"Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without." — Gautama Buddha
Gautam Buddha University
Client: Greater Noida Industrial development Authority
Status: Built
Year: 2016
Location: Noida, Uttar Pradesh
Project Area: 500 Acres
Project Typology: Institutional
Scope: Master Plan and Detail Landscape Design
The campus masterplan draws inspiration from Buddhist philosophy, translating its principles into a landscape that fosters learning, contemplation, and community. The academic core is informed by the geometry of the Triratna (Three Jewels), symbolizing the Buddha's first sermon at Sarnath, while the broader spatial organization reflects the ethos of a traditional gurukul.
With only 12% of the site built upon, the landscape becomes the primary medium of experience. Reflective water bodies, lotus pools, native woodlands, and open gathering spaces cultivate a tranquil environment that encourages intellectual reflection and social interaction. Formal landscapes define the academic and administrative precincts, while residential zones are embedded within wooded buffers to create a sense of retreat and continuity.
The masterplan also anticipates future growth through reserved expansion areas and a well-integrated circulation network, featuring perimeter transit routes, cycle access, and shaded pedestrian spines connecting residential and academic precincts. Native, long-lived plant species—including those referenced in Buddhist texts—reinforce the campus's ecological resilience and enduring identity.
The site is a 6 acre historic fort located on a spur of the Aravallis, adjacent to a lake in the old town of Barwara. It is in the arid region of Rajasthan in north India. The surrounding hills once boasted subtropical dry deciduous forests and wildlife. Today, with over exploitation, these have all but disappeared and the lake is affected due to its degraded catchment.
The property was to be designed as a 48 suite high end luxury hotel with the landscape scope extending from public spaces (arrival sequence, spa, pool, courtyards, gardens, event spaces) to private suite courtyards. It entailed adaptive reuse of 4 historic structures, and new construction of guest suite blocks and ancillary buildings.
The idea of luxury in India is defined by its rapid modernization and is marked by landscapes that represent a static green condition. The resulting landscapes are often manicured, water intensive and dominated by exotic vegetation with a specific idea of aesthetics.
This project was an opportunity for us to redefine this paradigm of luxury. It aspires to shift the idea of luxurious landscapes from manicured to responsive, exotic to ecologically appropriate, and static to dynamic.
Materials, Crafts and Traditions:
The primary material used in the landscape is sandstone from the site which was repurposed during construction. This includes the driveways, landscape walls and boulders for retaining slopes. The paving is composed of local sandstone that brings in the muted browns and beiges of the desert. The sculptural elements were designed and crafted in Rajasthan and were inspired from local traditions.
The Water Story:
Water is one of the key drivers of the design. Calculations were done to assess the existing runoff from the site as it fed the lake and is hence critical. We harvested only excess runoff caused by new development, leaving the lake’s original source untouched.
The journey of rain water is expressed through surface channels that are derived from an age-old Indian system where long spiral channels were filled with charcoal to cleanse the water before harvesting. This celebrates the rain, engages local crafts and traditions, while making the observer acutely aware of this precious resource.
The water needed for irrigation is a fraction of a base case scenario (typically 6.5 ltr /sqm/day). Through meticulous selection of plant material, using over 90% native plants, the water requirement is reduced to <0.75 ltr/sqm/day, eliminating the need for elaborate irrigation systems, as once established, the native plants don't need frequent watering.
In the monsoons, the site captures water for 100 days of the hotel's needs. During the balance 265 days the landscape needs to be watered at most every 10 days, mostly met by recycled water on site.
Native Planting and Seasonality:
The use of lawn is restricted. As the arid landscape doesn't host many shade loving plants non-native, but naturalized plants are used in shaded spaces such as courtyards, room gardens etc. Native plants were carefully selected after ensuring that they were not poisonous, and thorn bearing ones were used in areas that aren't easily accessible. The resulting aesthetic brings the ruggedness of the Aravallis with all its seasons of greens, russets and browns, within the fort.
As designers, we used the native plants and their dynamic characteristics as our tools to create compelling compositions, differing from perhaps a naturalist’s approach of recreating nature.
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GALLERY
