Center for Development Studies,

Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala
Center for Development Studies
Designer Laurie Baker
Location Thiruvananthapuram, India
Date 1971
Building Type School and Academic
Construction System Brick
Climate Subtropical
Context Campus Context
Architectural Style Neo-Vernacular
Street Address Prasanth Nagar,Ulloor, Walkscore
Notes 10-acre complex of brick buildings.

Contents
[hide]

• 1 Images

• 2 Discussion

• 3 Maps

• 4 References

• 5 External Links

[edit]Images

[edit]Discussion

This 10-acre campus is one of Laurie Baker's significant early works. The center is sited on a hill
about 8km from the center of Thiruvananthapuram. Built inexpensively in brick and other local
materials, the campus features offices, classrooms, an 8-story library, and housing for students
and staff.

Other features include circular courtyards, serpentine brick walls built around existing trees, and
artful brick detailing throughout.

[edit]Maps

The Centre for Development Studies (CDS), Trivandrum, Kerala, India is a premier social
science research institution. Over the years it has established a tradition of interdisciplinary
research on development problems in India. Its main objective is to promote research, teaching
and training in disciplines relevant to development. Today, it is considered to be one of the
foremost development economics research centers in the country.

THE CAMPUS
CDS located in a quiet residential area in the northwest part of the City of Thiruvananthapuram,
called Prasanthnagar. The 10-acre (40,000 m2) campus, designed and constructed by the famous
architect, Dr Laurie Baker, epitomizes his unique style and philosophy of adaptive building
methods. The CDS Library is now one of the biggest in South India with over 1,25, 000 titles in
Economics and allied disciplines and subscribing to about 400 professional journals

On over a land of nine acres; have been accommodated the

administrative offices, a computer center, housing and other
components of an institutional design. The design exhibits a range of
concepts applied by Laurie Baker, to the individual buildings as per
suiting to their needs of function, scale, and dimensions. Also these
buildings are a good example of the saying ‘Form Follows
Function’.
onstruction features used in the structure are: -

.Foundation constructed of random rubble mixed in lime surkhi mortar; (lime

manufactured from manufactured from sea shells on the site).
· Super structure of load bearing brick.
· Slabs are of filler tiles; whereas flooring is a mixture of local quarry tiles.
· Windows are made out of jack wood.
· Bathrooms are plastered, rest all surfaces either exposed or whitewashed.
· The precast stair treads used in circular stair tower are made of filler slab and
bamboo reinforcement.
· Roofs are of folded concrete slab

All the concerns of his architectural practice the sensitivity to the natural contours & elements
of a site, the honest & optimum utilization of the materials find an expression in the plan &
structures of the center.
It has all the Baker characteristics- the jalis, the traditional roofs, the stepped arches, the
overhanging eaves and the skylights.
Baker is able to transform vernacular architecture to suit the requirements of a modern
academic institution.
Using corbelling instead of a lintel above the frame, this reduces the cost of the R.C.C lintel.
Using less number of bricks to make a wall of same thickness and providing cavities in
between for insulation.
Reducing the unnecessary cost of a window with a shutter.
Using ‘jali’ in his walls for proper cross ventilation, enough sun light etc
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