An open national design competition proposal for the Delhi Development Authority.

Promoting both a healthy environment and community living is the keynote of our design for this housing project, which has a large maidan at its heart. Laced around small parks, play areas and landscapes, the neighbourhoods are along avenues that radiate from this centre. Pedestrian accesses in various directions network the entire landscape, thus integrating the different buildings, connecting their people, and knitting together a cohesive community.

Essentially, the plan is introverted, with its back to the major, traffic-ridden, 60-metre road. High Income Group (HIG) housing is proposed in highrises on the fringe to fortify the inner developments which gradually scale down to lower and lower structures towards the central maidan.

Major gateways to the different neighbourhoods are proposed along the periphery, abutting the 60-metre-wide main roads. Other gateways along internal streets give each neighbourhood a distinct identity. The internal streets, planned with adequate off-street parking, together with avenues within the various housing types, provide open spaces between buildings..

Community buildings, such as the shopping centre, community centre and schools, are adjacent to the maidan, and are easily accessed by pedestrian walkways from other parts of the sector. The housing complex, thus, becomes a contiguous system of built and open spaces, with the maidan at its hub.

Client: Delhi Development Authority.
Area: 1,60,000 sq. mt.
Estimated cost: Rs.10000 lac.
Design proposal: 1998.