The School of Craft & Handloom is envisioned as a campus dedicated to empowering tribal women through craft, culture, and self-reliance. More than an educational institution, the masterplan establishes a resilient, inclusive ecosystem where traditional knowledge, contemporary skills, and community wellbeing converge. The Masterplan is anchored on 5 Big Ideas- to create a Sense of Community; enhance Outreach & Engagement of the community; create avenues for Sustainable Livelihood; enable resource Management ; and preserve and nurture enhance the Campus Ecology. These ideas form the backbone of a planning framework developed around people, place, and culture.
The framework articulates the organising structure for the school’s long-term development — from land use and built form to open space, ecology, sustainability, and campus resilience. At the core of the masterplan is the framework establishes a clear spatial hierarchy across the campus. Functions are zoned in a calibrated progression from public to private realms. The public zone houses the Knowledge Centre, the Exhibition spaces, and the Experience Centre — welcoming visitors, learners, artisans, and stakeholders into the heart of the craft ecosystem. The semi-public zone includes the Community Kitchens, Shared Workshop Areas, Cultural Commons, and Market Spaces — all designed to facilitate collaboration, exchange, and production. The private zone forms the residential precinct, offering safe, comfortable, and culturally sensitive living environments for students and artisans.
Collectively, the masterplan for the School of Craft & Handloom creates a nurturing campus that celebrates Odisha’s tribal heritage, supports skill-building and economic empowerment, and strengthens community through craft. It is a vision for a self-sustaining, culturally resonant environment — one that uplifts generations of women and preserves the region’s artisanal legacy for the future.