dr. sudeshna chatterjee | madhup mazumder...consulting engineering services (ces) pvt. ltd. was...

landscape no. 21 | monsoon 2008 77

Dr. Sudeshna Chatterjee | Madhup Mazumder

Naya Raipur isthe new plannedcapital city of thestate ofChhattisgarh.Planned on aGreenfield site

20 km to the southeast of currentRaipur city, Naya Raipur is the 6thcapital city to be planned and designedfor an Indian state. This large andcomplex project presented a uniqueopportunity to the multidisciplinaryprofessional teams to plan andconceive a new city as a functioning,integrated system responding to acomplex brief of factual, symbolic,aspirational and contextual issuesassociated with a new state capital.

Consulting Engineering Services(CES) Pvt. Ltd. was hired to plan anddesign this new city. The projectsurvived regime changes, and by 2006,CES had produced a master plan forthe city complete with an innovativelanduse and a transportation plan.From the onset, Naya Raipur had beenplanned as a medium-density, mid-rise,walkable city with a strong publictransportation network. The spine ofthe city is the rapid transit system inthe form of a light rail (LRTS) that

connects the two railway stations at thenorthern and southern ends of the city.The planners introduced an amenityspine all along this N-S transit corridorand added the layers of residentialsectors on each side. The residentialsectors were laid out on anapproximate grid of 800 meters eachwhich makes the farthest point fromwithin 1.6 km away from the LRTS /amenity spine. City buses will run onthe inter-sectoral roads on the outsideof each 800 meter grid thus makingpublic transit available within walkingdistance. The highest point of the sitelies somewhere in the middle and tothe west of the N-S spine, designatedas the site for the Capital Complex. Anaxial road emanates from this andforms the shorter E-W axis of the cityas the “power axis” or the monumentalaxis while the longer N-S axis formsthe “people’s axis” or the residentialaxis of the city. The structure of thecity thus laid out is eminentlydemocratic and sustainable.

To provide finer grain and texture toeach landuse, and to createexperientially rich movement systemsand public places, CES hired the firmKaimal Chatterjee & Associates tocreate an urban design vision under the

leadership of urban designer Dr.Sudeshna Chatterjee and the firm ofDesign Accord to create the landscapevision under the leadership oflandscape architect MadhupMazumder. The collaborative work ofthese two design principals created anintegrated vision to give form, shape,and texture to the city as well asenhance the symbolic meaning of thisnew capital city of Chhattisgarhthrough design.

Apart from the general approachadopted at a city level, the projectreport specifically focuses on one ofthe four priority areas of the city viz :

Capitol Complex and its adjoiningprecincts.Central Business District.The Residential Sectors.The Transportation Hub.

Given the domain of interest of thisjournal, the authors have chosen todiscuss more in detail the monumentalcore of the city which has a strongopen space structure and the design ofwhich was strongly determined bylandscape architecture.

l a n d s c a p e d e s i g n |

78 landscape no. 21 | monsoon 2008

Residential

Group Housing

Institutional

EWS Housing

Commercial

Open Space Cultural

Water Body

Light Industry

Office

Habitat

Ceremonial Green/Central Park

Railway

University

Information Technology

Exhibition

City level urban design andlandscape strategies

The role of urban design andlandscape was to create human-scaled, experientially rich publicrealms not only in the monumentalcore but also across the city in all itsneighborhoods. Their role was also toreinforce the identity of the region inall aspects of city design fromhighlighting the native flora along themovement networks and open spacesystems to creating a vocabulary forpublic amenities and outdoor furniturethat is modern yet rooted in the tribalart aesthetic of the state. Contextualstudies of the existing city of Raipurrevealed a strong tradition ofcelebrating nodes through landscapetreatments and installations. The newcity will continue this tradition to createan imageable city that exhibits thetradition, people’s art and nature to

solidify identity. However, this newcapital city is a 21st century Indian citydreams of being a major globaldestination as well for service andknowledge-based industries, hence thestrategies incorporated did not neglecta strong framework of sustainabledesign and green design principles.

A detailed Design Code was created toguide development across the city. Thepurpose of this code was to introduceprinciples of sustainable urbanism bycombining the creation of walkableand diverse places, with the need tobuild high-performance, ecologicallysensitive and energy-efficientinfrastructure and buildings. This codeis divided into 6 sections where eachsections. These themes are:environmental protection, naturalresources, access, places of highquality, quality and diversity of housing,quality work places. Each theme isthen written up as Intents, Standards

Urban Design: City Level Structure Plan

LEGEND



Ceremonial Green, Festival Park, Promenade

Formal Structured Landscape, Urban Centre, Hard scape, Plazas,Courtyards, Parking Bays, Formal Gardens, Urban Promenade

Neighbourhood Green SpacesResidential Community Greens

City Level Central ParkOpen Meadow Natural Landscape

Recreational Landscape – City ParksActive Recreational Spaces around Central Park1. Children’s Park2. Health and Fitness Park3. Amphitheatre Like Spaces4. Pleasure Walk and Contemplative Landscape5. Special Gardens Theme Parks6. Picnic Spots, Resorts, Sports Facilities

Water and Land Art GardensWater Bodies and Lakes

Environmental Protection and Green BeltDust, Sound and Pollution ControlPlanted Forest, Fragile Drainage Corridors,Village Buffer Protection

and Guidelines to provide objectivecriteria and design ideas for differentscenarios. A Regulatory Codementioning urban design controls andlandscape specifications and details,further has been created for eachpriority areas to ensure detailed guidedimplementation of their visionstatements.

The urban design master plan of thecity, the landscape open spacestructure city plan as well as the designof priority areas follow the codestandards and as a citywide strategy.

Design moves to strengthen theurban structure

Some of the time-tested urban designstrategies used in 20th century capitalcities (Vale 2006) are axial planning;hierarchic layout; strict control oflanduses; strong spatial ordering; andgrand public architecture in themonumental cores.

City Level Open Space Structure Plan

LEGEND

Theme Park (Botanical Park)

Jungle Safari

Theme Park (North End)

Golf Course

Existing Village Settlements

Hidayatullah University

Existing Forest

Film City

Nature Resort



The planners of Naya Raipur hadprovided a platform for strong spatialordering through an axially structuredplan and strict control of landuses. Theurban design and landscape vision forthe city worked within this frameworkand strengthened the axial planning bybetter shaping the NS and EW axis andnaming them as “monumental/poweraxis” and “residential/people’s axis” tostrengthen the identity of precinctsaround them. In addition, two visualaxes were created as greenwaysystems within the city, accessible topedestrians and cyclists to travel fromwest to east culminating to the capitalcomplex precinct. Important city nodeswere then identified within themonumental core for speciallandscape treatment and as sites formajor regional art installations.

Open space structure – city level

Grand Visual Corridors are time-testedsuccessful structuring features ofcapital cities worldwide. The openspace structure of Naya Raipur toomakes sure that the importantlandmarks such as the CapitolComplex, Cultural Buildings such asMuseum of Tribal Art, and Plazas withcommemorative art installations arevisible through important city levellandscape corridors: the MonumentalAxis, the Amenity Spine, the diagonalVisual Corridors, and the CBDBoulevard etc.

This strategy of placing importantbuildings axially at the end of visualcorridors make the city more legible byproviding points of reference tocitizens which aid the process of wayfinding in any city. The movementexperience through the open spaces ofthe city is designed to provide acitywide continuous pedestrian andcyclist oriented movement system

providing safe and green routes thatlink bigger open spaces to smallerones, and interconnect across thelength and breadth of the city.

Road landscape

A Road Planting Matrix has beenestablished for each road category.The planting selection is based on thesignificance of the road in the urbanstructure of the city, the design of rightof way and the adjacent land uses ofthe road.

The matrix has been designed toensure that the same road getsdifferent planting identities in differentparts between important junctions todemarcate change in adjacent usealong the edges of the road. Thisstrategy will contribute to the idea ofchanging experience of the landscapeas one move through the city, and alsoprovide visual cues to the character ofthe built forms next to a specificavenue of trees. Hence there is atremendous possibility of aheterogeneous mix of plants for everystretch and for creating unique avenuesof plantations.

A Master Plant list has been preparedusing a balanced mix of local/indigenous species and plants suitablefor tropical composite climate.

The Monumental Core:A priority area for DetailedDesign Intervention

The monumental core comprises of :The capital complex and its

adjoining precinct containingceremonial spaces related to thesymbolic practices associated with astate capital and key governmentoffices shaping and holding the

precinct.The crescent plaza at the

intersection of the monumental andresidential axis with the institutionaland cultural buildings that establish theidentity of Chhattisgarh along the edgesof the crescent plaza.

The central verge that defines thecore of the monumental axis on theother side of the crescent plaza as apeople’s place ending at a semi-circular plaza with an iconic artinstallation commemorating the stateof Chhattisgarh at the culmination ofthe monumental axis at the westernend.

The monumental axis after itsintersection with the residential axis,structures a democratic landscapeconstituting cultural institutions in thesouthern side, and offices and thecentral business district in the northernside. The raised LRTS system cutsthrough this axis just before the CBD,and symbolically marks the beginningof the more non-governmental uses inthe core of the city.

Capitol Complex and its Adjoin-ing Spaces

The urban design of the capitolcomplex and its adjoining precinctsembrace the City Beautiful principlesof grand boulevards and monumentalbuildings to convey the centrality of thedemocratically elected government inpower. The cluster of buildingsdesignated as capital complexcomprises of the Vidhan Sabha,Government Headquarters, andSecretariat. The cluster of buildings onthe western edge of this precinctbordering the residential axis compriseof Government offices such as PWD,Irrigation department, Forestdepartment, and Police Headquarters.The central core of the capitalcomplex (without the government



buildings in the western edge) is beingdesigned by eminent Indian architectUttam C. Jain, and had been left out ofthe scope of urban design andlandscape visioning for the city.

The proposed open space structure ofthe Capitol Complex comprises of thefollowing broad components:

A 400 m wide green belt encirclingthe circle road containing the CapitolComplex.

A 600 m wide-open space in frontof the Capitol Complex as aceremonial green containing the firststretch of the monumental axis.

A crescent shaped plaza across the100 m wide arterial road on thewestern side of the residential axisimmediately after its intersection withthe monumental axis.

The organizing elements of the openspace structure emerge out of a strongsymmetrical geometry that shapessignificant axes, and vistas linkingimportant buildings and focal points ofthe city to the Capitol Complex.

The government office clustered onthe western edge of the capitalcomplex precinct is arranged asperimeter blocks to present strongedges to adjoining roads. The visualcorridors, leading up to the two nodesin the outer ring of the capitol complex,are also defined by the strong edges ofthe office complex. Parking isorganized internally within the blocksas landscaped courtyards. Thediagonal axis of the visual corridor

through this cluster shall have avenueslined with uniform evergreen floweringtrees with well-formed canopies. Thecentral median running through thiscorridor shall have exotic Royal Palmsfor the entire length till the vehicularaxis is blocked off with a grand formalwaterbody with fountains. Beyond thispoint the visual axis continues througha linear well defined clearing in theplanted forest framed by a the densetrees.

The Crescent Plaza

On the western side across the N-SLRTS spine, the landscape fans out tocreate a crescent shaped grand openspace that provides a city level plazafor beholding the capital complex. Thecurved edge is defined by a strongedge of socio-cultural buildings.

This plaza is expected to become avibrant public zone of Naya Raipur dueto its strategic location and symbolismas the place lies at the two prominentaxes of the city intersect. Besidesbeing a space for viewing the grandeurof the capitol complex, the plazaserves the important symbolic functionof establishing the identity ofChhattisgarh through public art andinformative signage and by offering ademocratic space for collective actionat the heart of the city. The pavingpatterns, tree lines, pathways insidethis plaza towards the monumentalaxis are aligned to highlight the CapitolComplex.The Crescent Plaza, Central Vista to

Capital Complex



A pedestrian cum cyclist path, placedalong the outer edge of the CrescentPlaza, slopes down gradually towardsboth the northern and southern ends tocontinue under the 100 arterial roadjunctions as underpass. The CrescentPlaza thus provides uninterruptedaccess to pedestrians and cyclists tocross the city end to end along the longN-S axis.

Central Verge

The monumental axis changescharacter from a very structured,symmetrical formal landscape withinthe capitol complex precinct to a morea democratic landscape once itintersects the people's axis. It becomesa true recreational space for thecitizens after the intersection with theraised LRTS corridor. Taking cue fromthe people’s perception and active useof vast formal landscapes within thecity such as in New Delhi (India Gate),the Naya Raipur central verge isdesigned to enhance people’s systemsand possibilities for structured andspontaneous activities.

ABOVE

Capital Complex: Government office view

FACING PAGE

ABOVE: Central Business District: Landscape Strat-

egies

BELOW: Section at boulevard through Central Busi-

ness District



Central Business District

The design of the Central BusinessDistrict, CBD takes advantage of thelocation of the site near major transitstops to create a pedestrian spinethroughout the CBD starting from theLRTS station in the NE corner of thesite and ending in a major bus stop inthe SW corner of the site. Thispedestrian spine cuts through the entireCBD.

The pedestrian spine dips down underthe CBD boulevard to create anoutdoor semi shaded Sunken Plaza thatprovides space for developing anactive informal shopping court. Thenthe spine proceeds to merge into aCentral Circular Plaza which is thenerve center of the CBD with diversecultural and retail environmentspromoting a rich mix of activities suchas park settings for workers at lunch,recreational space for theatre andmovie-goers. With retail and foodcourts along the ground, the openspace system in this central courtprovides space for displaying local art,and hosting cultural activitiesCBD streets should have sidewalks,curb extensions textured crosswalks,and some traffic calming features,along with trees and hedges.Pedestrian streets should be fullyaccessible for people with differentabilities following principles ofuniversal design. Designatedpedestrian pockets in the heart of theCBD should have places for rest andinteraction (sidewalk cafes, benchesetc.) Covered building entrances in theform of colonnaded sidewalks provideall-weather access.

Parking lots

Paved areas, Pedestrian

Driveway, vehicular

Green cover -soft landscape

Designed/existing waterodies

Builtforms



Landscape architect Madhup Mazumderpractices in New Delhi. He can be contacted at:

[email protected]

Plans and images courtesy the authors Dr. Sudeshna Chatterjee is an Urban Designer

from SPA, New Delhi, and Ph.D. from North Carolina State

University, USA.

Carefully planted buffers withlandscaping and street trees provideshelter and shade without obstructingsight lines to building entrances andsoftens the hard surfaces. Streetlighting should be designed topedestrian scale on shorter poles withattractive fixtures produce effectiveillumination without being obtrusive orharsh.

Project NameNaya Raipur, New Capital City ofChhattisgarh

Location20 km south east of Raipur, Chhatisgarh

Area 80 sq km

Project type Greenfield development

ClientNaya Raipur Development Authority

Master PlannersConsulting Engineering Services Pvt. Ltd.

Urban DesignKaimal Chatterjee & Associates

LandscapeDesign Accord Consultants

Urban Planning LeadJ. C. Gambhir, CES

Urban Design LeadDr. Sudeshna Chatterjee

Landscape LeadMadhup Mazumder

Design and Project Teams for UD andLandscapeSorabh Raina, Abhijit Kondhalkar, AnindyaGhosh, Rituparna Sarkar, Rwitee Mandal,Inger Alsted, Swarnendu Biswas,Prashasthi Sinha, Radhika Maleyar,Manish Kapoor, Asad Mohammad,Sumidhi Nijhara, Vipul Singh , NishantKoshal, Mukesh Kumar, Santanu Saha

Central Business District: Central Plaza view


dr. sudeshna chatterjee | madhup mazumder...consulting engineering services (ces) pvt. ltd. was...

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