Author: Evana Sajan Pallivathukkal
Site Location: Kochi, Kerala
Institute: SPA – Delhi
Advisor: Prof. Dr. Jyoti Pandey Sharma, Ar. Raman Vig

description

Kochi is on the cusp of embracing its regional culture and infrastructure development,
requiring an architectural intervention that reflects the city’s spirit. The city aims to create
ultra-connected work environments and City Hubs, providing a convenient and efficient
lifestyle for young citizens. The project aims to create a “buzzy,” ultra-connected public
realm with service apartments, offices, retail, and entertainment integrated with a bus
terminal, metro station, and water metro channels.
Kerala and Kochi have a unique regional identity that is celebrated globally. Kerala has a
unique model of development characterized by high sustainability values, human
development achievements and social equality, making it a model to be emulated. The
architecture community in Kerala, evident in large projects like the CIAL, is an inspiration
for moving forward.
The “Gateway of Kerala” project uses towers to create a frame with functions through a
podium and skywalks connecting parallel towers. The architectural language and
technological armature are crucial to raise the narrative, transforming site constraints like
trees, riverfront, and iconic bus terminal into drivers for the vision. Although the project
has a commercial aspect, it still maintains democratic values due to its institutional
structure and untouched natural resources.
“ The Urban Hub in Vytilla is an ode to Kochi itself, which is a city in the cup of being the
next metropolitan city while strongly rooted in its natural and cultural roots, intended in
this project by marrying the idea of future in terms of its pragmatic needs – a mixed use
program and sensitizing it with the strong visual identity reinventing the globally
celebrated culture and architectural language of the region of Kochi. ’’

drawings

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