SPATIAL ORGANISATION_BRAHMPURI
Although the city was planned at the same time as the fort, its spatial structuring was not based on a grid iron pattern. Instead its organization adopted organic principles respecting topography both for its slopes as well as the natural drainage of the storm water. With the fort at the centre and two main bazaars at the foot of the hill, the streets negotiate the rain water channels, the terrain and the radial connectivity of the city gates with the centre of the city. Streets are narrow, meandering and respond well to the climatic conditions. The city, however, with its mixed population comprising of several social, cultural and economic strata grew incrementally over a long period of time. The spatial disposition of the communities was governed more by social parameters rather than the economic status. This created a mix of various economic categories with a more homogeneous social fabric. While market places became common meeting places, bazaars and edges of the water bodies created opportunities for shared community spaces. As the city grows the malls and other physical infrastructure is gaining popularity in the outer city, the inner city continues to sustain its character and activity pattern. But the threat of tourism-centric development looms largely on the historical character of the place. The major challenge for the inner city lies in its ability to negotiate conservation of its cultural and architectural assets with development. This is the primary issue. Streets and small sqaures created along the movement pattern charectrise the urban form of the inner city. Since the dispersion of communities is based more on caste system rather than economic class, the grouping shows small and large houses in close proximities. Trasformation of these areas is still on the basis of indivisual properties as compared some larger cities where developers combine few properties to create larger schemes and in the process destroy more. This remains one of the biggest chellenges, even for Jodhpur.
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