Bharat Ratna-awardee Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, besides being the principal architect of the Indian Constitution, was also a renowned economist and the first Indian to receive a doctorate from the London School of Economics. To commemorate his one hundred and twenty-fifth birth anniversary, the Govt. of Karnataka is opening an eponymous institution named the Dr. B.R. Ambedkar School of Economics.

BASE University is envisioned to become the premier institution imparting education in the field of Economics; and the only one in the world that will have a dedicated campus of 43 acres.

The Education Design International team brought a lot more than just campus and building design into this project. The program for the institution was evolved after careful study of renowned schools of economics of the likes of London, Harvard, Stockholm, and Singapore. They strengthened the plan for this school by making it truly international, infusing decades of relevant experience into sustainability, visualising the future of learning, and how to “think global yet act local”.

The new campus is designed as a perfect example of buildings that blend with nature. The environment and sustainability concepts are at the core of the campus. The design takes advantage of a natural creek that runs through the site, converting it into a bioswale to promote biodiversity. Significant efforts have gone into using local materials so that the buildings have low embodied energy and minimal carbon footprint. The building design meets international standards and responds to the context, climate, and culture today.

The fully residential campus houses an administrative building; a state-of-the-art 800 seater auditorium; academic buildings for undergrads, postgrads, and research scholars; and a 24/7 learning, media, and student community centre with various facilities such as a library, AV and meeting rooms, and numerous sports facilities.

Another interesting fact is that the design inherits the roots of Indian tradition by creating an atmosphere where education is imparted both within the four walls of a classroom and outside in the lap of nature. With this fusion of tradition, modernity, and a new education philosophy, the Dr. B.R. Ambedkar School of Economics is expected to become one of the world’s most premium institutions, giving a new identity not just to Bangalore — but to India as a whole.