Introduction

As one drives down the road leading from the main building of Pune University towards
Aundh-Khadki road gate, one gets glimpses of massive buildings cleverly hidden behind a row
of banyan tree. IUCAA provides a centre for excellence within the universities of India for
teaching, research and development of astronomy and astrophysics. The main aim is to
develop a centre where the students from the university department get access to the state-
of-the-art astronomical instruments, theoretical know-how, well-equipped laboratories,
excellent library, data centre and high quality computer facilities.

A major project in astronomy, named Giant Meter wave Radio Telescope (GMRT) was started
by the government of India in 1987 in Pune University forwarding directorship to professor
Jayant Naralikar from July 19th, 1998.

Location

The city of Pune is located about 160 km south east of Bombay in the Deccan Plateau region
about 500m above the sea level. The university is situated in the northwestern part of the
city, at the foot of the Range Hill bordering Ganeshkhind area.

Aims and Objectives

IUCAA was created with the objective of serving the teaching, research and development in
astronomy and astrophysics in the university section. It is planned with eight-fold objective.

1. Basic research

2. Advanced research school and workshops

3. Visitors and associate programmes

4. Refresher courses

5. Helping nucleation of astronomy and astrophysics between universities

6. M.Sc. and Ph.D. programmes

7. Guest observer programmes

8. Interaction with GMRT

The complex is situated in 3 individual plots of land, which totals around 4.3 ha, which is
equal to about 10 acres. The 3 distinct sections are –

1. Akashganga – housing complex

2. Devyani – institutional complex

3. Aditi – auditorium

The main activity core is Devyani, while Aditi and Akashganga are supplementary. The entire
layout is such that all the spaces are within walk able distances and hence are of great
convenience. The total built up area is over 1,50,000 sq. ft. The campus is provided with
facilities for indoor games such as table tennis, carom, chess and outdoor games like tennis,
cricket and badminton.

The Kund

IUCAA, PUNE IMAGE 02

This landscaped court joins the administration, lecture halls, library, canteen, computer
rooms and staff and research rooms. Ground cover is Doob grass and steps of unpolished
granite. Four statues of known astronomers and scientists, namely Aryabhatta, Newton,
Einstein and Galileo are placed in the Kund as a mark of respect for their contribution to the
field. A Neem tree, an apple tree and a banyan tree are additions to the Kund. At the
entrance there is a violet ground cover in shape of 2 ovals with stones, rays radiating from
their meeting point, symbolizing the astronomical phenomena relating to black holes.

Devyani

It is the main academic core of IUCAA and consists of 4 main blocks, each having different
activities grouped around a central court, library with adjoining librarian’s rooms, stores,
binding room etc. The most elegant of all the buildings is the library housed in the
Varahamihira block containing some 20,000 books and subscribing to about 100 scientific
journals, the IUCAA’s library is one of the most advanced modern libraries, specializing in
astronomy and astrophysics in India. It was the first library in the country to dispense the card
index in favour of computerized databases. It is extensively used both on and off campus,
comprises of relevant literature of users from all over India. It covers a huge area of about
450 sq. m. with an additional mezzanine space.

Computer Centre
The computer centre and its associated astronomical data centre have also proved to be
indispensable to the astronomical research at IUCAA. The computer centre has a network of
some 30 supercomputer workstations, which can be shared by an Ethernet link all throughout
the Aryabhatta block. The data centre provides online computer access to the world’s leading
astronomical databases. In addition, the email network provides instant connection via the
internet to the international scientific community.

IUCAA, PUNE IMAGE 03

Lecture Halls

They are 3 in number. One of them well equipped with a projector as teaching through the
films and slides medium is necessary part of astronomy and astrophysics. The lecture hall
open out into a common students lounge and common room, keeping the feeling of
interaction alive.

IUCAA, PUNE IMAGE 04

Faculty Offices

About 50 cabins, all (40 on each floor) are provided for the training faculty of the institute
and the research scholars. Groups of

6-8 cabins derive their ventilation from open courtyards and are grouped in linear fashion.
Seminar rooms and conference rooms for faculty also provided in the same wing. The
director’s cabin with secretariat is to enjoy a special position at the far end of the faculty
block, a bit isolated from the rest of the faculty.

A pendulum court based on certain astronomical principle, and opening out into the central
landscaped courtyard is designed to create interest in the academic block. In double atrium
of staff rooms a pendulum is suspended from the roof and below is spiral shaped pit with the
circular dial of cardinal directions 0.6m below floor level. The line of swing completes one
rotation of circle in a day that shows the earth around its own axis. Inlaid stone pattern on
floor below the dome is of ancient ayurvedic origin linking the seasons with the rashi
constellations.

Instrumentation Laboratory

IUCAA’s instrumentation lab. Is set up to encourage a do-it-yourself culture in astronomical

instrumentation in the University departments and college. From simple projects like
photometers to more extensive ones like automated 14’’ telescope or research instruments
like an imaging polarimeter, the IUCAA staff in collaboration makes instruments here with
interested faculty members from the University sector. The laboratory has no optics wing and
an electronics wing to handle such projects.

Optical Workshop

Fabrication, grinding, polishing, testing facilities for large and small mirrors are provided
here.

Dining Facility

This includes a spacious dining hall for students, faculty members and an air-conditioned VIP
dining hall for visitors, along with the adjoining kitchen and pantry area with separate
canteen area for the staff.

IUCAA, PUNE IMAGE 05

Hostel Block

Rooms housing two students each with their individual toilet and a shared balcony are
grouped around a central open to air courtyard. The hostel block is connected to the main
block by means of a recreational lounge and connected on the other side to the guest room
block.

Auditorium

The auditorium with a capacity of about 500 persons is presently used for seminars and
convocations.

Structure

Planning is basically on a square grid and the structural systems of R.C.C. column, beam, slab
grid of 5-6m is used. The roof of the library and lecture halls have been constructed using
hollow concrete blocks and insitu beams. Distribution and circulation of various activities on
the site are appropriate. Advance computer technology is used. Courtyards are repeated in
various sizes and dimensions throughout the institute.

IUCAA, PUNE IMAGE 06

Finishes and Materials

External curved walls are of Khadki stone masonry, grey slate/shahabad stones, and black
granite. Walls facing the courtyard are of cement plaster of smooth type with pastel shades of
acrylic distemper, buff, pink and purple. External passages are of unpolished/polished
shahabad, marble and cement blocks. Internal rooms are of plaster of paris with coloured
distemper. Internal floors are of marble, granite and I.P.S. External ground cover Doob grass
lawn, crab grass, stone paving with grass joints.

IUCAA, PUNE IMAGE 07

Area Statement

Spaces

Area (sq.m.)

General administration Entrance foyer

576

Reception area

18

Waiting area

35

Toilets

24

Public relations officer

24
 Administrative office

36

Director's office

50

Project co-ordinator

36

Waiting area

36

Accounts and finance department

72

Finance officer

24

Maintenance Maintenance department

50

Chief engineer

24

Junior engineer's office

96

Store and workshop

144

Changing and locker room

24

Toilets

24

Public department Chief assistant

36
 Officer's room

72

Waiting area

36

Working area

36

Printing press

288

Toilets

24

Central store Security

24

Officer-in-charge

72

Waiting and supplies

36

Store

500

Computer centre

850

Library

3000

Staff-rooms General staff-room

346

H.O.D.

12
 Professors

18

Visiting faculty

18

Academic areas Conference halls

36

Lecture halls (40 people)

60

Auditorium (120 people)

400

Electronic lab

170

Computer lab

500

Library, librarian's room and store

590

Dining area

230

Kichenette and pantry

100

Staff canteen

15

Lecture hall A

185

Lecture hall B

65
 Lecture hall C

96

Faculty room

12 each

Canteen area Dining hall

432

Kitchen

72

Pantry

36

Serving area

36

Store

72

Security

Toilets

24

Out-door sit-out

300

Hostel facility Rooms (25 nos.)

16 each

Toilets

30

Common room

80
Total built-up area = 8997 sq. m.

Total plot area = 43,000 sq. m.

Therefore ratio = 1:4.7

IUCAA, PUNE IMAGE 08

ARCHITECTURE WITH ARCHITECTS - IUCAA

IUCAA, known as Inter-University Center for Astronomy and Astrophysics, represents model of cosmos. It is situated
in pune.
The building itself is very perfect for its purpose.

We can see the playful nature of building as soon as we march towards it. it has three main courtyards flanked by the
various functions and two main roads passing toward its periphery which marks the importance of this building.

Both the entrance of the building is very dramatic, which is unique. The entrance, through which we entered, was flanked
by double layer of wall supporting the dome at its top symbolizing entrance. This dome was painted black from within,
representing black sky of night with many punctures of different sizes which allowed the flow of light through the point
marking the exact positions of stars in pune on a particular day.

On moving further, we were now part of a huge courtyard with many different elements representing the expanding
universe (the big bang), and many stone blocks scattered along the diagonal of the courtyard, starting from formal to
informal organization. This stone blocks, were asteroids scattered in space resulted from to the big bang. The matter of
over scale of courtyard with respect to the building was intelligently solved by placing blown up sculptures in scale to
courtyard scale.

The courtyard is surrounded by Research Labs marked by the sculpture of Aryabhatta (who more than ten centuries ago,
established that our planet was round), Library marked by the sculpture of Newton (sitting under a tree looking at fallen
apple), Domed entrance marked by the sculpture of Galelio (gesturing up to the dome of heaven) and Classrooms marked
by the sculpture of Einstine (time in his watch, contemplating the relativity of space).

All the colors use inside and outside the building was chosen from the shades found from the elements of our Space and
the Milky Way.

Second entrance which is exactly opposite in direction to first one is marked by two concrete pillars and the three layered
atone cladded wall, which merges with the clear sky at the top.
We also got to know, while process of construction, Charles use to sit with many scientists and researchers from Bangalore
for hours discussing various aspects about the nature which resulted in this wonderful creation. I could realize the amount
of pain the architects must have undergone while working on this project to give it an identity.