This studio focuses on the design aspects of urban transformations within the existing urban areas. Indian cities are growing rapidly in terms of population and physical expansion. The increasing urban population and incomes will fuel the demand for additional built-floor space in cities, accompanied by a demand for infrastructure. Urban areas within these cities are dealing with unsustainable levels of stress on infrastructure and public resources, making them unliveable.
To address these concerns, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has initiated various schemes such as AMRUT, SMART CITIES MISSION, and HRIDAY. These schemes enable planning for developing infrastructure in the brownfield areas through mechanisms such as Local Area Plans (LAP) and Town Planning schemes (TPS), which include parts of the city that are already developed but cannot sustain the pressure of existing infrastructure.
Students will work on the design projects emerging from these initiatives defined by their studio tutors. Students will explore integrating design methods within the regulatory mechanisms to create liveable, safe, and sustainable urban areas. The projects will have a strong design focus on the physical setting. Issues of private ownership, social equity, land economics, planning models, project finance, and implementation strategies will also be addressed.
