Professional work for internship with Vastu Shilpa Consultants | Supervised by Pritzker 2018 Laureate BV Doshi's Team | India, 2015-16
In 2014, a southern state of India was bifurcated into two parts, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, and Hyderabad which previously was the overall capital, became the capital of the newly formed state. The erstwhile capital had to be replaced, and in 2016, a competition was floated to call for proposals for the design of the new capital complex, Amaravati. An area of 53,478 acres of previously agricultural land was to be converted into an urban tract holding 3.5 million people, on the banks of river Krishna. The project was envisioned by the studio and by the government of Andhra Pradesh as an iconic, utopian capital city, built on a tabula rasa. The project was designed keeping in mind a masterplanning scheme, that relied on the concepts of 1) A pedestrian friendly avenues and walkability 2) A healthy mix of low rise high density residential and commercial spaces 3) An emphasis on the design of administrative offices and plazas. The plaza with the Capitol Complex and Secretariat was built to resemble in function the Greek Acropolis. Emphasis was given in the design of public spaces such as markets, botanical garden, and canals. Transportation in terms of cycling tracks, pedestrian zones and efficient public transport were the hallmarks of the design. I was a part of the urban planning team. However, the proposal was unsuccessful. In a series of events, the capital city project came to a standstill. Capital Cities all over the world are being built to embody the aspirations of the people they represent. But how can we stop these cities from leading to direct inequality and segregation? How can we work with existing site conditions to create inclusive capital cities, which do not cause displacement, gentrification and the need for creation of satellite cities in the long run?
Source: Vastu Shilpa Foundation
