Author: Lavanya Pant
Site Location: Aerocity, New Delhi
Institute: FoSTA, Manipal University Jaipur (MUJ)
Advisor: Dr. Subhash Chandra Devrath

Description

The project ‘Beneath the Surface’ explores how subterranean architecture can transform transportation nodes into inclusive climate-responsive mobility hubs, addressing the urban challenges of land scarcity, urban heat islands, and inefficient pedestrianization. The proposal, located in Aerocity, New Delhi, envisions a multi-modal transit hub connecting an ISBT and an RRTS station via an existing metro site through underground pedestrian network, enabling seamless intra-site movement in high traffic zones. The design leverages a parametric framework that evolves from conceptual branching networks into functional structures, using skylight courtyards and sculptural landforms to introduce daylight and ventilation while reducing reliance on mechanical systems.
Thermal comfort simulations demonstrate that the proposed underground model with passive strategies achieve higher adaptive thermal comfort for the population compared to overground models, emphasizing its energy efficiency. The tapered structural system with lightweight roofing and integrated voids assists in the generation of large column-free, open spaces, while also reducing high indoor heat accumulation.
Beyond transportation, the project activates the underground realm for commercial and social functions, fostering resilient, transit-oriented development while reclaiming ground level spaces for green public areas. It underscores the relevance of subterranean architecture in dense cities as not just transit corridors, but also as integrative urban ecosystems.

Drawings

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