Urmila Kailash Black Box, Kanoria Centre for Arts Campus

Urmila Kailash Black Box, Kanoria Centre for Arts Campus 

Studio Sangath

Urmila Kailash Black Box, Kanoria Centre for Arts Campus
© Ishita Sitwala | Creative Director : Kunnal Pratap Dass

ARCHITECTS
Studio Sangath

ARCHITECT / PROJECT TEAM
Vidhi Solanki, Keshav Akkitham, Ansal,

ARCHITECT / MEASURE DRAWINGS & RENDERS
Rodolfo

CONTRACTOR
Vasant Prajapati

STRUCTURAL DESIGN
Hitesh Rathi, Rathi Consortium

PHOTOGRAPHS
Ishita Sitwala | Creative Director : Kunnal Pratap Dass

AREA
207 M²

YEAR
2024

LOCATION
India

CATEGORY
Museums & Exhibit, Educational Architecture

Urmila Kailash Black Box, Kanoria Centre for Arts Campus
© Ishita Sitwala | Creative Director : Kunnal Pratap Dass

Text description provided by architect.

Since its establishment in 1984, the Kanoria Centre for Arts has consistently evolved to meet the changing needs of the artistic community, expanding both in form and function.

Founded by Urmila Kanoria, the Centre's original design was conceived by renowned architect Balkrishna Doshi.

Urmila Kailash Black Box, Kanoria Centre for Arts Campus
© Ishita Sitwala | Creative Director : Kunnal Pratap Dass
Urmila Kailash Black Box, Kanoria Centre for Arts Campus
© Ishita Sitwala | Creative Director : Kunnal Pratap Dass

Over the years, as the Centre's requirements grew, additional facilities such as gallery spaces and studio areas were incorporated, enhancing the campus's capacity to foster artistic expression.

In 2020, Balkrishna Doshi entrusted Khushnu Panthaki Hoof and Sönke Hoof, the founders and principal architects of Studio Sangath, with the responsibility of overseeing new developments at the Kanoria Centre for Arts.

Urmila Kailash Black Box, Kanoria Centre for Arts Campus
© Ishita Sitwala | Creative Director : Kunnal Pratap Dass
Urmila Kailash Black Box, Kanoria Centre for Arts Campus
© Ishita Sitwala | Creative Director : Kunnal Pratap Dass
Urmila Kailash Black Box, Kanoria Centre for Arts Campus
© Ishita Sitwala | Creative Director : Kunnal Pratap Dass

This partnership resulted in the completion of the latest addition to the campus, the Urmila Kailash Black Box, in 2024.

The Black Box represents a significant milestone in the Kanoria Centre for Art's ongoing transformation.

Designed with a profound respect for the existing architectural language of the campus, the building draws inspiration from the surrounding structures, aiming to create a harmonious connection between the old and the new.

Urmila Kailash Black Box, Kanoria Centre for Arts Campus
© Ishita Sitwala | Creative Director : Kunnal Pratap Dass
Urmila Kailash Black Box, Kanoria Centre for Arts Campus
© Ishita Sitwala | Creative Director : Kunnal Pratap Dass
Urmila Kailash Black Box, Kanoria Centre for Arts Campus
© Ishita Sitwala | Creative Director : Kunnal Pratap Dass

The surrounding landscape too was designed in a way that it plays a pivotal role in this integration, providing a fluid transition between spaces and blurring the boundaries between the original architecture and the latest additions.

This approach ensures that the campus maintains a cohesive and unified character.

The Urmila Kailash Black Box itself introduces a new typology—one that responds to the specific functional needs of a dynamic space for art, performance, theatre, discussions, and celebrations.

Urmila Kailash Black Box, Kanoria Centre for Arts Campus
© Ishita Sitwala | Creative Director : Kunnal Pratap Dass
Urmila Kailash Black Box, Kanoria Centre for Arts Campus
© Ishita Sitwala | Creative Director : Kunnal Pratap Dass
Urmila Kailash Black Box, Kanoria Centre for Arts Campus
© Ishita Sitwala | Creative Director : Kunnal Pratap Dass

The versatile design of the Black Box allows it to accommodate a wide range of artistic practices and events, while its architectural relationship to the broader campus fosters a vibrant and cohesive environment for creative expression.

Urmila Kailash Black Box, Kanoria Centre for Arts Campus
© Ishita Sitwala | Creative Director : Kunnal Pratap Dass
Urmila Kailash Black Box, Kanoria Centre for Arts Campus
© Ishita Sitwala | Creative Director : Kunnal Pratap Dass
Urmila Kailash Black Box, Kanoria Centre for Arts Campus
© Ishita Sitwala | Creative Director : Kunnal Pratap Dass


Urmila Kailash Black Box, Kanoria Centre for Arts Campus
Floor Plan and Section