The Senate House in Chennai, India was constructed between 1874-1879 based on the design of British architect Robert Chisholm. It is considered one of the best examples of Indo-Saracenic architecture, which incorporates elements of Byzantine style. The great hall is immense in height and proportions. The unique interior includes stained glass windows, frescoes, murals, and carved stone columns. The Senate House originally served as the administrative center and convocation hall of the University of Madras.

1. History of Architecture
Senate House
(University of Madras)

2. General Information
Location Wallajah Road, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
Groundbreaking 1874
Completed 1879
Architect Robert Chisholm
The Senate Houseis the administrative centre of the University of
Madras in Chennai, India. It is situated in Wallajah Road, along
Marina Beach. Constructed by Robert Chisholm between 1874 and
1879, the Senate building is considered to be one of the best and
oldest examples of Indo-Saracenic architecture in India

3. HISTORY
Robert Chisholm was a 19th-century British architect who is considered to be one of the pioneers of
Indo-Saracenic architecture.Initially designing buildings using the Renaissance and Gothic styles of
architecture, Chisholm switched over to Indo-Saracenic with the construction of the PWD buildings
of the Chepauk Palace in 1871.
In 1864, the Madras government gave an advertisement inviting designs for the Senate House
building. Chisholm's design was eventually approved and the building was constructed between
April 1874 and 1879. A saluting battery was present at the site prior to the construction of the Senate
House.Prior to the construction of the Senate House, university convocations were held at
Banqueting Hall (now Rajaji Hall).The first annual conference of the Madras Music Season was held
in the Senate House in the year 1929.During 14 July – 21 December 1937 the legislature of the Madras
Presidency met at the Senate House.

4. • The Senate built in the Indo-Saracenic style of
architecture, incorporates many elements of the
Byzantine style.
• The great hall of the Senate House is of immense
height and proportions and considered to be the
finest of its kind in India
• The unique interior of the building includes,
stained-glass windows, rare fresco paintings,
intricate murals and painted panels
• Stone columns with sculptured capital
• Dome inspired from Byzantine architecture
Architectural Features

5. Hindu iconography on the capital
Turrets
Clerestory

6. Spaces
• The Senate house has a central hall with corridors on the ground floor. The
corridors stand on six massive pillars standing on either side. Also the four
sky touching towers standing at each of the corners of the building gives it
a dazzling look. The six porches, two on the eastern and western sides of
the building and one each on the northern and southern side of the
building further lend the structure a vintage look. There also are three
segmental arch openings in each porch in the east, west and south of the
porch. The roof is made of brick shell with lime mortar.
• The halls were used as a meeting place of first elected Madras Legislative
when it was convened in 1937. The Senate House was also the venue for
Madras Music Academy in the first years of that institution. Though, the
use of Senate house was limited to holding of the convocations and
examinations, after the construction of new departmental library building
and later on the centenary building, besides being used as classrooms for
teaching foreign languages. After the constructions of the massive
centenary auditorium in 1960 the convocations were held there after 1965.

7. • The senate house has a convocation hall, beautiful
porticos, a parapet that surrounds these porticos, halls
for meetings, a library etc. It had offices of the Vice
Chancellor and the Registrar and the university
departments of study and research earlier. The site has
been ruled for almost 125 years by the senate house
and it has been the venue of many functions and
convocations were held in the central hall till 1965; later
the venue was shifted to Centenary Convocation
Auditorium. It was used for meetings of the senate,
syndicate and academic departments of the university.
The venue was a convention centre too, in the past,
when there were not many modern facilities available. It
also housed administrative offices of the University. The
meetings of the senate, academic council and of the
faculties were held in some of the smaller halls.

8. Plan and Section
Tower
Porch
double
height
verandah
Longitudinal Section

9. THANK YOU