NEW YORK, NY.- World Monuments Fund called for the Indian Institute of Management – Ahmedabad (IIM-A) to reevaluate the partial demolition of the visionary building complex designed by architect Louis Kahn. This is in response to plans by IIM-A to dismantle 14 of 18 buildings within the historic campus and replace them with newly constructed dormitories.

“World Monuments Fund’s depth of experience helping hundreds of global heritage places adapt to contemporary challenges demonstrates that thoughtful conservation can meet contemporary needs,” said Bénédicte de Montlaur, President and Chief Executive Officer of World Monuments Fund. “We stand ready to lend our expertise in finding a solution that protects the Kahn campus so that future generations of students and educators may draw inspiration from its groundbreaking design.”

Built between 1968 and 1978, this exemplary grouping of modernist buildings represents a vision for higher learning rooted in enriched student and faculty interactions, while reflecting progressive concepts of sound planning and sustainable use of resources. Its original construction reflects best practices embraced today, including a reliance on locally available materials and methods of passive lighting and cooling. Considered by many to be the very heart of IIM-A’s campus, the Louis Kahn complex represents a pivotal moment in the modern development of Indian higher education and continues to be a touchstone for IIM-A alumni.

Conceived as an ensemble, the Kahn campus must be preserved in its entirety to protect the aesthetic, functional, and symbolic values imbued within. WMF has reached out to IIM-A officials to offer its expertise and counsel on managing the challenges of maintenance and repair of these buildings in the hopes that a viable, long-lasting solution can be reached.