IMK Architects Win Award For The Symbiosis University Hospital And Research Centre Project At Surface Design Awards, London
Mumbai-based architecture and urban design firm IMK Architects won an award at the prestigious 2021 Surface Design Awards, London, for the Symbiosis University Hospital and Research Centre (SUHRC), in a virtual ceremony. The firm also won in the ‘Public Building Exterior’ category for its design of SUHRC, a 96,000-square-metre, 216-bed, multi-speciality hospital in Lavale, near Pune, India.
Winners in the 12 categories were chosen from a pool of over 100 projects across the world. The award jury, co-chaired by Nicola Osborn from London-based multidisciplinary design studio, Basha-Franklin and Steve Webb of Webb Yates Engineers, London, commended IMK Architects for the use of Compressed Stabilised Earth Bricks (CSEB) at SUHRC.
CSEB is a naturally compressed, sundried earthen brick, which is low-cost and environment-friendly. IMK Architects used a mix of locally available red soil, sand and murum (deep red/brown soil found in tropical regions) to create these bricks for SUHRC. These were then compressed, stabilised with 7% cement, to ensure durability, and later moulded. All bricks were made by hand during construction, by masons hired from local communities, providing them with employment opportunities. The project is an IMK Architects Win Award for the Symbiosis University Hospital and Research Centre Project at Surface Design Awards, London, exemplifying passive design and sustainability. IMK Architects’ design draws from the ideas of biophilia to promote recovery and rejuvenation for patients and healthcare professionals.
Rahul Kadri, Partner and Principal Architect and Nithin Hosabettu, Design Director, IMK Architects, said, “We wanted to design a hospital that could last around 50-100 years. Driven by this aim, we designed a façade with natural materials that would save on energy. The façade reflects the light from the sun in different ways through its twisted brick-boxed forms, to reduce internal heat gain and create a gleaming effect of light”.
