Railway Station Area Redevelopment

Urban Design Thesis, M.Arch (CEPT, India)

The colonial town of Surat, India has undergone fast urbanization and development in recent years. The architecture and urban design fabric of the area surrounding the main railway station in the city have undergone major transformation to accommodate the growing demand for multiple modes of transportation, pedestrian need, retail businesses including large informal sectors like vendors on the streets, and changes in the land use and built form. There is a pressing need to look at the place holistically and preserve the historic character of the place as well as restructure the fabric to accommodate transportation needs and establish its relation to the surrounding built uses. The railway station being the major entry point to the city for regular commuters as well as occasional visitors, there is a need to establish an imageability and a sense of place.

The theoretical premise was based on Kevin Lynch’s Imagibility, Gordon Cullen’s Townscape, Camillo Sitte’s artistic planning, Haussmann’s boulevards, and Jane Jacob’s place-making concepts.