National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad

Home to a myriad of alumnus that are highly influential in artistic fields – from the 2014 International Woolmark Prize winning fashion designer Rahul Mishra to the M.A.D. talented and original DIY artist Harun Robert (Rob) – the National Institute of Design was first established in Ahmedabad in 1961. Ranked among the finest universities in Asia and in the top 100 art and design universities of the world, NID is arguably the best educational establishment in India for dealing with artistic studies with values like process driven & hands-on practice, as well as critical design thinking that leads to a nation built upon trust and respect.1

Background : The India Report & The Sarabhai Family

Commended as the 41st “institute of national importance” by the parliament in 2014,2 NID was created as an outcome of the infamous India Report prepared by Charles and Ray Eames in 1958, urged by the Government of India following the Industrial Policy Resolution of 1958. Focusing on the growth of a newly independent India, this report culminated in topics like the importance of communication in a democratic society and the rapidly increasing influence of the combined creative destruction of capitalism and socialism.3

In line with the educative collaborations with designers like Louis Kahn and Frei Otto, the main building of NID was established by the Sarabhai siblings – Gautam and Gira. Paying a huge contribution to modern architecture in India during the 50s and 60s, the siblings worked with the Ford Foundation and the Government of India to set up the institute’s premises. With the widely known influence of the Sarabhai family in India in terms of multiple aspects – specifically science research & textile industries – the consultations held at the Sanskar Kendra Museum in the presence of known individuals like Vikram Sarabhai (physicist, astronomer) and Dashrath Patel (designer, sculptor) were pivotal in developing the academic and creative configuration of NID.4

Main Campus : Context and Formative Years

Surrounded by the Sardar Bridge & Sabarmati River on one side and the new city on the other, the main campus of NID is located in the prime area of Paldi in the western part of Ahmedabad, India. Home to a good mixture of residential and commercial locality, this part of the city makes for a good location for a creative institute like NID which allows for comfortable and immediate interactions with the surrounding culture. 

After careful discussions with other renowned architects and designers like Balakrishna Doshi and Prithwish Neogy, Gira and Gautam Sarabhai decided to build the main campus in Ahmedabad; as opposed to the locations suggested by the Eameses : Bengaluru or Fatehpur Sikri.5 Before that, the management of NID was being handled from the Calico Mills owned by the Sarabhai family; which was later moved to the Sanskar Kendra designed by Le Corbusier. The current building’s construction only started after a merchant named Seth Chinubhai Chimanlal offered his vast land for one rupee as a fee in return. With modern ideology and Bauhaus patterns in mind, the planning of this institute was done with a creatively independent design. As Eames had suggested, the NID building is notable as it is “un-monumental, anonymous, unpretentious, pleasant, workable and non-shoddy.” 6

The campus is divided into two major parts – residential and institutional – connected through an open amphitheatre in the middle. The residential block consists of hostels for girls and boys, as well as a common dining hall. The institute has common flexible spaces on the ground floor for the faculties to use, as well as storage for required raw materials and other archived documents.  The workshops for photography, plastics, metal, ceramics, glass, and wood are separated into specific wings on the first floor, meanwhile, the educative studios on the second floor are well-illuminated with natural light and well-maintained permanent exhibition spaces on both sides. Double glazing between the studios and workshops allows the students to observe and learn from the processes happening in workshops without being disturbed by the machine noises, falling in line with the motto of “learning by doing.”

Breakdown : Spatial Qualities

The planning of the institute is in such a manner that prioritises pleasant movement for pedestrians including students, faculty members, and visitors. The visible lack of too many hard barriers between spaces allows for a more transparent and interactive environment throughout all of the interior areas. 

There are permanent glass walls used for displaying the latest projects of the institute as a part of their exhibitions, and these areas are semi-lit which creates an interesting play of light and shadow during day hours. Located on the ground floor, the exhibition spaces are wide and spacious which allows for smooth commuting for visitors and NID members alike. Enhancing the impact of responsible creativity, these exhibitions are simple yet impactful which makes them stand out compared to what someone would usually expect from a college campus.

Subsequent : Inferences

With a seemingly proper balance between the built and the unbuilt, the NID campus is serene at first glance and induces curiosity at the very next second. Simple yet elegant, the proper intrusion of natural light and spaces wide enough that allow for comfortable ventilation and movement : this institute is just the right amount of charming. With courses that deal with many creative aspects like textile, furniture, photography, and animation : the design of this campus is modern yet aesthetic in equal amounts. With creativity as the driving force and simplicity as the physical backbone, the National Institute of Design remains one of India’s finest educational centres.

REFERENCE LIST:

IMAGES :

1. NID Archives. Gira Sarabhai Collection. [Photograph]. (Ahmedabad : http://www.archives.nid.edu/ARC124)
2. NID Website. [Photograph]. (Ahmedabad : https://www.nid.edu/home)
3. NID Archives. National Institute of Design Campus Construction. [Photograph]. (Ahmedabad : http://www.archives.nid.edu/ARC98)
4. GetMyUni. Campus Images – NID Ahmedabad. [Photograph]. (Ahmedabad : https://www.getmyuni.com/college/national-institute-of-design-nid-ahmedabad-images-videos)
5. Jain, A. (2016). Nakashima at NID: Blending the Traditional with Trending. [Photograph]. (Ahmedabad : https://creativeyatra.com/reviews/nakashima-at-nid-blending-the-traditional-with-trending/)

BIBLIOGRAPHY/EXTERNAL LINKS :

1. (2022). QS World University Rankings 2022 for Art & Design. QS Quacquarelli Symonds Limited. Retrieved from : https://www.topuniversities.com/universities/national-institute-design-india   
2. IANS. (2014). NID becomes the 41st institute of national importance. Business Standard. Retrieved from : https://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ians/nid-becomes-41st-institute-of-national-importance-114071200437_1.html  
3. Mathur, S. (2011). Charles and Ray Eames in India. Art Journal Open – Archive. Available from : https://artjournal.collegeart.org/?p=1735 [Accessed : 29 June 2024.]
4. Lautman, V. (2013). The timing was fortunate. The Hindu. Available from : https://www.thehindu.com/features/magazine/the-timing-was-fortunate/article4633621.ece [Archived : 6 may 2021] [Accessed from archive : 29 June 2024.]
5. Halim, M. (2017). National Institute of Design : House of art. India Today. Available from : https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/cover-story/story/20170821-nid-ahmedabad-bv-doshi-icons-of-modern-india-1028909-2017-08-11 [Accessed : 28 June 2024.]
6. Modernism in India : Through the NID Archives – Exhibition Catalogue. [Retrieved from : https://www.fridaymatinee.io/print-editorial-design/modernism-in-india-through-the-nid-archives-exhibition-catalogue ]