Amdavad ni Gufa

Amdavad ni Gufa is an underground museum and arts center in Ahmedabad, India, known for its organic forms and curved ceilings. The interlocking levels and slanted columns create a continuous sequence of exhibition areas without right angles.

Balkrishna Doshi designed the building in 1995 in collaboration with painter M.F. Husain to present contemporary art in a new kind of setting. The construction used ferrocement and earth mounds, which provide natural cooling and reduce energy use.

The name Gufa means cave and reflects the sheltered, inward feeling visitors experience as they move through the rounded rooms. Artist M.F. Husain covered the floors and walls with colorful mosaic patterns, turning the entire surface into a continuous work of art.

The building sits in the Paldi neighborhood near Sardar Bridge and opens Tuesday through Sunday from 10 AM to 5 PM. The low passageways and sloping floors require careful walking, especially in dimmer areas with limited daylight.

The roof of the building is covered with grass and blends into the surrounding park, so visitors can walk above the museum without noticing it. The irregular openings in the domes create pools of light that shift across the floors and walls throughout the day.