The Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIMA), on Nov 3 announced two key initiatives in line with its future growth plans—the launch of a redesigned website along with a refreshed logo and a go-ahead on the reconstruction of some parts of the old campus.
The decisions taken by the IIMA Board of Governors, in first case is for a digital-first world. The refreshed logo has ‘IIMA’ as a single wordmark which is a recognition of the unique identity of the Indian Institute of Ahmedabad as an institute of national importance that is built on the association with this city since its inception. The Sanskrit inscription Vidya Viniyogadvikasa (development through the distribution or application of knowledge) continues to be an integral part of the logo. The logo also has refreshed the ‘jali’ work with clear and bold lines and curves in navy blue, which, while retaining the original aesthetics of the logo art, makes it digitally discernible on any device and adaptable to all formats. The ‘jali’ in the logo of the institute symbolizes the roots of the Institute in the western Indian city of Ahmedabad.
The second decision of the IIMA Board pertains to the reconstruction of some buildings in the old campus. Over time, some of the buildings have been facing structural damage, deterioration and have become uninhabitable, posing a safety concern for the campus’s residents. The discussions and consultations on this matter, inclusive of nationally and globally recognized expert-led reports, have been on for almost 40 years and extensively since the last two decades. The deterioration of the structures was raised first at a Building Committee meeting in July 1982. Most importantly, the Board considered all relevant reports, especially the ones that were undertaken in the last year. This included meetings and presentations by two groups of experts who were tasked with the assessment of the conditions and structural status of the buildings and who visited campus to conduct a study first-hand. The first was a group of structural and earthquake engineers from IIT Roorkee and the second, an international group comprising restoration experts, architects, and structural engineers. The board finalised the decision after it had initiated the process of consultations that it had been holding with key stakeholders (alumni and faculty) prior to December 2020. In line with the decision, The Institute will not continue with any further restoration of the faculty blocks, classroom complex, and dorms other than D15. After careful consideration, an RFP process will be initiated later for the reconstruction of the faculty blocks, classroom complex, and the peripheral dorms 16 to 18 with, the same exterior façade, a seismically safe structure, and non-major renovation of the internal space to improve its functionality to suit the needs of the users. The other dorms will be remodeled, in line with the Louis Kahn heritage and keeping in mind the functional needs of current and future residents of the campus.
“As IIMA and its ethos shapes and adapts to global shifts, the institute felt the need to re-envision the IIMA website and renew its visual identity, which is represented by its logo. The new website embodies the IIMA brand philosophy of ‘Simple, Bold, and Global.’ After consulting with and incorporating feedback from relevant stakeholders, the logo refresh was also completed. The refreshed logo aims to convey a more vivid and vibrant brand identity while retaining all the elements of the existing IIMA logo that evoke and channel trust, authenticity, and legacy by emphasising a strong connection to Indian culture.”– IIMA Board of Governors.
