Institutional and Community Architecture Projects
We design institutions as porous, democratic social catalysts. Here is how we create campuses and auditoriums that foster genuine human connection.
The award-nominated TAPMI Centre in Manipal, featuring a communal terrace with amphitheater seating. The design encourages spontaneous interactions and transforms the space into a vibrant social hub for students and faculty.
A view of the stepped seating and red oxide flooring at the TAPMI Centre. The design creates a non-linear path for movement, with the monumental bamboo structures providing shelter and a strong visual anchor.
The shared spaces at the TAPMI Centre are defined by the organic forms of the bamboo parasols. These structures create a dialogue between the built environment and the natural landscape, fostering a sense of belonging.
This video shows the dynamic interplay of light and form within the TAPMI Centre's open-air amphitheater. The space is designed to be a porous, democratic heart for the campus, accommodating both formal events and casual gatherings.
A playful moment at the TAPMI Centre, where the form of an umbrella echoes the shape of our bamboo-clad parasols. This highlights the connection between everyday objects and our architectural narrative.
A glimpse of the TAPMI Centre at night, as the final touches were being made. The lighting design accentuates the texture of the bamboo and the sweeping curves of the architecture, creating a dramatic nocturnal presence.
A visual journey through the MARC Auditorium at the MAHE Bengaluru Campus. The video highlights the porous transitions and layered spaces concentrated around the 1100-seater circular auditorium, showcasing our approach to large-scale institutional design.
The curved corridors of the MARC Auditorium offer expansive views of the campus. The design uses bold color and form to guide movement and create visual relationships between the interior and the exterior landscape.
Spatial thresholds within the MARC Auditorium are defined by contrasting colors and textures. A bold red door marks a point of entry, while a blue curved wall invites movement, creating a dynamic and intuitive circulation path.
A curved corridor at the MARC Auditorium, where a path of terrazzo flooring guides movement. The interplay of color, material, and form creates a series of distinct yet connected spatial experiences.
About Institutional & Community Spaces
We treat campus corridors as social theaters rather than mere passages. At the TAPMI Centre, we replaced traditional enclosed boundaries with open, bamboo-clad parasols that invite students to linger, effectively blurring the line between academic instruction and casual conversation.
When designing for institutions, we look for ways to break the rigidity of traditional campus layouts. Our approach is to create porous boundaries—spaces that physically and visually connect the inside with the outside, turning the building into a participant in the user experience rather than a static shell.
For the MARC Auditorium at the MAHE Bengaluru campus, we utilized circular geometry and layered, color-blocked corridors to encourage movement and intuitive wayfinding. This turns circulation into a collective experience where individuals naturally encounter one another. The 1100-seater circular structure is a deliberate departure from the monolithic auditorium box, favoring a design that feels inclusive and grounded.
Our institutional work is inherently non-linear. Whether it is the undulating brick entrance of the Manipal School of Architecture and Planning or the red oxide flooring at the TAPMI Centre, we use materials that hold memory and warmth. We avoid the clinical, sterile aesthetic often associated with schools and instead introduce textures that age gracefully. Our process involves intense model-making and artisan collaboration to ensure the final narrative is one of community, not just capacity. We build spaces that allow the campus to evolve, welcoming future dialogues, debates, and shared memories.
The Purple Ink Studio
We are a group of designers who view architecture as a narrative tool rather than a standard building process. Our work in institutional design is rooted in the belief that schools and campuses should serve as the heartbeat of a community, designed to adapt to the people who inhabit them.
Let us help you find the right space concept
You can search for specific design services or project types within our portfolio.
More from Interior Design by The Purple Ink Studio
More services by The Purple Ink Studio