Category: Charles Correa Gold Medal 2025

Kasimedu Karai: A Harbour Front Interface for Coastal Life and Cultural Confluence

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Author: Niveditha G
Site Location: Chennai, Tamil Nadu
Institute: MEASI Academy of Architecture
Advisor: Ar. Reshma Banu

Description

Kasimedu, one of Chennai’s largest fishing harbours, is a vital economic and cultural hub for Tamil Nadu. Yet, its condition does not reflect its significance. Informal market activity spills into public spaces, causing congestion and unhygienic conditions. Community and recreational infrastructure is limited, and a social gap exists between local fishermen and visitors, with few opportunities for meaningful interaction or understanding of the community’s way of life.

The project reimagines the harbour as a Harbourfront Interface, promoting equitable access, cultural exchange and community participation. Zoning addresses all stakeholders, with a dedicated harbour zone near the coast left undisturbed for fishing activities, while markets and recreational areas are strategically planned to minimize fish odor. Recreational and cultural spaces allow visitors to experience local traditions, while bird nesting and watching areas provide habitats for migratory and local birds, integrating ecological sensitivity. A waste management system converts organic waste into plankton and fertilizer. Flea markets and handicraft spaces encourage sustainable local entrepreneurship.

By addressing spatial, social, and ecological inequities, the project bridges the gap between fishermen and the public, creating a resilient, inclusive waterfront that preserves heritage, sustains livelihoods, nurtures cultural exchange, and supports biodiversity.

Drawings

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Aasara: Threads of Shelter — Weaving Waste into Urban Renewal

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Author: S. Aishwarrya Shre
Site Location: Deonar, Mumbai, Maharashtra
Institute: Acharya’s NRV School of Architecture
Advisor: Gracy H David

Description

Aasara is a human-centric design proposal that rethinks slum redevelopment beyond the conventional high-rise resettlements. Rooted in empathy and lived experience, the project draws from the social, cultural, and economic rhythms of informal communities—where the idea of home extends beyond shelter to livelihood, identity, and belonging.
Set within the dense fabric of Mumbai’s informal settlements, Aasara adopts a bottom-up, participatory approach that places people at the heart of the process. It addresses two pressing urban challenges—housing insecurity and solid waste—by upcycling materials like plastic-sand composites and construction debris into resilient, low-cost building components.
The design proposes modular housing clusters built around shaded courtyards to foster community interaction, safety, and microeconomics. Passive climate strategies and shared infrastructure promote comfort and inclusivity. Every detail—material, form, and spatial relationship—emerges from local context and need.
Aasara is not merely a housing solution but a call for systemic change—where architecture becomes a tool of empowerment. It envisions cities where waste is reimagined as opportunity, and the most marginalized are uplifted through dignified, climate-responsive design. Aasara stands as an assertion that true sustainability begins with compassion and context.

Drawings

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AABHAS – A Sense of Home: A Sustainable Model for Migrant Construction Workers

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Author: Pranjal Prakash Tak
Site Location: Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra
Institute: Rachana Sansad’s Academy of Architecture
Advisor: Ar. Ashley Fialho

Description

They raise our skylines, yet sleep under tarps. Their homes are temporary, their futures uncertain. With no access to stable housing, education, or safe spaces, migrant construction workers and their families remain on the margins-building the nation while being denied a place within it.

This thesis is a response to that silence-a call to rebuild what’s been forgotten. It proposes modular, mobile housing units that are scalable, stackable, and site-adaptable. But it’s more than shelter, it’s an ecosystem that includes classrooms, medical rooms, and women-centric spaces, designed to empower and uplift.

A replicable solution that moves with the workers, grows with them, and offers not just homes, but hope.

This project envisions a future, where the hands that build our cities are finally given a foundation of their own.

Rooted in empathy and inspired by the diverse cultural and religious lives of migrant workers from Bihar, UP, Jharkhand, Odisha and beyond, the prototype re-imagines shelter as a shared ecosystem of identity, safety, and celebration. Co-creation with workers informed both private spaces, which respect family structures and rituals, and common areas like courtyards and street edges, which act as cultural bridges-hosting shared meals, celebrations, and conversations

By centering the needs of those most often ignored-women, children, the displaced-this is not just a model for housing, but a manifesto for justice. This is not just about building better homes. It’s about building a more adaptable and humane society.

Drawings

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Yelahanka Mixed-use Transit Hub, Bangalore

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Author: Akshita Jain
Site Location: Bangalore, Karnataka
Institute: School of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi
Advisor: Dr. Arun Ramani Grover and B.K Tanuja

Description

Public transit in India is becoming increasingly one-dimensional, failing to take into its fold the functions, economics and diversity of our cities.
This proposal for a mixed-use metro transit hub in a Tier 2 locality (Yelahanka) within a Tier 1 city (Bangalore) aims to embed economic and social sustainability into transit developments by extending the idea of air rights and designing them as integrated mixed-use developments that perform as active urban hubs for the locality while encouraging decongestion within the city center. This hub combines profitable (offices, retail) and subsidized (EWS/LIG housing, metro) components within a single building complex creating a financially self-sustaining model of development that serves a socially diverse population.
Secondary objectives are to prioritize public and shared transit (private vehicles are diverted from prime sightlines), to reposition the transit stop from being a node to a destination in itself (functions as a hub of activities instead of a passing through point) and to preserve and enhance existing city-level systems for environmental well-being (Bangalore’s historic system of stormwater drainage is a critical zoning consideration).
The outcome is a transit hub that pays for itself, houses diverse communities and transforms public transit into a catalyst for self-sustaining urban growth.

Drawings

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Tribal Development at Kudampudar, Odisha

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Author: Nashra Hasan
Site Location: Kudampudar, Odisha
Institute: Axis Institute of Architecture
Advisor: Ar. Abhishek Mishra

Description

The proposed thesis project is situated in Kudumpadar, Kundra block, Koraput district, Odisha, spanning across 50 acres of land. The vision of the project is to establish a Self-Sustaining Tribal Ecosystem rooted in harmonic coexistence with nature, integrating biophilic design principles and clustered hamlet-based planning. Inspired by traditional tribal settlement patterns, the master plan draws from the geometry of Kolam design, where grid patterns form the basis of sectoral division and cultural motifs influence building forms. Key facilities include housing clusters, educational spaces, a healthcare center, training and skill development zones, marketplaces with exhibition areas, and communal gathering spaces such as an open-air theatre. The architectural approach emphasizes the use of vernacular construction techniques and local materials, ensuring both cultural relevance and sustainability. The project aims to enhance the quality of life of tribal communities by addressing their social, cultural, and economic needs while simultaneously promoting eco-tourism and cultural exchange. By bridging traditional wisdom with contemporary planning strategies, the project seeks to serve as a model for inclusive tribal development and resilient rural ecosystems.

Drawings

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From Abandoned Mill Ruins to Civic Catalyst: A Case of Connecting DBR Mills to Hussain Sagar Lake as an Equitable Third-Place for Hyderabad

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Author: T Tanishka
Site Location: Hyderabad, Telangana
Institute: Sri Venkateshwara College of Architecture
Advisor: Krishna Priya

Description

“Transforming abandoned mills into inclusive third places of memory, dialogue, and belonging.”
As cities become denser, faster, and increasingly privatized, the everyday citizen is left with few places to simply pause, gather, or belong. This thesis explores the necessity, relevance, and architectural possibilities of Third Spaces in contemporary Indian cities. This architectural inquiry seeks to go beyond conventional redevelopment strategies and envisions brownfield regeneration as a catalytic process, where architecture serves as a medium for, reconnecting, and re- imagining.
Once alive with the hum of looms and the pulse of workers, DBR Mills, Hyderabad now lies silent—its walls weathered, its gates locked, its presence reduced to a forgotten void in the heart of the city. Yet within its ruins rests an unrealized potential, Memory, character, and identity waiting to be reimagined. This thesis proposes re-imagining DBR Mills as a multidisciplinary hub and equitable “third place,” while connecting it to Hussain Sagar Lake where the city can pause, gather, celebrate, and belong. Rooted to where it stands and grounded in character and memory, while introducing new spatial narratives, the proposal reclaims DBR Mills as a regenerative common—open, inclusive, flexible, and ever-adaptive that caters to the ever-changing needs of the city.

Drawings

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A Cultural Centre for the Migrants of Champaner

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Author: Aishwarya Ramesh Kale
Site Location: Palghar, Maharashtra
Institute: Pillai HOC College of Architecture
Advisor: Ar. Amit Mhatre

Description

“Before their legacy fades into silence, let architecture become the voice that safeguards a vanishing community.” Cultural centres act as inclusive platforms where people gather, interact, and share ideas bridging gaps between generations, communities, and backgrounds. These spaces become cultural landmarks that not only serve the local population but also attract visitors, offering a glimpse into the unique history, traditions, and values of the region. By enabling dialogue and collective engagement, such places nurture a sense of belonging and strengthen the social fabric of urban life.

This thesis centers around the Marathi-speaking Panchal community, aiming to recognize and preserve their craftsmanship, engineering achievements, and traditional wisdom passed down through generations. Despite their excellence in craftsmanship such as die-making and carpentry, the community’s identity remains largely confined to local business circles and neighbourhoods. Their historical journey, especially after migrating from Gujarat to Maharashtra, deserves broader acknowledgment and celebration.

Today, as lifestyles evolve and technology advances, younger generations are becoming increasingly disconnected from their heritage. Many are unaware of their ancestral professions, struggles, and cultural practices, leading to a gradual fading of community knowledge, pride and forgetting their roots. By integrating cultural identity with evolving architectural and economic contexts, this initiative ensures traditional craftsmanship not only survive but thrive—contributing meaningfully to India’s cultural and global economy.

Drawings

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Where Nature takes its [Race] Course

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Author: Batul Lokhandwala
Site Location: Mumbai, Maharashtra
Institute: Rizvi College of Architecture
Advisor: Minaz Ansari

Description

Urbanisation inherently excludes the natural components that make up the city and focuses overwhelmingly on the built environment, hence distorting the perception of the environment and disconnecting its citizens from the ecosystem. Mumbai exemplifies this characteristic of cities in terms of not only the scarcity of natural areas but also in terms of what the city classifies as natural areas, a limitation of definition rather than a limitation of availability.
As cities develop, our planning needs to accommodate a cohesive environment for its natural landscape and existing biodiversity. Further it attempts to offer a more holistic design approach. An approach that reconciles the inherent disconnect by ensuring that development acknowledges and respects nature. While demand for land in the city increases, the open spaces grow vulnerable to further destruction. The need for development will forever persist but it should also foster the need to design natural pockets within the dense metropolis.
The Mahalaxmi Racecourse offers a unique opportunity to create a large urban forest within the Island city.
THE REGULATION CURRENTLY FOCUSES ON GENERATING MORE REVENUE THROUGH INCREASING FSI RATHER THAN CREATING BETTER QUALITY OF LIFE BY INCREASING OSI.

Drawings

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Beyond Transactions: Reimagining Dadar Phool Market as an Olfactory Marker

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Author: Tulsi Jilla
Site Location: Mumbai, Maharashtra
Institute: CTES College of Architecture
Advisor: Tanvee Joshi

Description

This thesis symbolizes the idea of taking the temporary essence of flowers (their beauty, fragrance, and rituals) and embedding them into a lasting identity through architectural interventions—reimaging Dadar Phoolmarket as a permanent symbol of culture, community, commerce, and sustainability.
It envisions the market as an ecosystem—where flower trading, environmental sustainability, and cultural exchange coexist—bringing together culture, commerce, and community in a seamless flow. Olfactory design plays a key role by enhancing the user experience through curated as smellscape within the market space, transforming the movement to the market. Waste management will evolve beyond mere disposal into flower recycling industries, producing commodities, fostering new economic activities within the market’s framework.
This thesis also proposes streetscape interventions to unify the market and its surroundings, creating a pedestrian-friendly public space that addresses congestion and enhances community interaction. By leveraging the market’s cultural roots and transforming it into a self-sustaining hub, the project aims to give Dadar a distinct identity, redefining the role of markets in urban environments. This reimagined space aims for the Phoolmarket to stand as a model of sustainable urban transformation, blending tradition with modern urban sensibilities and offering a solution to the challenges faced by public markets today.

Drawings

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A Garden of Stories: Placemaking in Three Acts

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Author: Shruti Jayaraman
Site Location: Imphal, Manipur
Institute: RV College of Architecture
Advisor: Anup Naik, Mehul Patel, Nagaraj Vastarey, U S Maiya

Description

In the everlasting essence of society, there is the oppressor and oppressee. Their ways of negotiating with each other are limited to space. This space then becomes contested and a memory etched into us for generation to come. Having seen both the oppressor and oppressee, space is still excluded from the conversations of powerplay, ethnic and religious multiplicity.
As long as space is treated as a neutral spectator (instead of as an active participant), she will always be subjected to forms of violence, dissent and be vulnerable to the acts of a power hungry man.
Space that is designed to account for the narratives of all, can facilitate and create agency for treating the past as memory(not as active dissent). In this thesis, Space tells the story of the tribals, women and children in the contested capital of Manipur – Imphal.

This explorative thesis claims the need to perceive space as an active participant and a custodian of legacy to make place for the oppressed in society. As architects we must place-make for them. This project is in the contested capital of Imphal and challenges the city’s current spatial quality, materiality, and design as oppressive forces.

Drawings

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Re-imagining Sardar Patel Stadium: A Community Recreation and Multi-sports Hub

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Author: Patel Upal Rajendrakumar
Site Location: Ahmedabad, Gujarat
Institute: The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda (MSU)
Advisor: Ar. Rahul Dalvi

Description

We delve into the fascinating world of adaptive reuse, where old structures find new life in innovative and functional ways. Historical structures aren’t just buildings; they’re an experience. The Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Stadium, despite past demolition plans, stands as a testament to ongoing preservation efforts. Organizations like the World Monuments Fund and the Getty Foundation have been actively involved in its conservation, even funding studies on the stadium’s potential for repurposing. A key proposal for its future is to conserve the site and enhance its value as a vital green space for the local community to enjoy. To maintain its World Heritage City status, Ahmedabad must continue to prioritize such conservation initiatives.
The revitalization of the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Stadium has a profound impact on the community. It transforms from a single-sport venue into a dynamic multi-sport and community recreation hub, enhancing cultural, recreational, and social engagement. This revitalization not only preserves the stadium’s historical and architectural significance but also creates a sustainable and valued public space for generations to come. It fosters a strong sense of community, promotes physical and mental well-being, and contributes significantly to the overall development of the city.

Drawings

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In The Search of Light: A Case of Subhash Nagar, Andheri, Mumbai

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Author: Akash Kamble
Site Location: Andheri, Mumbai
Institute: IES’s College of Architecture
Advisor: Manasi Chokshi

Description

This approach begins with a simple belief: architecture must serve those who have long been left out of the design conversation. In cities like Mumbai, where nearly half the population lives in informal settlements, these places are often reduced to symbols of neglect or urban disorder. Yet what is often overlooked is the social fabric, resilience, and cultural identity that hold these communities together.
The proposal reimagines redevelopment as an inclusive and respectful process that values people and the strength of their relationships. At its heart is the idea of equity, where every resident receives equal consideration in terms of housing, infrastructure, and shared spaces. Rather than fragmenting the settlement or isolating families, the design seeks to nurture connection within the community and with the wider city.
The process is guided by the ideas of listening, educating, and empowering. By engaging with residents, documenting their lives, and learning from their stories, the design responds to their needs and aspirations while also setting up long-term strategies for self-sustainability.

Drawings

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Samarthya Kendra – An Experiential Learning Center for Marginalized Community of Valsad

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Author: Snehal Mahesh Vaity
Site Location: Dulsad, Gujarat
Institute: Vivekanand Education Society College of Architecture
Advisor: Ar. Samruddi Phalak

Description

The proposed Samarthya Kendra – An experiential learning center for marginalized community of Valsad, Gujarat, reimagines education as an inclusive and equitable platform. Rooted in local context, the project addresses disparities in access to education, skill-building, and livelihood opportunities for tribal youth and women. By integrating traditional knowledge systems with contemporary learning, the center nurtures self-reliance while celebrating cultural identity.

Equitability in design is expressed through spatial strategies that prioritize accessibility, flexibility, and community ownership. Open courtyards, community kitchens, and shared learning farms become democratic spaces fostering interaction and collective growth. Universal design measures—ramps, tactile paving, clear wayfinding, and gender-sensitive public realms—ensure that the environment is usable by all, regardless of ability or background.

Material choices—CSEB walls, bamboo roofing, mud-lime flooring, and recycled timber—reflect sustainability, affordability, and dignity of labor, making the architecture replicable and context-responsive. The inclusion of a tribal habitat and experiential learning spaces bridges visitors with indigenous ways of life, creating mutual respect and dialogue. This project aspires to move beyond infrastructure, positioning architecture as a tool for equity, empowerment, and resilience in marginalized communities.

Drawings

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School of Thought: Architecting Dharavi’s Future Through Civic Design

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Author: Agatha Mary Mohan Ponraj
Site Location: Dharavi, Mumbai
Institute: Avani Institute of Design
Advisor: Ar. Niraj Pillai

Description

The origins of the project lie in observing the everyday as architectural. Drawing from Pauline Gallacher’s question in Everyday Spaces: “Is there still potential in the forming of neighborhoods for little spaces of contradiction, which stand aside from the transience of the here and now and testify to the past of a place and its future possibility?”

I grew up in Dharavi. Not in the map of it, but in the texture of it—the closeness, the choreography, the constant negotiation of space. As I entered architectural education, a dissonance appeared: the city I knew and the city the discipline wanted to draw were not the same. One was fluid, porous, shared. The other was enclosed, programmed, rendered. This thesis comes from the need to reconcile those two visions.

Cities like Dharavi are rarely short of architecture; they are full of it—walls that become blackboards, staircases that double as markets, courtyards that host festivals and funerals alike. What they lack is recognition. Conventional design frameworks call these conditions “informal,” but in reality, they are civic systems—messy, adaptive, and profoundly intelligent.

This thesis begins by taking those overlooked logics critically. It does not read incidental spaces as leftovers, but as urban instruments that shape collective life. Through mapping, observation, and critical inquiry, the project transforms these cues into architectural propositions that resist closure and invite appropriation. The aim is not to solve Dharavi, but to listen to it—and in doing so, to reframe architecture as an act of equity: a structure that acknowledges multiplicity, amplifies everyday practices, and opens itself to use far beyond what is drawn.

Drawings

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Mukhyadhara : A Skill Development Centre for the Transgenders

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Author: Nirmitee Yatinkumar Hule
Site Location: Pimpri-Chinchwad, Maharashtra
Institute: S.B. Patil College of Engineering and Design
Advisor: Ar. Rujuta Pathak

Description

According to Census 2011, India has nearly 4.9 lakh transgender persons, though the figure remains uncertain due to lack of acceptance within families. Transgender communities have existed in South-East Asia for over 4,000 years, referenced in ancient texts, temple carvings, and traditions. Despite their cultural recognition, they continue to face widespread discrimination today. Vocational Training Centres play a vital role by offering technical education in fields such as IT, nursing, and automotive repair, along with professional skills like communication and teamwork, linking practical training directly with future employment opportunities.
In the Western view, eunuchs are “made” through castration, often employed in palaces or harems. In contrast, the Indian perspective considers them “born, not made”—individuals lacking distinct sexual characteristics (Saxena, 2011).
The project aims to empower transgender individuals through education and skills, creating opportunities for economic independence in a safe and inclusive environment. It seeks to promote equality, diversity, and inclusive architecture while addressing needs such as social inclusion, access to basic amenities, legal rights, emotional well-being, and sustainable development.
The scope includes providing basic amenities, healthcare, vocational training, scholarships, legal advocacy, and awareness campaigns. However, deep-rooted stigma, lack of sensitivity, financial constraints, weak policy implementation, limited healthcare access, and community resistance remain major challenges, requiring sustained support for long-term impact.

Drawings

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Ritual and Right: Water as a Democratic Urban Experience

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Author: Aleena Paulson
Site Location: Kochi, Kerala
Institute: SEED – APJ Abdul Kalam School of Environmental Design
Advisor: Ar. Jills Philip

Description

This architectural thesis explores the democratization of water in urban spaces by reimagining water infrastructure as an inclusive public realm. It emphasizes equitable access for all users, regardless of gender, age, or physical ability, while reviving the cultural significance of communal bathing—once central to social interaction, well-being, and collective identity. The project addresses the disappearance of shared water bodies due to urbanization and privatization, positioning water as not only a utility but also a spatial, social, and emotional connector.
The chosen site at Kakkanad, Kochi, located along the Seaport–Airport Road, provides excellent connectivity through road, metro, and Water Metro links. Its sloped terrain and natural water reserve create opportunities for layered spatial experiences, where water becomes both symbolic and functional, mediating between the dense urban fabric and the surrounding landscape.
Conceptually, the design begins with a simple mass divided into public, semi-public, and private zones. A cross-through access organizes movement, while addition and subtraction of volumes shape a dynamic composition of open and enclosed spaces. Envisioned as an “oasis in the city,” the project ensures physical, social, experiential, ecological, and urban equity through universal accessibility, inclusive water interactions, affordability, diverse modes of engagement, and preservation of natural resources.

Drawings

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Assumptions to Inclusion: Rethinking the Social Datum

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Author: Prathamesh Mahajan
Site Location: Mumbai
Institute: L.S.Raheja School of Architecture
Advisor: Ar. Mridula Pillai

Description

Architecture is often described as a reflection of society. But what happens when that reflection is incomplete, shaped by assumptions of who belongs and who does not? This dissertation, Assumptions to Inclusion: Rethinking the Social Datum, explored how architecture can move beyond these presumptions to embrace equity and inclusion.

The study began with the idea of datum as a physical reference, but soon revealed its parallel in society: the social datum, invisible norms that dictate who is prioritized and who is overlooked. These norms often exclude the differently abled, neurodiverse individuals, non-normative identities, the elderly, and the economically marginalized. Seen users are typically accounted for in design, while unseen users remain unconsidered.

To confront this, the research used comics to narrate everyday struggles of diverse individuals in the city, grounding design in lived stories rather than abstractions. The chosen site, Watson’s Hotel and Kala Ghoda Chowk in Mumbai, was both symbolic and practical. Once marked by exclusion, it is reimagined as a civic space rooted in participation, memory, and belonging.

Design interventions, such as a stramp for equitable mobility, calm zones, un-gendered restrooms, and multi-sensory navigation, are not add-ons but embedded principles. Together, they form the Urban Living Room, a space that challenges assumptions and shifts the social datum toward equity.

Drawings

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Museum of Cyclone for Odisha

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Author: Jitesh Panigrahi
Site Location: Bhubhaneshwar, Odisha
Institute: Piloo Mody College of Architecture
Advisor: Ar. Shankar Giri

Description

Odisha, often referred to as “India’s Best Kept Secrets,” is a land of immense cultural heritage and natural beauty, has long stood on the frontline of nature’s fury. Situated along the eastern coastline of India, the state has borne the brunt of countless cyclones, each leaving behind a trail of destruction, loss, and transformation. However, with every storm that has battered its shores, Odisha has risen stronger, turning adversity into an opportunity for progress.

The Museum of Cyclone stands as a symbol for the extraordinary strength and resilience—a space that narrates Odisha’s journey from devastation to becoming a global leader in disaster preparedness and mitigation. However, it was the Super Cyclone of 1999 that truly redefined the state’s approach to disaster management. With wind speeds exceeding 250 km/h and storm surges swallowing entire villages, the cyclone resulted in immense loss of 10,000 lives and properties, exposing the vulnerabilities. Yet, it also marked a turning point. —ushering in a new era of scientific preparedness, infrastructural fortification, and community-driven resilience.

This Museum serves 3 main purposes:
1- Memorializing the Past: Honoring those who have succumbed and survived.
2- Educating the Present: Spreading awareness about cyclone preparedness and climate change.
3- Inspiring the Future: Showcasing Odisha’s resilience, adaptive strategies and innovations.

At its core, the Museum of Cyclone is not just a place of remembrance; it is a beacon of awareness and preparedness. In an era where climate change is intensifying extreme weather events, the museum will serve as a vital educational hub, inspiring future generations to prioritize sustainability, disaster resilience, and community cooperation. By chronicling Odisha’s incredible journey of survival and innovation, the museum will ensure that the sacrifices of the past serve as lessons for the future.

Charles Correa; In his essay “The Blessings of the Sky”, he emphasises architecture’s role in celebrating the human spirit through place. Giringaput, situated on the periphery of Bhubaneswar, offers a site layered with symbolism and strategic relevance for the Museum of Cyclone. Cradled between rivers and hills, it embodies the delicate balance between nature’s power and human perseverance. As a burgeoning nexus of IT and innovation, it resonates with Odisha’s trajectory —from vulnerability to resilience. The site becomes not just a backdrop, but an active participant in the narrative—bridging memory, landscape, and a climate-conscious future.

Drawings

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Wari The Ephemeral Permanence

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Author: Mrunmai Sujit Patil
Site Location: Pandharpur Wari, Maharashtra
Institute: D Y Patil School of Architecture
Advisor: Anita Shyam

Description

The project explores equitable design interventions along the Pandharpur Wari, focusing on temporary settlements, transitional villages, and urban streets. Typology A addresses rural temporary villages, creating modular clusters that provide uniform accommodation, shared resources, and sanitation facilities for pilgrims while minimizing permanent impact on the land. Typology B intervenes in semi-developed villages like Sansar, where the design balances the seasonal influx of pilgrims with the needs of local residents, enhancing community facilities, circulation, and economic opportunities post-Wari. Typology C focuses on urban areas, transforming streets and open spaces into safe, accessible, and multi-use zones that support both daily city life and the pilgrimage. Across all typologies, design decisions prioritize inclusivity, accessibility, and adaptability, ensuring that diverse user groups—including women, children, the elderly, and differently-abled—are accommodated with dignity. Sustainable materials like sugarcrete and temporary infrastructure strategies are employed to reinforce the principles of circularity and minimal environmental impact. By integrating cultural practices, social behaviors, and ecological sensitivity, the project seeks to preserve the inherent equitability of the Wari while providing contemporary, functional, and context-responsive interventions.

Drawings

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The Post-Modern Acropolis

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Author: Syed Affan
Site Location: Hyderabad
Institute: BMS School of Architecture
Advisor: Ar. Anjan Kumar

Description

The Post-Modern Acropolis proposes a two-strata city that relinquishes the ground to vehicular movement and the podium to people. At grade, vehicles run in a de-conflicted network of roundabouts, lay-bys, and separated lanes, improving flow with fewer stops while keeping service, emergency, and deliveries efficient. Above, a continuous, car-free podium becomes the neighborhood’s living room—step-free, universally accessible, and richly programmed with markets, schools, play courts, gardens, and civic spaces stitched by open terracing and active frontages.
“Mandi” terraces anchor local livelihoods, giving micro-retail and fresh-produce trading a dignified space that is visible, safe, and walkably close to homes. The topography enables direct emergency access to the podium without long ramps, while discrete cores handle waste, loading, and back-of-house services without crossing pedestrian desire lines.
Climate comfort is designed in: tree canopies, high-albedo paving, and bio-receptive moss concrete temper heat, absorb noise, and clean the air; terrace gardens and permeable soils manage stormwater. The result is an urban equity uplift—more public space, safer streets, and everyday amenities within a 10-minute walk—delivered alongside smoother, more predictable traffic below.

Drawings

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