The Hungry Caterpillar at Ashoka University transforms the campus food street into a vibrant social and ecological environment. Nestled beneath an existing canopy of trees, the project introduces a bamboo gridshell pavilion that creates a shaded and welcoming space where students can gather, interact and spend time beyond formal academic settings. The double curved bamboo canopy spans up to 19 metres and uses slender bamboo members woven at 45 degree angles to form lightweight yet structurally efficient gridshells topped with crushed bamboo mats for natural shading. Structural design was developed with Atelier One, architectural and sustainability detailing was undertaken by Jurian Sustainability, and the structure was crafted by Jans Bamboo, demonstrating the expressive potential of renewable materials. The food kiosks are modular kitchens 3D printed in concrete by Micob, reducing material waste and construction time, while furniture crafted from recycled plastic by Placyle introduces circular material thinking. By combining natural materials, digital fabrication and passive climate strategies, the project creates a dynamic gathering space that encourages community interaction while demonstrating environmentally responsible design.

Photography: Avesh Gaur, Sohaib Ilyas