Udaipur a liveable walled city. Where is Udaipur? What is the character of the city? The final semester of the NUS master program of landscape architecture focused on the City of Udaipur in India. The government of India was selecting Udaipur to be one of the first 20 cities within the so-called Smart City Program.
In February 2016, Ramboll under the leadership of Herbert Dreiseitl together with the National University of Singapore, the Department for Urban Planning and Landscape Architecture, conducted a pilot study in Udaipur. The study focused on the smart city challenge, where Udaipur is selected as one of the 20 cities in the first round. 9 master degree students and experts from Ramboll studied existing plans and proposals and formed their own vision for a smart and liveable Udaipur.
This studio was requesting for a special sensitivity between the nostalgia of the heritage and the future demands of a growing modern society, and without compromising liveability and sustainability. Surrounded by water, the well known Udaipur is well known being called the “Asian Venice”. They did identify several challenges like water, mobility and lifestyle.
DREISEITLconsulting GmbH
Public & Civic Engagement, Community Participation, Teachings, Smart City, Water Sensitive Urban Design, Mobility Infrastructure, Blue-Green Infrastructure
Location
Udaipur, India
Collaborators/Sponsor
MLA Student NUS School of Design (Anushree Agarwal, Chen Anzhuo, Cheok Zhi Ning, Cheryln Lim, Deepika Amonkar, Sun Yunzi, Poh Qiying, Ashley Tan, Tao Yibei)
Ramboll Group International
Udaipur Municipal Corporation
Town Planning Office
Urban Improvement Trust
Shikshantar (NGO)
Bayan Roots Inc. (NGO)
Hindustan Zinc Ltd. (NGO)
Indian Birding
Tourist Guide Associaton
Maharana of Mewar Charitable foundation
Client
Ramboll Group International
Timeline
2016
Status
Completed
Report
Brochure
The Pilot Study focused on safeguarding the Udaipur cultural identity, on introducing blue-green infrastructure for storm water management, and on enhancing the biodiversity.
Although Udaipur is known mainly for its lakes, it also has very beautiful historic gates as part of the city walls. However, the gates are left hidden and isolated within the walled city. Most of them are now used as traffic islands or roundabouts surrounded with chaotic traffic. Of the 10 existing gates of the walled city, three of them: Suraj Pol, Delhi Gate and Hathi Pol, have been part of the pilot study where the focus has been to solve the traffic situation. Detailed analyses have been undertaken at the Ganaur Ghat. Ramboll recommends using smart 3D scanning to establish the cultural heritage building envelopes and prepare drawings of the existing situation. A reorganisation and clean-up of the existing power cables is a must, and the waste collection must be smart.
The studio dive into 4 main topics for analysis, research, design and planning.
Water, Mobility Infrastructure and Network, Open Spaces Typologies and Functions, Rooftops Infrastructure . This will help support and shape their final design outcome
> Blue-Green Infrastructure for Storm Water Management
Usually, we think of a city as buildings, roads, concrete, asphalt, and all the other hard, grey elements. But what if the city has more than one layer? What if we define a city by looking at water and vegetation as well? These elements shape and improve human life. We call this Blue-Green Infrastructure (BGI) – the essential layer in a liveable city
> Connectivity analyses as a basis for Urban Planning
Quality of life in cities is closely connected to biodiversity and increasing urban biodiversity will include richer biotopes and landscape connectivity, protection of aquatic ecosystems, and creation of zones with high levels of biodiversity to sustain flora and fauna.
It is key to regard the daily life within the Walled City, comprising high numbers of tourists together with 100.000 local people that live within the old city.
What kind of streets, plazas, and rooftops would support this urban life?
What is the right balance for heritage conservation, ecosystem services, and the needs of a vibrant modern society?
What does liveability mean to Udaipur´s culture?
What if the water quality is getting worse?
Would people still liketo come? What about the image and the values of Udaipur?
What about the symbolic capital?
Without a doubt, improvements are needed?
Which water systems are sustainable, and are suited for Udaipur’s context of culture and heritage?
