Software campus design inspired by the important role courtyards play in traditional Indian architecture.
Photo courtesy: Dave Burk Photography
Tata Consultancy Services’ new software development campus encompasses 2.1 million square feet of space housing more than 16,000 employees. Spread across a 40-acre site, the design of the campus in Kolkata, was inspired by the important role courtyards play in traditional Indian architecture, specifically the role they play in fostering community interactions. As such, the entire site - including the buildings themselves - is filled with courtyards, dynamic building scales framing the courtyards, and a diverse sequence of landscaped spaces.
“This is a transformative building that engages India’s rich history to guide its future,” says Mehrdad Yazdani, Design Principal for the project and Director of the Yazdani Studio of CannonDesign. “Rooted in elements that define India, the building also sets an exciting new precedent in line with the leading-edge technology services occurring within its walls. The building celebrates India’s past while pushing it to an even more exciting tomorrow.”
CannonDesign is an integrated global design firm that unites a dynamic team of architects, engineers, industry experts and builders driven by a singular goal - to help solve their clients’ and society’s greatest challenges. The firm’s design teams partner with clients across a multitude of industries including healthcare, education, science + technology, corporate/commercial, civic and sports. In 2017 and 2019, Fast Company named CannonDesign one of the 10 most innovative architecture companies in the world.
The Yazdani Studio of CannonDesign is a laboratory for exploration and experimentation in architecture. Established upon the reputation and leadership of award-winning designer Mehrdad Yazdani, the studio leverages the best attributes of a small design studio with the resources and reach of our global practice.
The studio includes a diverse team of architects, designers, 3-D artists, technical specialists, and creative thinkers entirely committed to pushing the boundaries of design—from refining concepts of sustainability to the application of radically new technologies and urban initiatives. This project with Tata Consultancy Services Software Development campus was meant to foster community and celebrate Indian culture in the most subtle and resourceful way.
The campus architecture is defined by two 15-story towers. The north side of the towers is clad in high-efficiency clear glazing with distinct ceramic frit patterns and sun shading devices. The south side integrates metal panelling into the façade and a number of framed terraces and public spaces, including a five-story courtyard in which employees from different floors can come together and interact.
“We can’t overstate the amount of cultural research and engagement the design team undertook for this project,” added Yazdani. “Materials, spaces, elements large and small, all of them are designed to be a touchstone for Indian culture that culminates in a state-of-the-art workspace.”