Tata Consultancy Services
Tata Consultancy Services
Somaya Sampat
YEAR
2018
LOCATION
Indore, India
CATEGORY
Office Buildings, Sustainability
Text description provided by architect.
Reimagining a River: The TCS Campus in Indore as a Sustainable Knowledge Hub – The Tata Consultancy Service (TCS) is a leading Indian IT company headquartered in Indore, Madhya Pradesh.
Its newly developed campus exemplifies a forward-thinking approach to workplace design—conceived as a "river reinvented as a workplace"—to foster young talent and promote inclusive growth within India's expanding business ecosystem.
Taking inspiration from the Narmada River, the master plan is organized into three distinct zones, echoing the river's upper, middle, and lower courses.
In the upper course, IT development centers cluster around a central kund, creating a vibrant nucleus. The middle course features sculptural, fragmented blocks defined by their inclined forms, minimal façades, and distinctive triangular accents.
The lower course opens into a series of smaller BPO buildings that gradually extend toward the northern edge of the site, culminating in an open-air amphitheater surrounded by lush landscaping.
One of the key challenges in designing the campus was mitigating the urban heat island effect, particularly critical during Indore's intense summer months.
The design responds with a combination of passive cooling strategies, including the strategic placement of water bodies throughout the site to lower ambient temperatures naturally.
Sustainability is at the core of the project's construction and operation.
The campus employs green building techniques aimed at LEED certification, such as the use of fly ash in cement and bricks, double-glazed glass for thermal insulation, and solar panels to generate renewable energy.
In addition, cultural continuity is achieved through curated art installations and traditional crafts—including Dokra, Gond, and Warli—integrated into an interactive wall within the cafeteria, creating an environment that is both high-tech and culturally rooted.
The architectural language and landscape design draw directly from the forms and flows of the Narmada River.
Buildings are proportioned in response to the river's edge, and the geometry of the landscape aligns seamlessly with the architectural massing. Interior color palettes are also inspired by the natural elements found along the river's course.
Functionally and environmentally, the campus layout supports harmony with nature, enhanced user experience, and long-term sustainability.
Cooling water features, gravel-lined plazas for groundwater recharge, and native, drought-resistant vegetation all contribute to reducing heat buildup and improving local biodiversity.
The J campus in Indore sets a benchmark for sustainable business environments in India.
Through its river-inspired master plan, energy-efficient construction, and integration of cultural and ecological elements, it redefines how corporate campuses can engage with both place and purpose.
