DESIGNING URBAN OUTSIDE

For many people Street is the city, or City is the street. 'Urban Design begins where the building plot ends'. Pradeep Sachdeva retextures the entire floor and designs new edges in Chandni Chowk of old Delhi to empower pedestrians over the vehicles reducing an overload. Prasanna Desai in Pune, StudioPod in Mumbai and Studio Code in Delhi introduce robust street furniture and lighting even with soft landscapes and signage to make a street a destination by creating spaces of pause next to the parallel lines of movement neatly categorised, dedicating them to pedestrians and vehicles of diverse speeds by different paving textures.

Pradeep Sachdeva Design Associates, New Delhi
REDEVELOPMENT OF CHANDNI CHOWK
DELHI | 2021

Street treets in India are vibrant public spaces where festivals are celebrated, vendors sell their produce, pedestrians jostle with vehicles to make way through the complex maze of a city's lifeline.

Chandni Chowk [in the walled city of Old Delhi ] is a prime example of such a street. It is a historically significant avenue that was the center of trade and culture in the 17th century during the time of Mughal ruler Shahjahan and has remained a bustling marketplace into the 21st century. It is laid out as a grand avenue starting from the axis of Red Fort and stretches 1.3 km, terminating at Fatehpuri Masjid.

Over the centuries, the marketplace and avenue of Chandni Chowk have evolved, attracting traders, shoppers, and tourists alike. Unplanned urban sprawl and the continually growing number of motor vehicles eventually overtook the grandeur of the space that had been so enjoyed by the people. As a result, its physical infrastructure has significantly deteriorated over time. Despite being an iconic street, the additions and improvements to Chandni Chowk have never been properly planned neither the avenue has been maintained in a manner befitting its importance.

In 2016, the redevelopment work of the street started to provide facilities to meet current and future requirements while showcasing its rich heritage and culture.