SAP is a global leader in the ERP space and its Bengaluru campus was a bold step by the company in placing its faith in India’s talent. A strategy that has paid rich dividends over the years. Our story began with the client brief of a product development campus that spurs massive collaboration and creative thinking.
STATISTICS
Client: SAP India
Location : Bangalore
Site area : 231.4 Acres
Total built up area : 1.5 million Sq.ft.
Scope of Services : Masterplanning, Building Design, C/S Engineering, M&E Engineering, Landscape
A campus that stimulates product thinking
Product companies are hugely different from services companies. Their average productivity per employee is almost 10 times that of companies in the services space, but so is their risk. A product company like SAP has made considerable impact through innovation product design and has stayed ahead of competition because of this. The campus we set out to design had to consistently help build a product innovation culture.
Located in the tech bed of Whitefield in Bengaluru, the campus is designed to capture the spirit of Bengaluru via green spaces. The design intent is to achieve a high tech, informal working environment within a garden setting. The requirement calls for having multitude levels of interactive spaces, formal and informal, indoors and outdoors forming the connective fabric of the campus. Maximum interaction of work environments with the landscape is desired.
Design Direction
A long-term relationship
RSP has been associated with SAP for a long time. The campus buildings grew in phases. The first phase comprises of the Main public entrance, the Main reception block, the two Development blocks, and the outdoor cafeteria. The second phase integrates a third Development block expansion to the first phase Development blocks.
The third phase, adds a fourth independent Development block along with the expansion of the first phase outdoor cafeteria. A separate vehicular and service access and additional parking is provided, from the rear of the campus. With the addition of the rear entrance, the majority of vehicular circulation is shifted to the rear of the campus, while enhancing the ceremonial main entrance, further enhancing the pedestrian look and feel of the campus.
The big picture
The diverse functions of the campus are divided into distinct, multiple, low rise buildings. Multitude of opportunities are provided to interact with the outside for the users to enjoy the conducive local climate. This is achieved by the out door setting of the cafeteria, generous distribution of interactive spaces, connector walkways between the buildings and paths provided for strolling in the gardens.
Courtyards in the office
The office development blocks are low-rise structures with plenty of courtyard spaces in between. The spaces in between the buildings are developed into a landscaped, pedestrian plazas for interaction. Fountains and seating are provided in the plazas while linking the two development block entities through a bridge connection.
A green view
Almost every desk has a view to greenery outside the building. The external landscape uses the natural undulating site topography and preserves and enhances the existing rock formations of the site. The campus landscape can be divided into four distinct entities – the formal main entrance plaza, the formal forecourt garden, the semi formal enclosed plaza and the informal interior courtyards. Each of these have distinctive characters to enhance the primary function of these spaces. Extensive use of lush greenery, organic forms and use of water softens the experiential quality of the campus. Large landscape elements lower the overall scale and presence of the buildings.
Collaboration over brunch
The design intent of the outdoor cafeteria’s is to be an integral part of the campus landscape. The stepping down series of sheltered terraces and low rise buildings form the seating areas and the serveries respectively. Use of multiple levels, light weight fabric shelter units and rough local stone on the low walls and flooring integrates the cafeteria within the landscape. Numerous water bodies, fountains and planters are interspersed all over within the cafeteria further blurring the edges.
The ample natural ventilation, the dampened sound levels and the porous, landscaped environment has made this venue a great success with the users.
SAP and the environment
Germany is at the international forefront of sustainable development. SAP wanted the campus design to reflect the highest concern of the environment.
The design intent, judicious selection of materials and engineering services, extensive use of indigenous softscape ensures that the building sets the highest standards in energy conservation.
The user friendly work environment with narrow floor plates maximises natural sunlight and external views. The complete campus cafeteria is naturally ventilated. Proportion of solid surfaces to vision glazing surfaces, high performance double glazing systems, use of solar shading devises and overdeck insulation ensures minimum temperature gains for the building envelope.
Installation of high end ACMV systems and BMS regulated fresh air economy cycles, BMS zonal control along with low power consuming electrical fittings and systems and the use of solar power systems ensure further reductions in power consumption. Back up power diesel generators are fitted with high end scrubber systems to ensure that regulatory pollution norms are significantly surpassed.
All flushing systems are sensor based to optimise water consumption. All grey water produced within the campus is suitably treated and recycled for use. All storm water is harvested, treated and stored for reuse and the surplus storm water is channelized back into the ground using subterranean ground water recharging