BHADRA FORT AND THE PREMABHAI HALL Dialogues of the cultural centre of Ahmedabad.
Sanand Telang
For Doshi Sir, Ashram, Bhadra and Pritzker.
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he cultural symbolism of Ahmedabad has been known to the nation, primarily in the architectural fraternity since the city houses works of all major contemporary architects that the nation has witnessed. The architecture of Ahmedabad ranges from the ancient to the very modern. Early in the city’s history, under Ahmed Shah, builder fused Hindu craftsmanship with Persian architecture, giving rise to the Indo-Saracenic style. Apart from its rich architecture from the past, the growth of contemporary architecture began almost 100 years ago from the Ahmedabad Textile Mills’ Association Building by Le Corbusier until the endlessly growing architecture in the city. Along with an experience as long as 100 years, the city has been witnessing a lot of modulations and changes in its form - both on micro and macro levels, from the Sabarmati Riverfront Development to the new canteen design at CEPT University, depicting a strong metaphor of development in the city.
Lithograph by Dutchman Philip Baldeus depicting Ahmedabad and Sabarmati river (1975)
Mosque of Sidi Sayed Jaali, Ahmedabad
Teen Darwaza, Ahmedabad
Jama Mosque, Ahmedabad
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ncompassing wonders of such scales and order, the city of Ahmedabad houses the most wonderful works done in the period of Ahmed Shah, involving the Sidi Sayed Jali Mosque, the Jama Masjid, the Teen Darwaza, the Delhi Darwaza and many more further providing base for wonders that we witnessed after these buildings were done. Since the foundations of architecture in the city had already taken shape, futhermore the addition of housing in the form of Pols took the beauty of function and the sense of livability helped in a whole new image formation of the city. This developed that happened in the Eastern bank of the Sabarmati, forced and allowed the city on the Western banks to grow so as to compete with the growing population and the needs of the city, also resulting in polarization on every scale.
Mill owners’ Association Building / Le Corbusier
The development of contemporary architecture in the city grew when masters like Le Corbusier and Louis I. Kahn set their foot in the city for projects of various scales including Sanskar Kendra and Indian Institute of Management respectively. Where these works were highly appreciated and gained popularity after the colonial works in Delhi, involvement of architects like B.V.Doshi, Anant Raje and Achyut Kanvinde grew specifically when they collaborated and worked in projects like IIM (1961) and Sanskar Kendra (1954). This dominantly happened because of the relationship they shared with Corbusier in Paris and Kahn in Ahmedabad. While this scenario existed for a long time, the foundation for the School of Architecture in 1962 (now known as CEPT University) was laid by B.V. Doshi and his fellow architects as a notion of architecture in the city of heritage and culture. Another architect had travelled from Mumbai to Ahmedabad with his expression of humility in architecture for the project of the Gandhi Smarak Sangrahalaya or the Gandhi Ashram (1963) - Ar. Charles Correa who further contributed in the design of the tube house for the Gujarat Housing Society which was itself the first housing board in the nation. This shift in the philosophy of how architecture was seen as was observed not only in terms of the language that was mostly contemporary but also in terms of the materialities of the buildings as well as the how the end users were kept into context by involvement of stakeholders who remained on the cutting edge throughout this journey of development. These consecutive years of landmark contributions made by these masters settled architecture as a fraternity in the city of Ahmedabad that had initially begun from the fortified city of heritage to the Pols and the then to what we call morphology in the growth of the city.
Sanskar Kendra / Le Corbusier
Ahmedbad Textile Mill Owners’ Building / Le Corbusier
IIM Ahmedabad / Louis I. Kahn , Anant Raje , B.V.Doshi
Indian Institute of Indology / B.V. Doshi
School of Architecture / B.V. Doshi
Gandhi Smarak Sangrahalaya / Charles Correa
Premabhai Hall / B.V.Doshi
Reserve Bank of India / HCP
Patang hotel and Chinubhai Centre / HCP
Sangath / B.V.Doshi
Ahmedabad Management Association / HCP
EDI / HCP
Ambavad ni gufa / B.V.Doshi
Gandhi Smarak Sangrahalaya / Ar. Charles Correa
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he Bhadra Fort
Bhadra Fort is situated in the walled city area of Ahmedabad, India. It was built by Ahmad Shah I in 1411. With its well carved royal palaces, mosques, gates and open spaces, it was renovated in 2014 by Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) and Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) as a cultural centre for the city. It is believed the fort adopted the name Bhadra after a temple of Bhadra Kali, a form of Laxmi which was established during Maratha rule but a plaque near fort tells a different story: The Bhadra Gate - C.A.D. 1411 - The massive fortified gate was built in or about 1411 to serve as the principal eastern entrance of the palace erected here by Sultan Ahmad Shah I (14111442), the founder of Ahmedabad. The palace called the Bhadra after the ancient Rajput citadel of that name at Anhilwada - Patan (Baroda State), which the first three kings of the dynasty of Gujarat Sultans had held before Ahmedabad became the capital.
The Bhadra Fort in 1872
The House of MG Nehru Bridge
Sardar Baugh
Sidi Sayed Mosque
Teen Darwaza
Riverfront Bhadra Fort
Premabhai Hall
Ellis Bridge
Adjacent landmarks of the Bhadra Fort
Bhadrakali Temple
Plaza Bhadra Fort Premabhai Hall
Plaza around the Bhadra Fort and the Premabhai Hall
Bhadra Fort
“The question was can we really build something new alongside these monuments, and if so, what should be the nature of our design ..?� - Doshi, 1979.
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remabhai Hall
Bhadra is a large plaza and Sangath has a series of platforms, open spaces and walls. CEPT has thick exposed brick walls and thin concrete fins with north light. I feel they are conveying something very important – connection with the ground. Most of my projects relate to natural forces and community, creating dialogues. Bhadra is pedestrianized and generates an urban dialogue. Sangath, with the steps, creates a dialogue with the garden. Each is a dialogue between nature, community and building. The buildings are rooted. Even though Premabhai Hall is like an animal, it stands powerfully. There are large public spaces, smaller spaces, family spaces and community spaces.
Premabhai Hall from the plaza
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rchitecture and Attitudes
Doshi, Balkrishna. “Architecture and Attitudes.” In UNIDO-ICSIID Meeting on Design for Development at National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad. Design proposal for Premabhai Hall, Ahmedabad., 1979.
In the Bhadra area of Ahmedabad, we designed the Premabhai Hall. This is the area where the city of Ahmedabad started growing first. Located on the bank of the river, this area included the Azam Khan Palace and the Bhadrakali Temple. Opposite this place was the central open area and on the axis leading to the east are the three gates, beyond which are located the Jumma Masjid and the King’s and Queen’s tombs. In between the Palace and the gates was the Great Maidan. This Maidan was gradually encroached upon by shopping activities and bazaar and in due course housing were also added. In our proposal we are aspiring to bring the old grandeur of this Maidan which in the early days inspired most of the community activities, recreations and pastimes. We are also aspiring to revive the original grandeur around the palace. For this it was necessary that we study the traffic pattern, the occupations of the inhabitants of the area and their activities. We have since proposed a new scheme with due considerations to the present activities and the revival of the past functions of this area. In our plan we have proposed relocation of these activities at different places within the same area giving the municipality or the developing authority more are for use and revenue and also to provide the city with a breathing space it so badly needed. Our proposal of shopping areas, new office premises and re-routing the traffic will not only bring additional revenue, but will, we believe, improve the quality of life in this area.
As architects, our task is not only difficult but time consuming. This project (The Premabhai Hall) has been with us since 1958, and it was completed only in 1975-76. During these 18 years I not only changed the concept seven or eight times, but I had also to solve the problem of land acquisition as well as the problem of locating the building on the site. Besides, I had to persuade the clients to take into account the development of the surrounding areas. All these take a long time. The total renewal scheme for this area that we have now proposed may take 15 to 20 years. And in the process of developing the final designs I came across many technical and non-technical problems. We have phased the scheme in parts with a hope to build the Hall and initially a Plaza and create a place for the city, which even tually will become larger. The decisions in the first phase were very crucial, because we had to deal with monuments all around and develop our plan in relation to the temple and the fortwall. The question was can we really build something new alongside these monuments, and if so, what should be the nature of our design so as to preserve the character of the old on the one hand and yet express the technology of today through the new building and the Plaza around? The problem was to integrate these two conditions. The great task was to bring the present and the past together in a living relationship. In our scheme of the Hall we have attempted to answer some of these crucial issues. The top floor of Premabhai Hall is quite high and has a 20 feet long centilever. I was attempting to relate the walls of the Hall to the Bhadra area and to the profile of the fortwall, with the belief that the Fort should be seen. Besides, the new building should not overpower the palace and the fort. Other considerations while designing the project were the functions, which were many. However, we had to explore how the quality of the building could be changed to look light and articulated enough without becoming stylish. Here the designer has to discover once again the virtues of blank planes. To achieve this effect, articulation of spaces and the planes is needed. Particularly in the case of the left facade on the street which was treated to express a lesser mass.
If openings were made on the side, if balconies were added, the wall would have changed its scale and looked big for the setting. Hence it is left blank and made less significant and easy to look at. The overall form of the building with its end walls is designed to look almost like an animal standing still. The profile of the wall with the openings therein are made to articulate the surface. Concrete has been used as the principal structural material for the entire building.
Doshi, Balkrishna, and Yoshikatsu Tsuboi. Study Model towards a design proposal for Premabhai Hall. Ahmedabad: Vastu Shilpa, 1958.
An architect works with functions and while handling them takes into account the inner-relationships which exist between them, besides taking care of things like insulation, lighting etc. in this building the stair-cases are located on the periphery and the auditorium at the center. The staircases not only insulate the interior from heat, thus reducing the cost of the air-conditioning, but also continues the movement of space with relation to the outside world. As an architect, one is constantly trying to manipulate functional elements which are constant and tries to give a characteristic expression to the building. For example, the staircase located on the periphery is reflected on the outside wall and has given the building a form totally different and useful. Fortunately, in India we have plenty of natural light and even though artificial light is necessary in theatre interiors we have tried to use natural light as and when possible. We have tried to bring natural light into public areas by separating the main auditorium from the peripheral structure. The central space is very important in public halls, because it can be used by everybody, like the ones in the temples. I believe that the central spaces should belong to those who come to the Plaza as well as those who come to the theatre. These spaces could be fruitfully used for exhibitions, lectures, seminars etc. like those which used to go on in the temples. Even the staircases located on both the sides of the central foyer of the Hall merge with it and thus make it accessible to all visitors.
Variations, massing, comparison of various versions since 1956: (top left) no change of scale / no ... (bottom left) Symmetry - definite enclosure free form ... ‘relaxed’ while giving dignity to the building (Right) Continuity of one volume, not as dynamic as corner support, non-intuitive Supports with .. but top heavy, not floating with effect. Sense of height in space ... the spirit of today Spirit of today in ... Intentional non-intuitive
Alternatives, foyer layout (Main/Street entrance on the left)
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ocumentation
Approach and Parking Level Plan
Foyer Level Plan
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Premabhai Hall from the Bhadra Fort Gate
Entrance Foyer from the Foyer Level
Entry foyer from the Auditorium Level
Auditorium Level Plan
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Balcony Level Plan
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The Auditorium
Entry on the Foyer Level
Lobby on the upper hall level
UPPER HALL LEVEL PLAN
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NORTH ELEVATION
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SECTION AA
SECTION BB
While a lot of emphasis has been given to context as an utmost important contributor in architecture, is it really the key decidor for a built form? Or is it just an aspect of research that drives academically oriented organizations?
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nalysis - Siting and Context
The Premabhai Hall sits amidst buildings belonging to the historic centre of the city and was built with an intention to promote art and culture through this theatre. The siting was done initially with the aid of a famous socialist, Kasturbhai Lalbhai and then the proposal was made. While we discuss about siting as something that an architect does not have control over, the later processes are within the scope of the consultant giving them the right to decide between what is right and what is not. CONTEMPORARY ARCHITECTURE AND HERITAGE All around the world, there have been opportunities that had been given to architects to contribute their skill and design in heritage centres. Since opportunities like these also remain as responsibilities, contrasting solutions were have been observed resulting into contradictions of opinions that played an important role. How does one prioritize the sensitivity and gratitude towards heritage with cutting edge non-contextual solution for an icon amidst a city capital? While one school of thought stresses on the importance for context specially centers of heritage, the other school believes in reinventing the complete process of heritage refurbishment or even building amidst such areas. In a general analysis, examples that reinvented the process of the treatment made to heritage, were not the most appreciated buildings of all times while the others that paid attention to the context and and allowed its presence to remain strong were better examples for the masses. Appreciation for buildings that ‘fit-in’ is because these structures become a part of the social and the physical environment while criticism for ‘extremism’ happens because of the missing sensitivity and the imposing of a particular style into an enviroment.
Kalø Tower Visitor Access / MAP Architects+Mast Studio
Royal Ontario Museum / Daniel Libeskind
Le Grand Louvre / I. M . Pei
Premabhai Hall
Bank of India
Karanj Bagh
Bhadra Police Station
What enables a design to take shape specially under conditions that have been crucial since time immemorial? Every architectural design that takes form is sourced from a few drivers that reflect in its form, function and nature, notable specially when the context or the need is as crucial as in this patircular case. The idea of a building must be such that it pays equal importance to every associated aspect in and around it. Not that a building that sits in such a context should behave in a manner similar to it, but must respond to the needs of the context in all terms keeping in mind, the current and the needs of the future. The Premabhai Hall with such context could have involved the context in a better manner, primarily because of the opportunity that the site had. But is it only the fault of the designer when discussions on such projects happen? What drives such decisions? Is it the client requirement or the influence of a certain type of school that the architect comes form or some abstract force? Even if drivers do not allow a few things to take place or thoughts to not exist, it becomes an integral aspect that senstivity is maintained in the design specially if the work belongs to a designer who is sensitive in all his works, expectation becomes genuine. Although conclusions cannot be drawn on aspect like context or adjacent buildings, but it still remains as an important point that needs to be adressed within time amidst other aspects that include scales and proportions, materiality, public approach as well as the execution of the building. When ideation in context is considered, aspects like public space interaction, distance from the road, style of architecture become important. In this case, there is less importance given to these features and hence contribute in the deterioration of the space.
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uilding Type The question of a building type to be placed occurs after a lot of factors that influence a decision like this varying from the urban fabric to the nearest possible need, but remains driven majorly by the stakeholders. Even after continous attempts, if the need is to be compromised, there are conditions of dilemma that remain throughout the cycle of a project, specially in the case of public projects since there are a lot of people who remain inside the overall structure of the project process. This is where half of the intervention come at stake. But this is a case that does not always qualify as a reason since there are aspects that are sometimes not understood at the end of the designer, or the lack of sensitiveness that results into designs that do not suffice with all the need based requirements. WHY AN AUDITORIUM? When the project was commissioned , a brief was presented by the client to design an auditorium to fulfill the needs of art, culture and theatre in the city of Ahmedabad, which currently does not look like a solution that benefits the people, but could have been an important decision for the people of the city. But what would be the relevance and need of an auditorium with a seating capacity of 1000 persons in specifically a style that does not look synonymous with the context. An auditorium might be a probable solution in the time when the building was constructed, but definitely doesnt remain as the optimum building type in the current scenario. Aspects that do not completely justify the building type, majorly classified into two parts being the relevance at the time when the building was done and the one that we live in today. Relevance in the current context might not be justified because of the population influx, the current traffic sense, the need, the location and also the current state of art in the nation while in the previous era would not be sufficed as a center could have been approached in a different manner rather than a complete enclosed disciplined auditorium as a solution.
Theatre inside the Premabhai Hall
Visitor Center of the Roman Theatre of Malaga / Tejedor Linares & asociados
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ateriality
When Corbusier first came to Ahmedabad even before India realised independence, he brought along his own design sense in terms of geometry, order and materiality, which did create a very major impact on the architecture of Ahmedabad visible in buidlings of almost all scales without really looking at the nonrational side of the use of concrete. Although saying that the use of concrete in the city ignited because Corbusier built typically with concrete is wrong, but it is undeniable to say that it did have a great impact on the architectue accelerating the unstoppable use of this material in the city. Similarly, the Premabhai Hall is observed in concrete also justifying its metaphor as a white elephant between the Bhadra Fort. So the ‘white elephant’ also specifically does not use any other material in the architecture except concrete. To justify the material climatically, not much can be said about its greatness in a context like that of Ahmedabad also observed in a lot of failed technologies and projects. Thought the use of a material like concrete is really difficult to stop and equally difficult to eliminate from the ‘industry’ of construction, its minmization is important. Brutalism Like most projects done by Ar. B.V.Doshi project concrete as their primary building material and ‘exposed concrete’ as the primary facade material, this one is no different. Not questioning the ability of such a master, but the style that is reflected in most of his buildings is reffered to as brutal or brutalist and hence concrete being the used medium. The Premabhai Hall is done entirely in concrete with no usage of bricks even in the interiors of the hall majorly because of the type of architecture it belongs to and the approach of the designer. Concrete is a material that belongs to various styles and has been used in ranging projects through generations in modern architecture, but the gist of the talk being, is concrete the best possible material for a project and a context like this?
Concrete rose to prominence as the favoured choice of modernist architects to build urban utopias as envisaged by them. Now it has become the most popular building material in the age of globalized consumerism for its economy, workability and versitality. However, the society remains divided over its merits.
High durability Economy Raw in form Robust appeal Ease in maintenance Brutal in visibility Ease in construction
Along with properties that mainly relate to the physicality of the material, there are various other non-visible aspects to the material as well. There is a reason behind concrete being the ‘brutal’ material of the generation due to its raw form that it keeps reflecting. In this particular example of the Premabhai Hall, there is a threshold that is observed in the entire campus due to the material used. Since the understanding of the campus and the context is necessary, the choice of the building material becomes vital as well. Using a material in such a context did not result in softening the threshold that is evident in the city and the center. The building is observed rests as a dead object amidst the vibrancy of the old city with colors ranging from saffron to green, from the Bhadrakali Temple to the palace of Azam Khan, from the Siddi Sayyad Dargah to the Swaminarayan Temple, the softness could be enhanced also in terms od the material. Since the presence of something brutal was important in the design, a lot of factors were compromised, along with the absence of landscape which would soften the boldness of concrete in a manner. While projects like Gandhi Smarak Sangrahalay, Indian Institute of Management (old campus), CEPT Univerisity exist in the same city remaining as fine examples of conglomeration, the Premabhai Hall is seen as a weak example of architecture, whereas it could be a strong symbol of the approach due to its location. Similarly with the Sabarmati riverfront development in Ahmedabad and the IIM Campus (new), the absence of soul and culture is observed majorly because of the language its adopts in its form. Although people stay divided in their opinions when it comes to the use of exposed concrete in public spaces, there have been questions that have been always raised and will continue to come up. Not that the proposal of a better material could help the building become successful, but the overall process and the approach led to this. `
Premabhai Hall from the BOI Building
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cale
The basic principles of design are aspects that find relevance in almost all possible design fields and genres to establish strong forms and spaces. The size of the Premabhai Hall primarily because of its function being a theatre is larger than what a conventional building could have. Not that other buildings are smallar than tha hall, but the overall appeal at the road level is massive because of its material and the proportions that it reflects. As the graphic indicates. the Bank of India buidling being larger in size, doesnt create an impact of dominance on the street users, because of the lower floors being open in their floor plans while the upper floors symbolizing simple mass and voids. On the other hand, the Premabhai Hall on the footpath level, or even the road level stands tall and wide with a 3 metre wall creating an enclosure that is precieved as a dominant enclosure even for the users of the street. Although the open foyer rests on the first level, it doesnt help in reducing or softening the enclosure that gets developed. Apart from the size of the built mass, the absence of sufficient openings make it difficult as a space to be dissolved in the plaza. The absence of openings or void like spaces could also be justified by the function of the building being a theatre where the demand of the structure would be acoustics and enclosures. Also since the building relies on mechanical modes of cooling, opening wouldnt suffice as optimum elements in the design bringing the discussion to that fact that if the building type wasnt a theatre, would things be different today? In comparison to the Indian Institute of Indology, Ahmedabad by Ar. B.V.Doshi itlself, the idea of both these buildings remain the same but with contrast in the height to the width ratio since the Premabhai Hall is longitudinal is its form and due to the street adjacent to it, this appears to be an extravagent structure.
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lements of design
As discussed, the Premabhai Hall is an example of brutalism that does not really suit as the perfect choice of genre for a building and a context like this since a strong sense of public interaction is felt within the complete area. The elements of design are hence derived from the nature of the building and do not get into passive techniques since the function of the buidling being an auditorium. In the spatial organization, the ground floor remains as an un-used space since the auditorium level begins from the first floor and the balconies on the upper levels. A strong sense of disconnect is felt between the building and the plaza opposite to it. The organization in the schematic sectional analysis remains conventional in nature because of the auditorium section that remains mandatory again because of the function. The site plan remains introvert in nature with no provisions for landscape or gathering in an open nature which remains a missing part in the entire building. In the massing of the building, the auditorium pitch line is taken to the roof, tapering it on the top with the sky lobby on the upper floor forming the basic mass of the entire structure. Apart from the front and the rear sides, the other two sides are also developed along the function on the respective levels, not really forming a massing on its own. Also the major elements that are visible throughout the building are the structural members that have been kept exposed. From the main beams to the cantilever beams of the sky lobby, the R.C.C. walls as well as the beams over the lobby. The elements in the building have been derived from the structural elements also indicating the influence of brutalism over the design of the auditorium.
Elevated Foyer Sky Lobby Brise Soleil
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hadra Square Redevelopment Plan - 1975
Located on the bank of the river, this area included the Azam Khan Palace and the Bhadrakali Temple. Opposite this place was the central open area and on the axis leading to the east are the three gates, ... In between the Palace and the gates was the Great Maidan. This Maidan was gradually encroached upon by shopping activities and bazaar and in due course housing were also added. In our proposal we are aspiring to bring the old grandeur of this Maidan which in the early days inspired most of the community activities, recreations and pastimes. We are also aspiring to revive the original grandeur around the palace. For this it was necessary that we study the traffic pattern, the occupations of the inhabitants of the area and their activities. We have since proposed a new scheme with due considerations to the present activities and the revival of the past functions of this area. In our plan we have proposed relocation of these activities at different places within the same area giving the municipality or the developing authority more are for use and revenue and also to provide the city with a breathing space it so badly needed.
-Vastu Shilp Consultants
Stages of Development: Bhadra Square Redevelopment
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evitalization of Bhadra Fort -2011-2014
The Bhadra Fort Redevelopment Project plan project started in 2011 and completed November 2014 in collaboration with different public, private and independent organisations such as the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation and the Archeological Survey of India, Vastu Shilpa Foundation for Studies and Research in Environmental Design and CEPT University; as well as multidisciplinary team of professionals like planners, engineers, architects, historians and conservationists; in a dialogue with the local organized groups of temple and mosque representatives as well as informal vendors and shop owners. Funded by the JNNURM (Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission), the project became the first of its kind as a redevelopment and pedestrianization of a public space in an Indian old city. The redevelopment plan focuses on very basic aspects of the city to be considered in details; traffic congestion, no pedestrian demarcation, dense built fabric, unorganised informal activities, scarcity of open spaces, noise and air pollution. The basic principles of the masterplan for redevelopment of Bhadra Precinct were to make the historic core a walkable precinct, develop pedestrian plazas, promote the use of public transport, develop large parks, conserve the heritage monuments and make this place a true city centre of Ahmedabad. The project addresses a long forgotten issue in countries with rapid developing economies like India: the concern to prioritize the revitalization of old cities instead of building and developing new and more economically profitable areas. Being an intervention for everybody it does not revalue the land owned by the rich, but instead will benefit directly to the diverse community of the inhabitants in the walled city.
As a pioneer project in including the street vending activities in the design, exhaustive research on the informal activities in the plaza has been undertaken:vending pattern, types and typologies of stalls, location, movement, sizes and arrangement of hawkers have been documented in order to produce an inclusive and coherent proposal for relocation of 600 street vendors, thus protecting the livelihood of economically weaker citizens. It is a complex project that deals with multiple parameters and criteria ranging from public policy to design. Over the time the revitalization of the area will flourish into the consequent up-gradation of the existing buildings in the surroundings. Given the guidelines for an elevation treatment, many of their upper floors abandoned and underused will convert into prosperous restaurants, offices or shops. The impact will spread gradually along the axis of the Plaza into the bazaar street that connects to Manek Chowk (an open space that hosts commercial and leisure activities) towards the east, and Sabarmati river towards the west. The city of Ahmedabad – currently pending for recognition as World Heritage City status- will reflect on this project as a model example for redeveloping other public spaces. The project received HUDCO (Housing and Urban Development Corporation), 2012 Award for Best Practices to Improve the Living Environment, First Prize in the category of Conservation and Heritage and exhibited at ‘Celebrating Habitat’, Retrospective exhibition of B. V. Doshi at National Gallery of Modern Arts NGMA in Delhi, October-December 2014.
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onclusion
There are always a lot of projects that are meant to create a difference and a lot of energy goes into it. Specially after knowing that the building you are looking at has been done by a master of his time and an example for the generation, it is saddening to look at it. When the generic feeling goes away, comes a phase where you tend to understand as of how did the deterioration happen and why specially when you tend to look at it frequently. The boldness of the Premabhai Hall did bring along fascination adding value since it was done by Doshi Sir, but to understand and analyse it became an even interesting thing to know. To go through the various phases and the processes associated within the project is like undergoing the entire journey through a time machine. The entire process of knowing what was behind the project and what exists currently is always interesting since it allows one to think within the past, sitting in the present. Not that project is a failure because of its architectural design or the way in which it is done, but even if it wasnt a building that was closed down, the Premabhai Hall wouldnt have been the finest work of the master who has had contributed in the scene of architecture in the country as well as globally. The premier question of the report was to understand if great people like Ar. B.V.Doshi could also create buildings that were not suitable and did not support or contribute in any manner and still remains the same. Visiting the plaza and the Bhadra Fort Complex was an experience in itself which has been attempted to be converted into a format to benefit people associated with it and contribute in a manner to the people.
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ibliography
architexturez.net worldarchitecture.org Vastu Shlip Consultants Vastu Shlip Foundation ceptarchives.org vimeo.com wikipedia.org flikr.com