

18. School Building
• The school building is a longitudinal building located on the
south west side of the library. It is connected to the library by an
ambulatory and to the dormitory by an over bridge over the
village street.
•The ground floor has most of the administrative offices with
classrooms and seminar rooms on the first and second floors,
respectively.
•Lobbies are created in between classrooms and these not only
provide entry to rooms but also serve as spots where students
can meet and exchange ideas before dispersing after their
classes.

19. *First Floor Plan of School Building Showing Classrooms

20. *Classroom Block
*Offices on Ground
Floor

21. Classrooms
• The Design of the classrooms is based on seminar type of
interaction between students-students and students-faculty.
•Windows are high to get glare free light.
• There is no acoustical disturbance from outsider’s, since an
inner buffer space separates classrooms from circulation space
separately.
•The classrooms is well equipped with projection systems and is
centrally air conditioned.

22. •The shape of the
class room is
hexagonal and the
sitting arrangement
in a classrooms is in
horseshoe pattern
with rows of seat at
different levels.

24. Faculty Blocks
• Four Storey Building comprising of four blocks.
All four blocks are joined together by a corridor
on each floor.
•These blocks enclose space in between them,
which are developed as a raised lawns.
•There are 10 rooms on each floor of one block.
•The arched openings in the corridors, adjacent
to the staircases act as viewing galleries offering
views of the landscaped courts.

27. Dormitories
• The shape of each
dormitory block is square
with two residential wings, a
triangular lounge and two
service area.
•The positioning of the stirs
are meant to protect the
living room from sun and
glare without obstructing
the breeze and ventilation.

28. • The ground floor of certain
dormitories blocks have been
utilized as multipurpose
rooms, bank post and
telegraph office, dispensary
and students welfare offices
etc.
• Some dormitories have been
kept free for circulation by
provision of arched openings
underneath the dormitories
with rooms above.

29. • The dorms have an access
through a ramp leading to a
piazza which provide al link
between the dorms and
classrooms.
•The dorms are placed one
behind the other to obtain the
much needed breeze and cross
ventilation.
•The design of individual blocks
as well as their layout are
intended to promote interaction
among the students and to
provide them privacy.

30. *Original Images of the
Dormitories

31. Louis Kahn Plaza
• Instead of small courts one large court has been planned in the
center to relate to movement around the classrooms, library and
faculty administration.
•The court is vast and the openings of the corridors flanking the
court are few giving a ritualistic sense to the entire space.
•The Louis Kahn plaza is a raised platform in the court, which id
120 feet wide serves the function of a stage on formal occasions
with large gatherings.

32. * Gathering of people during a convocation programmed at Louis Kahn Plaza

33. Auditorium
•The auditorium has been placed in close proximity to the main
entrance near the parking area for easy access.
•The auditorium has a capacity of 550 seats, accommodated in a
combination of stepped and flat floors, which is to be mainly used
for simulated conferences by participating students, lectures as
well as periodic entertainment.
•The acoustics of the auditorium are taken care of with the design
of an asymmetric folded plate roof which helps in carrying the
sound to the back rows without the need of any false ceiling and
plaster moulds.

34. • There are two set of
staircases in the foyer for the
circulation and the two spiral
staircases are located towards
the rear for access to the ante
rooms on the upper floor.

36. Dining Block
•The dining block has good connectivity with the school
building.
•The basement accommodates storage. The dining hall for
students is on the ground floor and the cafeteria is located on
the first floor.
•It has been connected with the dormitories with the passage
known as village street.

38. MANAGEMENT DEVELOPMENT CENTRE (MDC)
•The planning of the management centre facilitates interaction
amongst the participants.
•The building in the front accommodates offices, lecture room,
syndicate rooms on the ground floor and seminar rooms on the
upper floor while the other building accommodates lecture room,
syndicate rooms, computer center, executive hostels and dining
hall.
•There are two lecture halls, 2 conference rooms and 8 syndicate
rooms in the MDC building.
•The seating layout of the lecture hall is in a horseshoe pattern to
facilitate interaction amongst students as well as student and
teacher interaction.

42. Building Materials
•Brick has been used as a primary building material for
the entire complex walls, columns.
•Brick arches had been used for a wide spans.
•Use of concrete has been restricted to foundations, floor
slabs, and ties for arches openings.

43. CIRCULATION
•Circulation within the campus has been planned in such a
manner so as to restrict the vehicular traffic away from the
academic zone.
Vehicular Circulation:
There are three entrances to the campus.
1. Entry to the academic block
2. Entry to the residential sector
3. Service entry
In the residential sector, internal roads give access to the houses,
they have been planned as a main circulation spine with
branched cul de sac roads to incorporate more green spaces and
pedestrian pathways

44. Pedestrian Circulation
•The dormitories have been arranged enclosing courts
between them and the pedestrian pathways around courts
link various areas.
• In certain dorms underpasses going beneath the dorms
have been provided for uninterrupted circulation.
•Parking area has been provided near the main entrance to
the complex to minimize disturbances in the academic area.

47. LANDSCAPING
Landscaping is an important element of design, which has been
well integrated with building design in campus.
• The Louis Kahn Plaza is the central court around which
buildings have been planned. This functions as a space for
relaxation as well as for formal occasions for huge gatherings.
•Faculty offices have been planned with garden courts in
between two blocks.
•Raised lawns in front of the auditorium as well as the main
entrance further aid in visually enhancing the quality of
environment within a complex

49. Inferences/Conclusion
•Design of spaces to encourage interaction – lobbies, wide
corridors etc. the Louis Kahn plaza is meeting ground for the
students and staff.
•The planning of open spaces has been done with a system of
courts.
•There is a absence of adequate covered pathways in the
campus.
•The complex is not legible enough as there is absence of
landmark within the complex.
•The institutional zones is separated from residential ares with the
vast green lawns.