NATIONAL SCHOOL OF DRAMA

Architect- KT Ravindran
Site area- 5.5 acres
Building type- Academy of dance, drama and music
Users- Staff, students, visitors and artists
No. of visitors per day- about 500-600
Year of completion- It was set up in 1959 by the Sangeet Natak Akademi, and
became an independent school in 1975.
LOCATION AND APPROACH TO SITE
•National school of drama is situated in Mandi House which is the cultural hub of
Delhi.
•The site is well connected to central commercial and institutional area in Delhi,
namely Connaught place and ITO.
•The nearest metro station is MANDI HOUSE at a walkable distance from the
building.
DESIGN CONCEPT

The planning is courtyard style (since the central garden is very small considering
the mass of the buildings around).
The entrance divides the circulation into 2 patterns-
• Office/ staff circulation who enter their respective chambers towards the right of
reception.
• Circulation of students who enter the courtyard space

ENTRANCES OF NSD

It has four entrances.

1. Main entrance for NSD
2. Entrance for National Library
3. Entrance for Abhimunch
4. Entrance from Kathak Kendra
 ZONING
ABHIMUNCH
SAMMUKH
ABHIKALP
PHOTOGRAPHY+SOUND DEPT
BAHUMUKH
KATHAK KENDRA
CANTEEN
ADMINISTRATION SECTION
WORKSHOP
SHOPS
HOSTEL

The whole structure is on the ground floor except for the administrative block which
is G+1.
INDIVIDUAL SPACE ANALYSIS

ADMINISTRATION
Ground floor- 545 sq. mt. FEMALE
First floor- 280 sq. mt. GALLERY TOILET
MALE
1.5m wide corridor TOILET

ENTRANCE OFFICE OFFICE OFFICE OFFICE

FOYER
OFFICE OFFICE OFFICE OFFICE OFFICE STUDIO

STAIRS
PLAN

LIBRARY
• It is on the ground floor
• It is an audio- visual library
• There are about 30,000 books.
• The shape of the library is rectangular
BAHUMUKH
•Located next to costume section
•It is a rehersal room for students
•Multipurpose hall (projection room, light control
room)
•Acting, movement and dance classes are held here
•Fully treated for acoustics (wooden flooring and
glasswool on walls)
•Walls have been coloured black for better lighting
control
•Temporary set-up (poorly organised spaces)

COSTUME DEPARTMENT
•Placed near theatre therefore, acts as
changing room for it
PHOTOGRAPHY
Area- 235 sq. mt.
DESIGN ELEMENTS
3. Mouldings at corners
1. The main entrance to NSD, the
dome design has been taken from
the Rashtrapati Bhawan

4. Double columns with base

capital
2. Jalis in front of entrance used for
shading

BUILING MATERIAL
•Colonial style architecture
•R.C.C. framed structure
•Wooden walls at entrance
•Arches used
•Marble flooring
ABHIMUNCH
•Working theatre with seating capacity of 75-100 ppl.
•Additional trusses and steel members were added in order to support the roof
structure
•Seating arrangement fir 350 ppl

LANDSCAPE
HOSTEL CIRCULATION
•Area- 940sq. Mt. •The circulation is mainly horizontal
•There is a campus accommodation •The different areas are connected
for girls and boys with the help of open corridors with
temporary roof structures.

ELECTRIC SUPPLY
•Electric supply is from the municipal board
•Rehearsal studio have individual dg sets

FIRE SAFETY
•Fire alarms were provided at few places
•An underground water tank is also
provided at basement
DEMERITS
1. Parking is an after thought in site planning hence there is very limited space
which can cater to only 10 cars in total.
2. There are multiple entries but all of theme do not cater to NSD, which creates
confusion among people who are visiting for the first time.
3. Though the facilities are adequate, their maximum utilization is not happening
because the site planning lacks efficiency
4. Not acoustically good

MERITS
1. The central shared area is well utilised during functions for installing additional
exhibits
2. Green house
3. They share various spaces and hence, lesser spaces contributes to more
activities