A CRIMSON CITADEL

In Patiala, Thapar University's masterplan is a spatial story in stone by Designplus Architecture and Dublin based McCullough Mulvin Architects, embodying the synergy between vernacular materials and climatically responsive design

- LAVANYA CHOPRA

Institutional architecture frequently conjures stoic, even lacklustre imagery, but some architectural endeavours stand as striking exceptions.

Patiala's Thapar University, configured over 5,42,000 sq ft, renders this phenomenon visible. Championing collaborative excellence, its master plans were developed in Delhi and Dublin, led by studios Designplus Architecture (DPA) and McCullough Mulvin Architects.

Sohrab Dalal and Sonali Bhagwati, Design Partners at DPA, are seasoned advocates of design paradigms. Their works dot the subcontinent and beyond, conveying how contemporary India expresses itself through built environments.

To design numerous residential and institutional structures within the existing campus grounds of the university, Sohrab joined forces with Valerie Mulvin, Co-Founder at McCullough Mulvin Architects, scripting a new design chapter.