Architect Reimagines 1100-Year-Old Stepwells for a Modern University in Indore

What if a campus could feel like a place people naturally gather, pause, and connect? In Indore, one architect turned to India’s stepwells to shape a space that invites students to stay, sit, and share moments beyond classrooms.

At first glance, it looks like a giant brick landscape rising out of the ground. But this striking building in Indore draws from something deeply rooted in Indian architecture: the stepwell. Designed by Sanjay Puri Architects for Prestige University, it reworks that centuries-old idea into a modern campus space.

The inspiration comes from India’s historic baolis, which were built as places to pause, gather, and connect. Here, that same spatial logic returns in a new form, with terraces, courts, and shared spaces shaping how people move through the building.

Instead of rising as a sealed glass block, the structure steps upward diagonally, turning the roof into a landscape of its own. The design includes 463 stepped platforms spread across a 9,000 sq m rooftop, creating spaces where students can sit, walk, and come together.

Seen from above, the geometry becomes even more striking. The terraces create a strong rhythm across the building, echoing the layered forms of old stepwells while giving the campus a public space that feels open, accessible, and alive.