Chandigarh University D-6 design by Charged Voids
Project: Chandigarh University D-6 - Charged Voids
Location: Mohali, India
Architects: Charged Voids
Project year: 2020
Year the project was completed: 2025
Project are: 9000m²
Location: Mohali, India
Architects: Charged Voids
Project year: 2020
Year the project was completed: 2025
Project are: 9000m²
Short project description
Chandigarh University D6 is a 94,000 sq.ft. multi-utility building serving over 7,000 students in Mohali. It integrates a cafeteria, library, and guest house within a unified structure composed of two interlocked triangular prisms and a cuboid. Building is vertically zoned: ground and first floors host dining and retail; second and third house double-height library; upper levels accommodate a guest house. steel-reinforced RCC structure allows for cantilevers and open planning. Exposed brick in Flemish bond, perforated jaalis, & red granite flooring ground building in regional materiality while ensuring ventilation, durability, thermal comfort
Chandigarh University D6 is a 94,000 sq.ft. multi-utility building serving over 7,000 students in Mohali. It integrates a cafeteria, library, and guest house within a unified structure composed of two interlocked triangular prisms and a cuboid. Building is vertically zoned: ground and first floors host dining and retail; second and third house double-height library; upper levels accommodate a guest house. steel-reinforced RCC structure allows for cantilevers and open planning. Exposed brick in Flemish bond, perforated jaalis, & red granite flooring ground building in regional materiality while ensuring ventilation, durability, thermal comfort
Project concept
ocated within the 23-acre campus of Chandigarh University’s Institute of Management Studies in Gharuan, near Mohali, the D6 building responds to the evolving needs of a rapidly expanding educational institution. Originally planned as three separate structures—a cafeteria, library, and guest house—the design was consolidated into a single, integrated form following changes in building byelaws and increased FAR. This transformation led to an architectural typology that merges utility with expressive form, creating a distinctive and multifunctional student hub.
ocated within the 23-acre campus of Chandigarh University’s Institute of Management Studies in Gharuan, near Mohali, the D6 building responds to the evolving needs of a rapidly expanding educational institution. Originally planned as three separate structures—a cafeteria, library, and guest house—the design was consolidated into a single, integrated form following changes in building byelaws and increased FAR. This transformation led to an architectural typology that merges utility with expressive form, creating a distinctive and multifunctional student hub.
The building’s geometry comprises two rotated triangular prisms interlocked with a cuboid, establishing a strong formal identity that eliminates the notion of a singular façade. Instead, the dynamic volumes orient themselves toward the central amphitheatre plaza and pedestrian spine, reinforcing connectivity and spatial continuity within the campus. This bold geometry not only enhances campus legibility but also transforms the building into a landmark within the university fabric.
The triangular volumes generate large overhangs, shaded recesses, and cut-outs, promoting thermal comfort while creating incidental gathering spaces. On the ground level, the absence of enclosing walls results in an amorphous, open-plan configuration that fosters transparency, fluid movement, and informal social interactions—aligning with the ethos of a participatory campus life.
Spatially, the building is vertically organized by function. The ground and first floors act as student commons, housing cafeterias, utility shops, and a dining hall for approximately 500 students. The second and third floors are dedicated to a double-height library, accessed through a ceremonial staircase at the primary entrance. This architectural promenade transforms a simple act of movement into a spatial experience. The upper levels accommodate a guest house for faculty and VIPs, complete with separate access and reception, ensuring privacy and functional efficiency.
Circulation is managed through multiple entries and cores, ensuring each zone operates independently while remaining embedded in the building’s overall system. This modular approach to program zoning ensures smooth flow, accessibility, and operational clarity.
Materially, the building is defined by its exposed red brick façade laid in Flemish bond—a conscious reference to Chandigarh’s modernist architectural lineage. Brick jaalis introduce porosity for filtered light and cross ventilation, while red granite flooring in public zones offers tactile durability and visual warmth. These materials anchor the building in the regional context, reinforcing a sense of belonging while enhancing passive climate responsiveness.
The D6 Student Hub is envisioned not as a static structure, but as a living, responsive architectural entity—one that transforms necessity into opportunity, circulation into interaction, and form into community. It is a contemporary educational landmark rooted in context, shaped by utility, and expressive in form—reflecting Chandigarh’s legacy while addressing the future needs of an evolving academic ecosystem.
Source: Charged Voids
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