Architecture + Urbanism
Project type: Mixed use development project
Location: B.B.D Bagh, Kolkata, India
Status: Academic proposal
Year: 2020
Area: 65,000 sq.m.
Site: 6.2 acres
In India generally, shops grow along the streets and often it is mixed with other kinds of land and building uses like residential, institutional etc. These shops or groups of shops are part of mixed-use buildings in our society and locality. With time, they take the next step and the streets harbouring such shops eventually become the commercial spine of the cities.
The 6.2 acres site is located on the eastern bank of the river Ganges and very close to the Howrah Station. Most of the surrounding buildings have a colonial legacy and are densely packed. These buildings still define the Image of the City of Kolkata. The initial planning phase mainly deals with developing an “urban promenade” through the site, providing an alternative path of journey.
Though the purpose of promenade had been to connect two parts of the site linearly, but at every intentional node, the user may take a moment to pause and get captivated by the chaos.
Five retail blocks are interconnected by skywalks and stairs at various levels, in order to make the shopping experience seem never-ending and enriching.
Five retail blocks are interconnected by skywalks and stairs at various levels, in order to make the shopping experience seem never-ending and enriching.
The orientation, volume and fenestrations of different building blocks help decide the functionality of courtyard in the mall. However, a main central courtyard is necessary to connect all the pockets of open spaces in the site.
Since the immediate visual connection from the courtyard persists upto a certain height, the facades of the same are treated with post colonial elements of architecture, in contrary to the existing surrounding colonial structures.
