Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad
The Vikram Sarabhai Library at the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad sits at the heart of one of India’s most celebrated academic campuses. Originally designed by the visionary architect Louis Kahn, it embodies timeless architectural strength and clarity. To preserve this iconic legacy and upgrade its learning experience for current and future generations, Somaya & Kalappa Consultants (SNK) were appointed as the lead restoration architects, carefully conserving the heritage structure while enabling modern academic requirements.
IIMA partnered with CIVOM to transform the traditional library into a hybrid learning environment that supports deep study, collaboration, technology integration, and breakthrough research making it a benchmark project in academic space design and one of CIVOM’s most impactful collaborations.
The revitalized library now embodies a spectrum of flexible and future-ready spaces designed for 21st-century learners. CIVOM introduced flexible furniture systems and collaborative configurations that support group interaction, individual focus, and dynamic research activities. Comfortable breakout zones and thoughtfully crafted focus areas coexist with tech-enabled meeting zones, allowing students to seamlessly switch between modes of study without compromising comfort or spatial clarity.
Every learning niche whether it’s a quiet carrel, collaborative table, or discussion hub reinforces the core academic spirit of IIMA’s research culture.
CIVOM’s intervention at the Vikram Sarabhai Library focused on delivering a multi-modal learning ecosystem that responds to how students and faculty engage with knowledge today:
Residential and collaborative furniture, flexible seating layouts, and designated focus areas enhance both individual concentration and group discovery.
By integrating contemporary learning tools with the heritage aesthetic of the library, CIVOM helped create a space that honours its architectural roots while supporting evolving pedagogies. The result is a library that feels alive with possibility a place where knowledge is not only stored, but actively created and shared.
This project stands as a benchmark for heritage library transformation across India blending visionary design by SNK with CIVOM’s solutions that shape how learning happens in the 21st century.
