Tuesday, October 23, 2012

SOME WHAT WE KNOW- (URBAN DESIGN JURY AT NAVI MUMBAI)

Although various institutes are assembling their master's program (Urban Design) in the same city but situational conditions are determining the nature of approach. The sudden rise of awareness in Urban Design is noteworthy & experiments are mending the tedious path of establishing distinct institution's approach towards the same. The distinct approaches can clearly be rationalized with respective geographical situation within the same city and perhaps it makes more sense to articulate the issues with expanding contextual references vs surgical urban intervention. The nature of administrative structure vs various boundary condition evolved over a period of time can bring about the diverse issues. 

The project of study and intervention near newly built flyover at New Panvel was one of the example that urban issues need to be localized rather than struggling for imaginative congruent urban form. The stretch of over 1.5 km had historical lakes (Lakes built during Peshwas & Lake within Jewish community), IT hubs as economic opportunity, transitional node (depot & station) & informal activity. This all adds upto to fairly complex studio assignment as setting the priority of issues are heavily embedded into nature of inquiry. 

However the approaches can be of diverse and very often conflicting or complementing  in nature as it is quite understandable as its a distinct case of re-urbanism ( planned city). The broader discussion that needs to be articulated within the urban design education that there is a difference between architectural program & urban program. The question of collective, choice & contest is an  important urban event. 

It was more of gaining experience as never had an opportunity to read the Navi Mumbai as an event city as compare to it being a transit point to most of us.




No comments:

Ethical and Moral Construct of Modern