The Naba Mudran Printing Press represents the transformation of one of Kolkata’s long-established and reputed printing enterprises into a contemporary industrial facility designed around efficiency, sustainability, and workplace quality.
Located in the industrial precinct of Sector V, Salt Lake, the project responded to a compelling brief from Nabamudran Private Limited: to create a state-of-the-art printing establishment that would redefine the culture of industrial workspace.
This vision was interpreted through an architectural approach that prioritises order, openness, and a naturally responsive environment. Rather than treating the factory as a purely utilitarian structure, the design sought to create an industrial space with a strong sense of environmental comfort and spatial clarity.
A central design objective was to significantly reduce energy consumption through passive environmental strategies. Daylighting was maximised through expansive top-glazing systems, allowing natural light to penetrate deep into the workspaces and virtually eliminating the need for artificial lighting during daylight hours.
The generous volume of the work sheds, combined with strategically positioned openings, enables effective natural cross-ventilation. These wind channels create continuous air movement, helping cool the interiors and ensuring that much of the facility remains naturally ventilated, except for areas housing highly specialised printing machinery.
The landscape strategy further reinforces the project’s environmental agenda. An urban forest was developed around the facility, softening the industrial character of the site while creating green visual relief for users. Together with extensive ground cover, this landscape buffer helps reduce dust accumulation, mitigate heat gain, and improve the overall microclimate.
The project demonstrates how industrial architecture can move beyond functional efficiency to create healthier, more sustainable, and humane work environments.
- Location: Sector V, Salt Lake, Kolkata
- Category: Public
- Client: Nabamudran Private Limited
- Year: 2005
