Indian Institute of Management, Mumbai

The transformation of the historic National Institute of Industrial Engineering (NITIE) into the Indian Institute of Management Mumbai represents one of the most significant institutional redevelopments undertaken in India’s higher education sector. Spread across a 53-acre campus overlooking the picturesque Vihar Lake in Mumbai, the project was awarded to Shashi Prabhu & Associates through an intensely contested national design competition. The vision was to reimagine the campus as a world-class centre for management education while preserving its rich academic legacy and unique natural setting. The master plan establishes a pedestrian-friendly academic environment where teaching, research, student life, recreation, and faculty housing are seamlessly integrated within a landscape-led framework that celebrates the site’s topography and ecological character.

The redevelopment proposes the phased replacement of much of the ageing campus infrastructure with a new generation of contemporary institutional buildings, including the Main Academic Building, Student Activity Centre, boys’ and girls’ hostels, faculty and staff housing, a state-of-the-art auditorium, and an integrated sports precinct. At the heart of the campus, the Main Academic Building establishes a powerful architectural identity through its bold geometric massing, articulated with deep vertical fins that create rhythm while providing effective solar shading. A striking central volume wrapped in a perforated terracotta screen serves as the visual focal point, offering a contemporary interpretation of the traditional Indian jaali while filtering natural light and reducing heat gain. The ceremonial entrance, approached via a grand axial staircase framed by landscaped terraces, reinforces the institution’s stature while creating a welcoming interface that connects architecture with the surrounding natural environment.