CATEGORIES

PLANTING IN URBAN AREAS NOTES

In urban landscapes, while balancing aesthetic design with their ecological functions, the understanding of plants in respect of their ecozones*, microhabitats, and species plays a crucial role. Native plants offer ecological benefits but face challenges in urban environments. There are some pragmatic considerations in this regard.

PLANTS IN ECOLOGY AND DESIGN

'100 Plants' offers insight into Delhi's ecology, guiding landscape architects and gardeners to cultivate sustainable, bio-diverse urban landscapes. It is an essential resource for all plant enthusiasts.

LANDSCAPE LUMINAIRES CAPTURING THE ESSENCE OF LANDSCAPES

Landscape luminaires blend with architecture, enhancing safety, security, accentuation, and aesthetics while minimizing light pollution and promoting sustainability for a captivating outdoor experience.

SURAT DIAMOND BOURSE

The landscape design of the corporate-commercial centre, inspired by the five elements of nature and Vastu principles, attempts to create a unique sense of place. It combines design with public art, encouraging a harmonious environment for business and leisure.

SIX SENSES FORT BARWARA RAJASTHAN

In the transformation of a historic 14th century fort-an erstwhile home of a Rajasthan royal family-into a luxury resort, native plants and indigenous materials play a pivotal role, redefining luxury with ecological sensitivity.

'A TERMINAL IN A GARDEN' PUTTING NATURE AND BIODIVERSITY AT THE HEART OF THE PASSENGER EXPERIENCE

The design of Terminal 2 (T2) at Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru is an attempt to provide a sensory and biophilic experience for passengers.

IDEAS OF 'SCENERY' AND 'LANDSCAPE' LINKING GEOGRAPHY WITH LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE

The term ‘landscape’ while encompassing natural and human elements, is understood differently among disciplines. Geographers, another set of experts working closely with nature, provide crucial ecological data, aiding landscape architects in creating sustainable designs.

THRISSUR ZOOLOGICAL PARK KERALA

The relocated Zoo aims to showcase rich Western Ghats ecosystems, support nature conservation, and provide immersive visitor experience. The development integrates ecological restoration, architecture and landscape while improving livelihood opportunities of the local community.

ECOLOGY AND LOCAL CULTURE

With a working panel of scientists and experts from different fields of plant and animal ecology, the Nature Conservation Foundation is a Mysore-based NGO, engaged in exploring, understanding, and conserving the natural world through research and responsible engagement with society.

BEAUTY FOLLOWS COMPLEXITY

Designers must heed Sullivan's \"form follows function\" to avoid beauty over function. Following nature in landscape design enhances ecological productivity while promoting sustainability with principles of use of native species, biodiversity, and conservation of natural resources.

THE YAMUNA GENTLY WEEPS TONIGHT

MANOJ KUMAR MISRA: 1954-2023

DECODING KOLKATA'S DURGA PUJA

A compilation of the study of the Doctrate thesis on the subject, captures the essence of the unique annual festival, while exploring the idea of it being a great example of a participatory community design on an urban scale, with a high democratic and inclusive spirit

TOWARDS an INDI(A)GENE: RE-IMAGINING INDIA'S DESIGN PHILOSOPHY

The article visits some of the less documented traditional practices of nature conservation and eco-friendly lifestyles, belonging to different rural geographies in the Indian subcontinent. It also points out the possibility of adapting these practices within the current urban scenario of India to achieve climate resilience

UNRAVELLING the ENIGMA

A well researched book brings to light new knowledge about Mughal Emperor Humayun, his travels, imperial life, achievements in administration and governance and his significant role in diverse creative fields related to nature, space and culture and his larger vision. The work plays an important role in redefining the Emperor’s place in the history of Mughals. Rabindra J. Vasavada reviews the scholarly work

HALF A CENTURY OF GRATITUDE

Based in New Delhi, Suneet Mohindru established his landscape consultancy practice Oracles in 1997. With deep interest and commitment to academics, he has been associated with various architecture, landscape and urban design programs in the country, as educator and at times as a mentor. Suneet shares his life journey, inspirations and his views about landscape architecture – the subject, discipline and profession

COURT FORT: AN URBAN FARMING STUDIO

Court Fort is a studio space for Urban Khetti, a small-scale experience center for people to understand different concepts of biodiversity, natural farming practices, pond ecosystem, local and seasonal crops, and their impact on soil and the environment

CORPORATE HOUSE: B SAFAL

The project is an attempt to redefine work space landscape design. It is conceptualized around the monolithic building of the ‘B Safal House’

PROFESSOR SHONKU PARK

In the midst of redefining public parks in today’s era and a city born of culture, the design of the thematic Professor Shonku Park is an attempt to bring to life one of the most affectionate science fiction creations of Satyajit Ray, the famous director of Bengal Cinema

A CITY AND ITS GARDENS: AUROVILLE, TAMIL NADU

“Auroville will be the place of an unending education, of constant progress, and a youth that never ages”. — The Mother

VIEW FROM WITHIN WIDER, DEEPER

India’s population is all set to reach the world’s highest in another few months. Cities are getting denser with each passing day and with an expanding urban envelope

B.V. DOSHI A EULOGY 1927-2023

He left us too early - he was young. Everyone has a story about him.

DESIGNING URBAN YARNS

Urban Design may not overpower but may weave into a landscape as seen in Idea Design's Crafts Village in Kovalam in generating a composite pattern by landscape' and in Recyclebin's model eco corridor in Athirapally by extending a string with small Urban beads. In Kozhikode Deearth Architects' Freedom Square stage is an Urban 'Bobbin' of Historical and Cultural threads. Other projects bring life and vibrance to voids.

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.

DESIGNING URBAN INSERTION

The insertion of the large parisar around Kashi Vishwanath Dham by displacing old fabric creates a new identity which however seeks to mitigate the necessarily produced form-al’ disruption by attempting to camouflage the alienation itself as integration and primarily through representation. Whereas, the formal and spatial insertions in Patna Riverfront Development provide additional support to current human activities and the identities of the series of interventions are acquired not by any representational scheme but primarily by their functional role, thus making the public domain more amenable to ritualistic celebrations at an individual level or to a large mass of people.

DESIGNING URBAN INSIDE

Minor identity of the circulation spaces in the building may be turned around by metaphorically conceptualising them as public streets. In the showcased projects, those public elements break out of that metaphorical state to become real in themselves and start affecting the overall organisation in their favour. Either through independent production of the public realm in Correa's Salt Lake City Centre in Kolkata or by an independent representation of a formal complexity in Somaya's Indore campus, and for Hundredhands and Architecture Red, where the urban designers are able to generate a substantial and dominant spatial realm, where public and private places remain almost seamlessly integrated. Studio Lotus converts a gated private part of the city into a public space by partial transformation and brings the city directly into the site.