Devika Madhukar Patil

UP4002

Neighbourhoods are human settlements developed to form a community.  Is there a need for planning for these neighbourhoods? Can planned neighbourhoods carry forward the same culture as traditional neighbourhood ? It is very interesting how the Indian neighbourhoods have been developed by people, how these small market places, chaurahas, community temples, gathering spaces, ottas, kattas have tied the human and nature together and have derived the interactive culture of Indian society. Chandkheda a neighbourhood on the outskirts of Ahmedabad is unique with its location. A neighbourhood consisting of two typologies of settlements i.e. organic settlement of Chandkheda Village and planned settlement of Chandkheda area under TP Scheme.  It is a growing urban precinct with the village at its centre. It consists of two forms of settlement that is a village and the city. Precinct depicts the transition between the village and the city and also becomes a part of their coexistence.  The precinct consists of different characteristics of both parts of the neighbourhood i.e. village and the city. A transition can also be found in the building typology of the settlement such as low rise high density to high rise low density ”.  Due to different characteristics, different cultures can be found in the precinct.  Though they tie the same cultural thread together, Village has it's own organic open and interactive way of living, whether Planned Neighbourhood is organised, private/ closed and has developed its own style of interaction.