Urban Transformation : Redevelopmet in the old city of Ahmedabad

Redevelopment in the old city along the idea of food.

The information presented in this portfolio has been studied and collected by the author as a part of the Urban Transformation studio, Faculty of Planning, CEPT University. Any omissions or errors are deeply regretted.

Acknowledgement

I would like to express my gratitude towards CEPT University, Ahmedabad and Faculty of Planning for conducting the Urban Transformation studio in Masters of Urban Design program for developing the basic understanding about transformation projects in the brownfield areas.

I am grateful to Prof. Purvi Chhadva & Prof. Brijesh Bhatha who have constantly been active in imparting the best of their knowledge and skills to us.

Studio Brief

This studio focused on the design aspects of urban transformations within the existing urban areas as Indian cities are growing rapidly in terms of population and therefore expanding physically. Increasing urban population and the growing urban incomes will fuel demand for more and more built floor space in cities accompanied by a demand for infrastructure. Urban areas within these cities are dealing with sustainable levels of stress on infrastructure, resources and public services and are becoming unlivable.

The project had a strong decision focus on the physical setting, however issues of private ownership and social equity, land economics, planning models, project finance, and implementation strategies were also addressed.

Learning Outcomes

• Prepare strategic framework plan of delineated areas with identified design projects

•Detail design of the Identified Urban design projects

• Prepare building regulations for the intended urban form outcome for the project areas

• Prepare a planning model for executing the proposed framework plan and carrying out various public place design projects

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Contents:

Foreword

Heritage walled city of Ahmedabad

Development Plan

Background

Relevance of the project

Site Study

Framework Action Plan

Opportunities & constraints

Vision Objectives

LAP

Design Framework

Project identification

vision

Strategic framework

Detail Projects

Transformation Projects

Bhatiyaar gali Area

Manek chowk Area

Placemarkers of Gandhi Road

Conclusion

Foreword

Heritage Walled city of Ahmedabad:

WORLD HERITAGE CITY

In 1411, Ahmad Shah I of the Gujarat Sultanate established the Historic City of Ahmadabad or Old Ahmedabad, a walled city in India. It remained the capital of the Gujarat Sultanate and a major political and commercial centre in Gujarat later on. Despite the fact that it has grown overcrowded and dilapidated, it remains the symbolic heart of Ahmedabad. In July 2017, UNESCO designated the city as a World Heritage Site. Ahmedabad continued to add new techniques, materials, and architectural styles to its mediaeval fabric, influenced by Sultanate, Maratha, and British rule. As a result, Ahmedabad now has an outstanding urban landscape and cultural legacy. Fortification walls, citadels, city gates, stepwells, mosques, and temples are among the remnants. The vernacular architecture with wooden carved facades and the community settlements known as Pol are the most important aspects of the walled city. The old walled city proudly maintained its unique shape and services while welcoming social and demographic shifts. However, in the 19th century and onwards,

infrastructure and transportation services within and surrounding the city underwent significant changes. This situation enhanced the need for conservation, which led many historians, architects, urban planners and archaeologists to come forward. Professionals located the walled city and its historic core of 5.4 square kilometres after decades of intensive work. They were unable to accomplish expected objectives due to political meddling, insufficient policy frameworks, and a lack of community support. Then, on the 600th anniversary of the city’s founding, the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) took the lead and proclaimed the Historic City for inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The major goal of the inscription was to instil pride in the city and promote cultural heritage to a broad audience. They also believed that this would result in increased political support, popular interest, and a sense of dedication to the city’s preservation and conservation.

Context, placing & beyond :

Ahmedabad is the largest city in the Gujarat state of India. The Ahmedabad district administrative headquarters and the Gujarat High Court are both located here. Ahmedabad has a population of 8,253,000 people (as of the 2021 census), making it India’s fifth-most populous city, while the encompassing urban agglomeration has a population of 6,357,693, making it India’s seventh-most populous. Ahmedabad is located on the Sabarmati River’s banks. Gandhinagar, Gujarat’s capital and Ahmedabad’s twin city, is 25 kilometres away. Ahmedabad has been chosen as one of the hundred Indian cities to be built into smart cities as part of the government’s Smart Cities Mission. The Historic City of Ahmedabad, often known as Old Ahmedabad, was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in July 2017. The Historic City of Ahmedabad, often known as Old Ahmedabad, was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in July 2017. The Sabarmati divides Ahmedabad into two physically distinct regions: eastern and western. The historic city, which contains the central town

of Bhadra, is located on the river’s eastern bank. The pol system of densely clustered buildings, as well as various houses of worship, characterise this area of Ahmedabad. A Pol (pronounced pole) is a housing cluster made up of several households belonging to the same caste, profession, or religion. Every morning, the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation, in collaboration with the Akshar Group, organises the Ahmedabad Heritage Walk, which begins at the Kalupur Swaminarayan Mandir and ends at the Jama Masjid. The historic walk is known as the’mandir to masjid’ walk since it begins at a temple and ends at a masjid. The tour visits various social, religious, and architectural sites associated with Ahmedabad’s rich history and culture. The walk enables one to comprehend how each faith has adapted ideas, architecture, and diverse ideals from one another over time in order to live in peace and harmony inside the city.

Exisiting situation Analysis:

Issues

Dilapidated structures| underutilised plots

Congestion | spillover of multiple activities on the road

Highlighted probelms over the years:

Increasing Vulnerability

Deteriorating Heritage Value

Ahmedabad has seen rapid urbanisation on the western side over the last decade. The latter tendency resulted in a 43 percent rise in the city’s urbanised area (AUDA2013). Residents of the Walled City’s housing preferences have changed out from the city’s inner core as a result of recent rapid urbanisation. The congestion of both human and vehicular movement chokes the centuries-old stone archway into Ahmedabad’s ancient area, coating the monuments of India’s sole heritage city in a greasy layer of soot. The stresses of modern Ahmedabad are fast undermining its cultural capital, including chronic air pollution, crushing traffic, and uncontrolled urban development. Thousands of trucks and rickshaws are rerouted through the tiny heritage zone, which was never designed to accommodate vehicles. Congestion rips roads apart and poisons the air with fumes, leaving black exhaust stains on stone-carved monuments. Only the dome of a mediaeval mosque can be seen in the heart of the old neighbourhood, hidden under a tangle of businesses, electrical cables, and illegally built flats around the sultanateera monument. Ornate homes have been demolished and rebuilt with gaudy ones that are “completely out of place” with history.

Strain on Existing Infrastructure

This area has undergone several stages of metamorphosis over time and is now vulnerable owing to congestion and encroachment. Though there was a need for intervention to restore the precinct’s vibrancy, it was apparent that a comprehensive approach would be required. The problem was addressed using a conservation and sensitive development method, which included pedestrianising the area, rerouting traffic, and restoring the fort. Beyond the site, larger-scale traffic and parking issues were also examined. The fort could also be used as a tourist information centre. For a more harmonious development in the surrounding area, urban design standards were recommended. This application was approved for funding through the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JnNURM). Due to the contextualization of informal economic, religious, and other cultural activities, many challenges arose during the project’s implementation. Political, societal, and administrative concerns all had a significant part in the proposal’s execution. Now that Ahmedabad has been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage City, the project’s implementation will be very simple due to anticipated strong political and administrative support.

Encroachments | No legibility for the heritage

The precinct has heritage and religous significance due to the presence of key monuments. Site has key heritage assets like Jama masjid, Kings, tomb and the Queens tomb, the teen darwaza.

Presense of muti modal transport facilities. The site has a functioning brts station, AMTS connections and a proposed metro station. It is well connected intracity as well as inter city.

The built use is heavily commercial on the outer periphery of the blocka nd residential wihin the block. Hence, the commercial streets recieve more footfall as compared tot he internal streets.

ASI has notified various structures of heritage importance. the precinct has overall 375 notified structures.

Grade I - 16

Grade II A - 32

Grade II B - 88

Garde III- 239

Frame work Action plan

Opportunities:

Increasing demand for commercial amenities:

Presence of heritage assets as urban markers:

Historically restricted zone that requires amendment of the existing reglations to ensure ease of transformation:

Presence of multiple transit nodes:

Stress on existing infrastructure:

- Restricting vehicular access along Gandhi road and simultaneously Redesigning it to organise and support the existing formal and informal commercial activities

- Redefining the built form along major transit routes with enhanced public interface with design inventions like uniform built-to-line public edge

- Redefine the Danapith road with an enhanced public experience by integrating commercial and heritage assets to rejuvenate the CBD character of the precinct

-Organise and rejuvenate the formal and informal street markets to provide an enhanced shopping experience

- With the upcoming metro station, further, strategies like Redefining the built fabric within the metro influence zone as a mixed-use district and enhancing the public realm by adding green infrastructure

-the framework would aim to improve and enhance the visual and physical accessibility of the heritage assets organising the commercial activities around the heritage monuments

-define alternate pedestrian-friendly routes integrating the commercial and heritage assets of the precinct

-Connecting prominent city level attractions with pedestrian-friendly infrastructure along with provisions for cycling and electric vehicles

This route would be further activated with adaptive reuse of defunct buildings with activities that could anchor and facilitate vibrant public spaces.

-Framework for potential adaptive reuse of the the defunct buildings in the Pols

Proposing super blocks having a distinct urban form (commercial and parking along the periphery | residential and people centric internal streets)

-Redefining internal streets as shared streets with proper infrastructural provisions

Converting underutilised open pockets to vibrant community public spaces

Design frame work

Redevelopment in the old city along the idea of food

There are multiple reasons for one to visit the old city and food remains one of the most important reason to explore the old city. The heritage city does take food seriously and hence there are two guided heriatge walks conducted around food. Most of these eateries have been serving citizens for almost two centuries now and have been a rather important part of every Ahmdavadi’s life. With Ahmedabad being a financial centre with several museums, parks, temples, and educational institutions. This draws a large number of individuals from all across the city to the old city for food. The best method for them to satiate their hunger and gratify their taste buds is to sample street food in the old city, which is healthful, tasty, and offers a diverse selection of snacks and dishes.

There are different type fo food criterias availabale here with spice amrkets , vegetable and fruit narkets to chai stall, stalls. these stationary stalls are seen in various nooks and corners of the old city. There are movable vendors selling channa masala, soda or other eateries that roam around or stay at different plazes during the day. With all these there is food as destination where places trnasform in to social dining the charm of old city liesin the temporality of these spaces. places such as amanek chowk and bhatiyaar gali are the most celebrated food destinations in the old city. people visit these places in a flock and they are always full of people.

Most of the eateries and food joints are mapped along these two areas of Bhatiyaar gali and manek chowk. Making them the most ideal sites for any such intervention. These two areas have a high intesity impact of food in the way the area has transformed.

The two connect with Gandhi road which can be further explored as a tie to stich them together

To redevelop Bhatiyar Gali and Manek Chowk around the idea of food in the old city with a tied experience along Gandhi road.

1. To develop the Bhatiyaargali area by making it a social public realm.

2. To create an enriched experience along Gandhi road that ties the two experiences together.

3. To transform manek chowk area in order to make it more livable -social.

Strategies

Network & Re- routing

6m one way two wheeler road

Designated Vending zone

Continuous pedestrian plaza along Gandhi road

Redevelopmentof the Bhatiyaar Gali area.

Creating a pedestrian plaza for the entrance of Manek chowk.

Strategies

Redevelopment of Manek chowk area. Creating more access routes, safer junctions, and an interactive built form along Gandhi road

Creating a food trail along Gandhi road.

The framework involves the strategies required to further in with the design. The pilot strategy to narrow the carriage way along Gandhi road creating a 6m road for only two wheelers, autorickshaws , and ev vehicles. Accopanied with designated vending zone along both the sides and a continous pedestrian plaza. With introduction to public amenities at the start and end of the road. The re routing of vehicular route from manek chowk to Fernandez bridge to create a pedestrain freindly plaza. The frame work strategies will further help in the designing of the areas.

The final plan intends to improve the public realm by providing a secure and comfortable manoeuvring area for pedestrians while also allowing retail activities to take place. The design will encourage more pedestrians to explore the region, which will boost the local economy. The importance of public interaction has led to the creation of a design that includes multiple meeting locations and plaza spaces.

Transformation Projects

Redevelopment of the Bhatiyaar Gali Area

Redevelopment of the Bhatiyaar Gali Area

Issues: The Right of way The

Deteriorating Builtform No

Encroachments Vehicular

Bhatiyaar Gali is famous as a non veg food market where meat is sold, cooked and displayed. It is one of the most famous street in terms of tourist or citizens. However, the place has developed in a very haphazard manner. with little to no consideration given to the sanitation. The area highlights some key concerns like encroachments, deteriorating builtform in places, no fire safety and lack of hygeine, as slaughtering happens right in front of the shop it doesnt make a pleasing sight for the visitors.

The area requires a simple mechanism to dispose waste, open more access routes for services at the back end, create some green pockets and also utilise the complete land potential.

Design Approach

Objectives for developing Bhatiyaar Gali

1. Creating a public realm for all

2. Transforming the area into more livable preinct for upper floors

Plot Amalgamation :

3. To enrich the eating expeience for visitors of the bhatiyaar gali .

Amalgameted plan

With amalgamation the land potential is fully utilised, giving more floor space and a wider street. this will trigger the street development. As street is the major public realm here. creating a shared space for all food activities as well as creating more space for circulation and movement.

The exiting plan has irregular row with encroachments spilling over to the road. There are extremely small plots lesser tha 12 sqm. all plots upto 12 sqm would be taekn in to the public realm. while the largest plot size is 75sqm. all plots lesser thn that would be taken together to amalagamate. The plots more than 75 sq.m would under go transformation immediately if in a deteriorating conditon.

Smallest block size – 12sqm

Largest block size – 75 sqm

Block size below 12 sqm taken into public realm

Design Approach

Pedestrianising the street

Retaining Heritage Assets

Bhatiyaar gali has roads running parallelly that meet to the khas bazaar area. These two roads can be used for accessing the bhaityaar gali. the stretch of bhatiyaar gali can be pedestrianised and given peripheral vehicluar acces for services, and commuting. This will create more space for public activities and reduce the congestion aused due to vehicular traffic.

In the entire area of Bhatiyaar gaii there is only on graded heritage structure, which currently has encroachments on all sides. To conserve the heritage mosque it is important to relocate the encroachments and restore the facade of the mosque.

Apart fromt he mosque there is a fish market that is very releveant and old. the charachter of the fish market shoud be retained as it is and necessary restoration should be done.

Design Approach

Making new routes

Introducing greens

After amalgamation and rightsizing the ROW newer access routes were created. these access routes would serve as backend service lanes. this could create the possibility of shifting the slaughtering at the back.

Creating new access routes helps in creating walkable and more accessible blocks which can caer to the services. the continous route near the fish masrte can help in waste disposal and services related to the fish market as well.

With creating effective blocks after amlgamztion there is scope of introducing greens. smaller plots, uncatered spaces, the streets all could have introduction of greens that will help in mking it more cool, shade it during the day.

Design Proposal

Proposed plan

Raised footpath for pedestrian safety

Area for eating and food display

Access routes for fish market

Backend service roads

Continous Pedestrian plaza

The proposal aims at enriching the public experience and also a hassle free vending and service experience for people visiting, shopping or selling food here. this transformation can trigger the development of creating plaza at the khasa bazaar,and adjoining residential pockets can also be further developed as the interventions hope to penetrate in to the boundaries of the adjoining areas too.

View of the Block

Compared to the existing situation the proposal aims at creating an open public realm where people from everywhere can come sit eat and play, air space is utilised as well as on the upper floors Air conditioned seatings can be done for people who wish to spend more time. while along the street the food display and live cooking can take place for people who want to stnd or sit for a while and leave. The propsal aims at enhancing the experience along Bhatiaar gali area to mark a memory for people who visit and people who stay.

Transformation Projects

Redevelopment of the Manek Chowk Area

Activity Mapping:

7-10 am Vegetable market 12 - 6 pm Parking and vending 6 - 9 pmFood plaza

Various activities take place at Manek Chowk’s central space throughout the day and night. Early in the morning, around 6:00 a.m., the area is cleaned. Cows and buffalos roam the area, feeding on organic waste and grass brought by the property owner. Locals help feed the cows since it is considered holy in many regions of the country to feed a cow first thing in the morning. The spout, which is positioned in the centre of the court, fills buckets with water. A regular hired helper then keeps these filled buckets outside each shop. Because the stores lack wash basins, these buckets are used throughout the day. Jewelry stores line either side of the middle space, with the merchants parking in the centre area. They are open from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. during the day. Informal merchants offer ordinary products like plastic in standing in line.

Spices, accessories, and clothing As shops return to their homes in the evening, parking places become available, which are then taken up by food sellers who have been allotted specific spaces over time. Customers travel from all across Ahmedabad to sample the street cuisine. Electricity is obtained from nearby businesses. Carts and equipment are stored near the tomb area behind the stores throughout the day. The vending carts’ cleaning areas are the line gutters. The food court is open till three o’clock in the morning. Beyond this centre space, the food vendor area extends to the southern square and the area near the northern parking lot. The day’s activities then repeat cyclically. This multi-ownership and diversity of activities is what makes this place active.

Problem Identification :

Vehicular take over

Multiple activities and overlapping and no space

No right for way | no place to walk

Lack of footpaths and pedestrian infrsastructure.

Design Approach

Objectives for developing Manek Chowk Area

1. To enhance the pedestraian experience.

2. Create a temporal public realm for different times in the day

3. To conserve the heritage experience.

Plot Amalgamation : Existing

In the current scenario there is no visibilty for the heritage structures. There are multiple encroachments along and within the heritage structures. deteriorating the quality of heritage. To conserve and protect the heritage monuments a buffer of 10m along the periphery of the monuments will be proposed. within these buffers no encroachments of anyway would be allowed.

Plot Amalgamation : Proposed

Parking Proposal :

Amalgamting smaller shop building to retain the compact nature of manek chowk. taking small pots in to amalgamtion only with a deteriorating builtform. To build an integrated built from that fits rightly. To avoid the encroachments and small temporary settlements and revive the neeche dukaan upar makan narrative of the old city. The amalgamated plans will have a single service core in a way addign more floor space to the end user. The spaces could be rented out or used by the shop owners or residents.

Parking in a derelict structure can be explored. inorder for people to park and visit manek chowkor for residents, shopkeepers during the day. In order to clear the on street parking so more land is reclaimed in the public realm for other activities and not parking.

Design Approach Design

Proposed plan :

Current traffic through Manek Chowk’s central space will be diverted via the junction between Pankornaka and Dalgarwad on the west and Chanlaol street on the east. The previously one-way traffic from SwamiVivekananda road to Relief road (6.0 m) has been transformed to a two-way single lane carriageway. Both Gandhi Street and the southern street leading to Sankhedi Seri are one-way double-lane carriageways (5.5 m). The right of way on Chanla Ol and the route going to Lokhand Bazar is extremely tiny. This would result in more pedestrian-friendly street layouts. This region would have cobblestone streets. Motorized vehicles’ speeds would be reduced, assuring pedestrian safety.

The speciality streets are usually open to the sky, but they also serve as public access routes through the built fabric in most cases. These streets are not frequented by the general public due to their semi-private nature. Despite the fact that the Manek Chowk idea focuses on the centre precinct, the impact is likely to spread to the surrounding areas after it is implemented.

The intervention explores the idea of streets as public space. By pedestrianising and amalgamation a nearly 12-meter wide plaza space outside many significant monuments is created. Pedestrian walkways, vending clusters, services (street lights, junction boxes, etc. ), street furniture, and trees are all included. In order to maintain the area’s vibrancy and dynamism, it also hosts a variety of activities that add to the livability quotient. During religious events, the spaces allow everyone to ‘loiter,’ shop, and assemble. It also suits Manek Chowk’s unique nature of changing uses throughout the day.

This idea intends to provide a secure and comfortable walking area for pedestrians while also allowing for simultaneous retail activity. The design will encourage more pedestrians to visit the neighbourhood, boosting the local economy. Within the precinct, on-street parking will be replaced by off-street parking lots. By freeing up on-street parking spaces, more space is available for walking, vending, and other pedestrianfriendly activities. Consolidated space for current street vendors is included in the concept. The leftover area has been decreased by putting in place a spatial organisational framework for vendors. The design becomes significantly more efficient and weather proof by designing efficient sanitation and infrastructural support.

Pedstrianising Manek chowk area :

Opening Plaza for Manek chowk

Proposed parking (derelict structure)

Shaded Vending zone

Clear circulation around heritage assets Manek chowk plaza

Manek chowk is a great examle of how temporality changes the course and nature of spaces with different times during the day. Celebrating this charachter of manek chowk the intervention proposes to have a complete pedestrianised area with no vehicular entry atall times of the day. However, it remains accessiblle form both sides. Giving out spaces for vending, resting and creating a plaza that adapts to different activities. through the day it could be a plaza and resting point for people living or shopping there while at night these could be explored as seatings additional tot he other temporary seating. Along with spaces for food carts and trucks to park and set up thier social dining at night.

Cleared Frontage in front of the heritage

Shaded seating area

Proposed parking building

Public seating area with water stations

Plaza as an entrance for manek chowk

Shaded Vending Zone

Track for vending carts

Transformation Projects

Placemarkers on Gandhi Road:

The Intervention:

Gandhi road is the tie between the two projects. An intervention along Gandhi road which ties the experience of both the bhatiyaar gali and manek chowk is the aim of for this project.Along Gandhi road there are mostly stores and vendors selling goods and commodities. amongs all these very few vendors that sell eatables stand, though these vendors are less in number theyare a respite for people to stop enjoy their small snack like channa take it while youre shopping or just drink a lime sode when its glaring hot. these instances along the Gandhi road need to be celebrated for creating a food based expeirence. These food stalls can be placemarkers for creating identity for the area as well as for themselves.

Problems on Gandhi road:

Issues:

Congestion casued due to vehicles

Spillover of multiple activities on the road

No uniformity in builtform

No place to sit.

Bhatiyaar Gali Transformation

Manek Chowk Transformation

Food stalls on Gandhi Road.

Design Approach

Plot Amalgamation & new access routes :

Objectives for rejuvenating Gandhi road :

Interactive Facade :

1. To create a hassle free public realm.

2. To incentivise the small food vendors by integrating them as place markers into the urban fabric.

The first approach is to amalgamate smaller shops and buildings togehter to create a cohesive builtform. To maximise the complete potential of the land and its value. the amalgamation of smaller shop buildings and derelict structures which as on the verge of falling down can help cater to the verticle growth that is happening randomly along Gandhi road. the amalgamtion can also open up new access routes to create green pocket spaces as well as a trigger follwing development within the pols and communities behind the Gandhi road.

Space for all :

The built form along gandhi road is not uniform. With newer constructions there are buildings upto 5 to 6 floors while the old structures are lying empty and deteriorating. To maximise and incentivise the growth along the Gandhi road it is important to translate the vertical developments in to horizontal ones by malgamation an conservation of the heritage buildings creating multiple experience on every level and also opening up small pocket spaces for greens and entrances to plots behind them. As well as keeping the respect of the heritage monument and ASI buffer and maintaining a hieght buffer.

Gandhi road is multi - faceted by its charachter. To enhance the experience along Gandhi road further, the road will be a public space for all, with small tempory parking off road, and using derelict structures for parking, restriciting heavy traffic movement, creating a public realm for pedestrians for hassle free movement. Designated vending lanes and a continous plaza. The built form also will respond to these needs, by giving spaces for shops on the ground floor, upper floors can be used as offices, co-working spaces, restaurants, cafes and green terraces could be provided to generate the inflow of people form all walks of life. creating a space for all!

Amalgamation of smaller shops to create uniformity in the builtform.

Opening up more access routes to Gandhi road.

Design Approach

Story of Placemarkers :

Design

Existing Vs Proposed Situation Analysis:

The interactive facade willl anchor a placemarker on multiple points. these placemarkers are going to be a point for chai stall, lime soda or chana. the station would have a place for every food cart to anchor and add thier name, along witht he a plug in counter these place markers serve as a resting point with water stations and seatings to charge your phone or enjoy your chai under the shade of these place markers. The place markers would have a semi permeabel roof with green roofs or a shading element to keep the place shaded throughout the day.

The existing scnario highlights the issues of parking on the street, vending spilling over tot he carriage way, the pedestrians walking on the road, the situation only gets worse by the day and it becomes an even more congested place. The charming factor in this still is how they all co exist together. the intervention also makes it a point to integrate all these activities in a more organised manner, to claim more value adding experience for the public. The emphasis is given to people pedestrians, visitors and the vendors then the vehicles.

As compared tot he existing situation the proposal shows a uniform built edge with interactive facade where muli layered activities can happen on varius floors. The ground floor being commercial shops have retained the charachter of a 3m frontage as it is ideal for the human scale while walking. on the street there are designated areas for vending, and a pedestrian plaza runing along bothsides. The vehicular carriage way is only 6m to claim most of the land for public. The view shows the harmony and dependency of multiple activities which is a very eminent character in the old city. With chotu’s chai becoming a stop for people to pause while they are walking, shopping or eating .

Economy - Livelihood - Memory

The old city is a destination for multiple activities and yet food remains to be one of the most celebrated asset in the old city. It is one of the biggest economic driver in the old city. Majority of people here are engaged in this activity. it is a form of livlihood for various residents of the old city. besdies, it also remains to be one of the main reaosn why people visit the old city. the variety, culture and taste stays back as a memory for everyone who visits. The transformation is a step to get these three aspects of Economy - Livilihood - Memory together and stich it into an experience for various end users. It will help in adding more value to these areas and in turn expect more people to come, visit and stay.

The transformation of these areas could be a pushing factor that can trigger many such developments and transformations in other parts of the old city that help in improving the quality of life for all end users.