Urban Design intervention in residential and

commercial streets of Vijayawada to develop sociable

and imageable spaces
Bikramjeet Mridha
1110100219, B.Arch. Year-V

Abstract
Modern cities are places of social encounter. Creating public spaces that encourage
social behaviour in our cities and neighbourhoods is an important goal of city
design; and one ubiquitous element that plays a cardinal role is street, as a public
space, streets should provide a setting for sociability. Streets are based in a social,
psychological and spatial exploration. (Mehta, 1966) Hence, street should have
imageable (Lynch, 1961) characteristics that helps to create an identity. But most
streets in Vijayawada today, are deprived of design elements. Lack of concern from
inhabitants as well as authorities have converted them into mere linkages with
dilapidated environment. At present, there are no proper guidelines that regulates
the sociable elements while designing road networks, also no governing rules exist
that focuses on reinvention proposals on street. This negligence could pertain to the
disappearance of streets from social dimension. So what measures could be taken
to transform the existing streets into more rejuvenating and socially active spaces?
This paper aims at identifying different streets of Vijayawada via case studies and
study their role in creating sociable spaces. Parameters such as ratio of length to
width, width to height, street furniture, and permeability in built surroundings, bioclimatic factors for comfort, convenience and safety would be studied. Also factors
that creates an identity of the place would be considered. Based on the findings, a
model would be presented considering necessary elements to be incorporated for a
reinvention project in the streets in city. The places where the model could be
implemented would be enlisted; so that the research conducted would have
practical implications and triggers a positive response in making sociable streets.
Keywords: !!br0ken!!!!br0ken!!Vijayawada, Street, Revitalization, Urban Design,
Urban
Renewal,
Public Spaces