Badminton Academy Features Dramatic Shuttlecock-Shaped Building

Project: The Shuttle Badminton Academy (Dalmia-Gopichand Badminton Academy)
Architect: Studio Archohm
Where: Odisha, India (by Kalinga Stadium, Bhubaneswar)
Size: 11,450 m²
Year: 2024

At the edge of Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar, a new badminton academy turns a training hall into a piece of civic theater.

Studio Archohm designed the Dalmia-Gopichand Badminton Academy, nicknamed “The Shuttle,” to read like a trophy from the road, bold enough to claim a corner at a major crossroads, but tuned for the daily grind of practice.

Aerial view of a modern, yellow-domed building with a rooftop terrace, surrounded by green landscaping and cityscape in the background.

The building’s headline move is its inverted hemisphere, a sculptural form that nods to a shuttlecock’s cork base.

Pull that off and you inherit a structural problem, plus a chance to make the inside work better.

Aerial view of a modern architectural building with a striking golden exterior, surrounded by greenery and a large water feature.

Interior view of a badminton court with green walls and flooring, featuring nets and a digital display screen that says 'SHUTTLE'.

Inside, performance rules. Eight courts sit in a “dark box” configuration that badminton demands, with supporting spaces stacked below and around them: lecture theatres, classrooms, gym, coach rooms, and dormitories, all layered for vertical efficiency.

Concrete helps temper Bhubaneswar’s heat and cyclonic conditions, and it grounds the mass of that inverted form.

A modern outdoor setting featuring a concrete pedestal with a round planters holding greenery, beside a sleek concrete bench, near a calm reflective water surface.

Modern interior featuring a bright orange color scheme, glass walls, and potted plants. A dining area with orange chairs is visible, alongside a bedroom space with a bed and orange cabinetry.

Indoor badminton court with vibrant green flooring and walls, featuring multiple court lines and net setups.

Indoor badminton courts with green flooring and wall designs, featuring players in action and spectators seated in the background.

After dark, the academy comes alive. Custom lighting traces feather-like lines across the shell, turning the building into a clear nod to the shuttlecock. It’s a celebration of the sport, and a new night landmark for Bhubaneswar.

Aerial view of a plaza illuminated by beams of light radiating from a central structure, surrounded by greenery and a sports court.

What makes it feel like more than a sealed-off sports box is the ground plane. The academy opens itself to the city with cafes, sports retail, and other commercial spaces, wrapped in a transparent glass volume that lightens the building’s visual weight and makes the perimeter feel inviting, not forbidding.

A striking building with a gold exterior featuring beams of light emanating from its rounded top against a night sky.

Then the site does its part. The landscape extends into nearby parkland with places to linger: a shaded 500-seat spectator gallery, amphitheatres, and framed views that encourage gathering whether you came to train, watch, or just pass through.