University School of Architecture and

Planning
Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University
Sector 16 C, Dwarka, New Delhi, Delhi

RESEARCH PAPER 2016-2017

TRANSFORMATION IN PUBLIC SPACES

GUIDE
Prof. RAJAT RAY

AUTHOR
SUNAINA CHAUHAN
03890701613
Fourth Year, A, 2013-2018

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UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE AND PLANNING

Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University
Sector 16 C, Dwarka, New Delhi, Delhi

Transformation in Public Spaces

Certificate of Approval
The following study is hereby approved as a creditable work, carried out and
presented in a manner sufficiently satisfactory to warrant its acceptance.
It is to be understood that by this approval, the undersigned do not
necessarily endorse or approve any statement made, opinion expressed or
conclusions drawn therein, but approve the study only for the purpose for
which it is submitted and satisfies itself as to the requirements laid down by
the Thesis committee.

Name of Student
Coordinator
Sunaina Chauhan

Name of the Guide

Prof. Rajat Ray

Name of the
Sumant Sharma

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
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A lot of thought and work has gone into this research paper and would have
not been possible without the input of many persons and the availability of
certain resources.
The following have been instrumental in this research paper:
I would like to express my deepest gratitude to my guide Prof. Rajat Ray for
his inputs and the discussions that we had have been quintessential for the
development process. Also for his constant encouragement and support
without whom this dissertation would not have been possible.
In addition I would also like to thank my college USAP and the Prof-in-charge
Neerja Lugani for giving me the opportunity to undertake this research
project. I would also like to thank my class co-ordinator Sumant Sharma for
his initial encouragement to continue the topic.
I would also like to thank the residents of Chirag Delhi and Pushp Vihar for
their enthusiasm and their willingness to help my research paper with their
cooperation, this paper would not have been possible without them.
Also, I would like to thank former Architecture students of TVB School of
Habitat Studies, School of Planning and Architecture (New Delhi) and the
London Metropolitan University whose work on Chirag Delhi and Urban
Villages provided as a base for my study. The work done by the INTACH in this
field has also been crucial as the base for this dissertation.
I would also like to thank Selina Abraham a former USAP student for her work
on Chirag Delhi in her reaserch paper,which was a great help in my research.
And most importantly I would like to thank my family and friends for their
support and guidance.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
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APPROVAL
ACKNOWLEGEMENT
TABLE OF CONTENTS
LIST OF FIGURES
1. Abstract
2. Introduction
2.1 Overview
2.2 Hypothesis
2.3 Methodology
2.4 Limitations of study
3. Theoritical Framework
3.1 Space
3.2 What is a good public space?
3.3 Evolution of public spaces in cities
3.4 Transition in these spaces with time
4. Old settlements
4.1 Hierarchy of spaces
4.1.1 Abadi,Gher,Fields
4.1.2 Sreets and Chowks
4.1.3 Tree-as a social space
4.1.4 Threshholds
5. Chirag Delhi
5.1 Chirag Delhi-an urban village
5.2 Spatial Configuration
5.3 Bohran Chowk
5.4 Bazaar Chowk
5.5 Sadela kuan Chowk
5.6 Streets & Thresholds
6. Pushp Vihar (sec-4)
6.1 Spatial configuration
6.2 Main vehicular raods
6.3 Secondary Roads & Block entrances
6.4 Gates &Boundaries
7. Conclusion

References

LIST OF FIGURES
Fig. 1 A Representative Diagram Parts Of Human Settlements
Fig. 2 Relation of street with exterior and interior
Fig. 3 Otla ouside the house

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Fig. 4 Baisakhi Mela dated 1981 AD

Fig. 5 Festival celebrated in the streets of Shahjanabad

Fig. 6 Students studying in pathshalas

Fig. 7 Chaupal meetings
Fig. 8 Cultural gatherings of women
Fig. 9 Well as a social space
Fig. 10 Development History of Chirag Delhi
Fig. 11 Representative Diagram of the Expansion of Urban Limits
Fig. 12 Key plan of Pushp Vihar (sec-4)
Fig 13 Physical Morphology of Chirag Delhi
Fig 14 Major Chowks of Chirag Delhi
Fig 15 Section through Bohran Chowk
Fig 16 Chaupal at Bohran Chowk
Fig 17 Bohran Chowk
Fig 18 The kuan at bohran chowk
Fig 19 Fruit sellers at chaupal
Fig 20 Section through Bazaar Chowk
Fig 21 Various activities under the tree
Fig 22 Street leading to Dargah
Fig 23 Section through Sadela Kuan Chowk
Fig 24 Thresholds
Fig 25 Thresholds
Fig 24 Thresholds
Fig 25 Thresholds

Fig. 26 Transformation of Landuse and Physical Morphology

Fig. 26 Streets of Chirag Delhi
Fig. 27 Streets of Chirag Delhi
Fig. 28 Physical morphology of Pushp Vihar(Sec-4)
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Fig. 29 Entrance of Pushp Vihar(Sec-4)

Fig. 30 Vehicular road
Fig. 31 A junction at Pushp Vihar(Sec-4)
Fig. 32 Activities in open spaces
Fig. 33 Street in front of the block
Fig. 34 Gated greens

ABSTRACT
The recent drastic change in technology, economy, culture and hence
urban lifestyle have induced a completely different personality in people.
People talk less, participate less and are more confined into their own
lifestyle. Building /spaces are designed solely on functional basis and not
with any social or culture purpose.The city is often projected as being in
the process of getting restructured so as to better deal with a new world
order in which our cities must somehow fit well.
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Earlier there was more focus on public spaces, people were more social
and interactive. The spatial configuration allowed an integrated society
with better neighborhood. Privatization of spaces is killing the urban
fabric. There is this trend of gated communities and emphasis on private
spaces .In this evolving society it is very difficult to have regular real face
to face meeting.
Urban open space - both magnitude and spatial arrangement - is critical to
urban living. Democratic spaces -availability of open space, distribution
and accessibility are a major concern for cities. Open spaces are a
necessity and not a luxury. Rapid urban sprawl enhances the problem
creating shortage of quality open spaces.
Framing, fencing and dividing stands for the boundaries to demarcate the
spaces on both sides. City is usually related with constant movement and
mobility, by a continuous flux of people and events. One reason for the
secluded lifestyle could be the disrupted urban landscape which is not
capable of creating a celebrated space. This research paper would try to
describe the different situations of these public spaces in various contexts
and try to analyze how these spaces affect the lifestyle of people and how
they perceive them with particular reference to Chirag Delhi and Pushp
Vihar as case studies.

OVERVIEW
An urban public space is a multifunctional space creating a platform for
socializing and leisure. As Grosz said,
The outside space is a place one can never occupy fully /completely for it
is always other, different, at a distance where one is. One cannot be
outside everything, always outside, to be outside something is always to
be inside something else."(Grosz :2001)

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Transition is a prominent feature of outdoor spaces. This inside-outside

transitions add a whole lot sense of dynamism to the space as it is under
constant transformation, one scene completely different from another.
We transit so often that we hardly ever notice the space being there. It is
very stimulating to know about it. We experience them from macro to
micro levels, while being completely oblivious of its presence.
The earlier cities were dense; hence the transitional spaces were tight and
mostly bound by all sides, creating a sense of space and comfortable
scale. As settlements grew, they become more planned and organized;
hence, the spaces are structured and no more acted as left out spaces.
Visual expression become a very important aspect of such spaces.

HYPOTHESIS
The fabric of urban public spaces has changed over time ,is it necessary
to study these changes and revert back to the previous methods and
incorporate them in the current situations?

RESEARCHQUESTIONS
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What are the various public spaces in a settlement?

How does the spatial configuration in these spaces in terms of
scale and perception?
What is the peoples involvement in public spaces?
What are the activities that people perceive in these spaces?

METHODOLGY
To have a fair understanding of the topic various public spaces were
marked out and a deeper understanding was gained by studying there
nature,use and spatial morphology through following methods:
1) First hand observation
The study will use first-hand experiences of the author and observations
of usage patterns and social activities. It will also include documentation
of experiences of other visitors and the residents of the case study. A lot
of research data is available as many architecture students have used it
as the base for a project. The primary step would be to research and
collect this existing databank.

2) Figure Ground Drawings, Street Sections and Sketches will be

used to explain the character of these spaces and their usage. To
understand the spatial morphology, a framework needs to be developed
based on an extensive study of existing material on social space and
spatiality.

3) Photographic survey
Photo graphic evidence would try to analyse the spaces and the activities
at different sites and try to compare the situations ,as they have changed
with time .

4) Comparative analysis

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The study would include comparative analysis of earlier city fabric and
current situations ,to know how the situation have changed in terms of
spaces ,scale and perception.

LIMITATIONS OF STUDY
Although this research was carefully prepared, I am still aware of its
limitations and shortcomings. First of all, the research was conducted in a
span of 3-4 months and justice was not given to potential of the
topic.Also, most interviews were the viewpoints of small portion of the
village residents and may not accurately depict the entire picture. Lastly,
it is unavoidable that in this study, certain degree of subjectivity can be
found. Many viewpoints are those of the author and may considerably
vary amongst my peers and seniors.

SPACE
Talking of space,architecture is dependent and attached to the space;
space embraces architecture and architecture embraces space.
(Shahlaei A. & Mohajeri M. 2015)
Spaces are designed by the need of the user,little thought is given to the
psychological effect it creates on the user.
Also Zevi has mentioned: Everything which has no space is not
architecture. Every building creates two spaces at the same time: interior

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space and exterior space. Interior space is the essence and basis of
architecture.
Place and space are two terms which usually describe the attributes of a
deisgn,with this respect if spaces allow movement, then place is the
pause in that movement.
Lefebvre (2008) defined space as a three dimensional product:
perceived- Practices
conceived-Representations
lived-representational space

OUTSIDE
We as humans inhabit the environment which is large and very
exposed, often referred to as the outside, which to some poses the threat
of danger and exposure, which in turn leads us humans to a need for
protection, shelter and privacy, this space can be known as the
inside(Brookes, 2012).

Being outsider is being a part of bigger world, which is more exposed and
vast. An equal balance between the inside and outside space is required
and this dependence is both physical and psychological. This outside is
erratic and dynamic, it tends to change with time, with spaces, and with
the people in it.

INSIDE
Inside, as the opposite to outside, can be defined as being in or to the
interior of something, the inner side, surface, or part of something
(Collins, 2003).

To be inside is being safe and secure.

CONNECTION
The connection or the transition has the ability to turn a space into a place
which is otherwise just a boundary line or a physical or psychological
barrier. But apart from the inside outside perception of space the
argument is for an aesthetic affinity for this ambiguous space and
changing the conventional way of defining space by boundaries. The
connection needs to be logical,in a single picture ,not in parts. This gives
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the idea of being into something big,something better and not into some
fragmented meaningless space with no connection with the surroundings.
BOUNDARIES
Boundary is usually defined to demarcate a space as inside or outside. It
have always been the guiding principle of urbanism. Architecture is
usually perceived as defining spaces and taking them as separate entities.
Boundaries usually tend to separate rather than integrating things. Rather
than being just a line of barrier these can act as catalyst for a symbiotic
relationship between both the spaces. The goal is to create a more
responsive environment and not to bind ourselves to certain manmade
barriers.

WHAT

IS

PUBLIC

SPACE?

Public spaces is defined as that open space to which there is public

access. But it not necessary that every accessible space is public. Hence
quality spaces foster social interaction that generates and sustains
meaningful community.

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It is the common ground where people come together as friends,

neighbours and citizens. Places we share togetherparks, streets,
sidewalks, squares, trails, markets, waterfronts, beaches, museums,
community gardens, public buildings and moreare the primary sites for
human exchange, upon which our communities, economy, democracy and
society depend.
Allan Jacobs in his book Great Streets (1993) goes on to discuss great urban
spaces impact on a social public:
beyond functional purposes of permitting people to get from one place to
an-other and to gain access to property, streets most assuredly the best streets
can and should help to do other things: bring people together, help build
community, cause people to act and interact, to achieve together what
they might not alone.
Now various factors contribute towards a quality urban public space:
A) Accessibility
One major key factor involved in making a quality space is its accessibility.
It can be both visual and physical. The most talked of concept of eyes on
street in todays urban design realm professed by Jane Jacobs in her book
The Death and Life of Great American Cities(1961),is a necessary aspect to make a
public space not only secure but also to have a comprehensively utilised space.
Additionally, Jacobs calls for the buildings to orient themselves towards the street so
their occupants are architecturally compelled to observe the outdoor sand
thereby keep an eye on whats happening:
There must be eyes upon the street, eyes belonging to those we might
call the natural proprietors of the street. The buildings on a street
equipped to handle strangers and to insure the safety of both residents
and strangers, must be oriented to the street. They cannot turn their
backs or blank sides on it and leave it blind.(Jacob, 1961).

B) Comfort and safety

The scale and level of comfort of a place accounts for the usage of the space.
Hence the infrastructure supporting the space is one requirement adding to
the quality of a space.

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As Whyte writes, if people do not see a space, they will not use
it.(Whyte, 1980)
An urban space cannot become sociable if it doesnt have the
facilities about which to socialize people wont sit and talk to each
other if theres nowhere to sit.
C) Uses &Activities
A space is usually associated with the kind of activities and
ambience of that place. Activities adds on to a motive to visit the place
and to be a participant rather than being just a passer-by. Hence a more
active and social place is created where people contribute actively and be
a part of it.

D) Sociability
Interaction, accidental encounters, greetings increases the social
aspect of the place, giving a more unified and lively society. Not only
it lets people to know each other, such meetings tend to impart
knowledge hence allowing greater flow of ideas.
Historic examples also cite, how these spaces were used as
platforms for revolutionizing ideas and moving towards a better
future.

Evolution of cities
As professed by Jane Jacobs :
This informality has been responsible for the great tradition of public
streets in India, which is very different from the cities of the West.
Religious festivals, political rallies, marriages and funeral processions, all
these all rituals of the city are orchestrated in the streets.

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The closed packed networks, the dynamic and transient nature of spaces
are the major factors which ensured valuable service to citizens ensuring
more humane and safer streets. There is this idea of self-governance,
adjustments and transformation.
It is usually ignored on the pretext of being ordinary or visually cluttered.
This clutterness is usually not considered world class.
Some of the factors giving a more responsive environment in earlier
settlements are as follows
A Multiple interpretation
Multiplicity is one major factor giving essence to the earlier cities. In a
single diurnal time, a chaupal is used to socialize in the morning, gamble
in day and refuge for homeless in the night.
Similarly a street is used for small tea shops and lemonade shops, local
markets and strolling around at the same time.
The plinth in front of the house utilized as resting place for travelers,
gossiping by ladies and for sitting by elders.
B Order in the chaos
Ask a person working in one of the establishments on the streets
about their business and you will be amazed by the sophisticated and
elaborate system of personnels, their roles and relationships that
support their businesses. ( Shankar)
Order is usually related with Cartesian plans, straight lines and geometric
patterns. There is an inherent relativeness and order among the
communities in earlier cities which necessarily is not created by only built
form. The freedom of interpretation leads to an interesting aspect which
which allows every individual to perceive a space in his own terms.

C Variety
It plays a vital role in expressing liminal spaces. It provides with
numerous choices rather than controlling the user with some fixed
attributes. Freedom of choices allows variable spatial expressions.
D

Accidental encounters
When one provide a direct route, the person tends to follow the
same routine, making it more monotonous and boring. Varied
routes increase the chances of encounters of not only people but
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also spaces. The element of surprise adds a notion of forced

interactive environment to the transitory experience.
If you were to walk all of the pathways and travel all the canals of one
square mile in Venice you would pass more than 1500 separate
intersections and circle at least 900 blocks. By contrast, in Brasilia you
would find fewer than 100 intersections in a square mile radius.(Jacobs,
Great Streets)
Flexibility of usage, multiple meanings, symbolism and order are
some of the attributes which results in a more responsive and
coherent society.
TRANSITION IN SPACES WITH TIME
Planned and unplanned public spaces have normally been part of human
settlements. The scale of these spaces and the way in which it is used,
however, has passed through enormous alterations over time. The
typology and nature of these spaces have been changing with time. They
vary in scale, usage and connection.
Medieval cities were densely packed blocks with market places integrated
inside them and narrow alleys. This setting in itself gives a very different
perception of space than what exists today i.e. properly planned outdoor
plazas and wider lanes. Due to the density of the settlements the
transition spaces were also tight and mostly bound by all sides, creating
an enclosed space. Transition spaces in such settlements were often selfevolved, according to the use and the requirements of the user.
With dense living conditions the houses were mostly dark and most of the
transition and experiences took place outdoors, in external open spaces.
These spaces were more comfortable and interactive unlike the closed
walls of a house. These transition spaces from inside to outside be where
people made social contact and interacted with each other. (Ramaswamy,
2005)

Hierarchy of spaces in earlier settlements

The morphological structure of settlements or villages used to be
expression of human activity of the space,which involve five principles of
settlements formation advocated by Doxiadis.
According to Doxiadis a village generally consists of four parts;
(i) Homogeneous part-fields, houses etc;
(ii) Central part- built-up area; shops etc;
(iii) Circulatory part-roads - streets etc;
(iv) Special part- temple - school etc;

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Fig. 1 A Representative Diagram Parts Of Human Settlements

Image Source: Morphological Structure Of Rural Settlement,CH-IV

Abadi ,Ghera and Fields

Village settlements are of varied types, in a nucleated type of settlement,
residential area is at one place called abadi.It majorly comprises of the
residential portion of the area.
It is an enclosed space or an enclosure. This place is predominantly used
for cattle. It is a kuttcha (semi-covered) space for cattle which is further
connected to the lal dora area. This place is even used by children to play
around in summer evenings or sit under the tree. Many a times this space
is used for marriage rituals, and other ceremonies.
Further the village was surrounded by the fields of the villagers.
Also this structure was then further divided by certain spaces as chowk,
streets and thresholds.

Streets and chowk

Fig. 2 Relation of street with exterior and interior

Image Source: Author(2016),New Delhi
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Street is the communication link between various attributes of the

context. It is the multifunctional space which deals with various
overlapping spaces leading to a more receptive environment.
It not only a big platform for interaction but also provides various
opportunities at every time of the day. They play an important role when it
come about the safety, the human contact and also to assimilate children
on the roads.
As quoted by Jane Jacob Street In the cities serve many purpose besides
carrying vehicles, sidewalks -pedestrian parts of the street serve many
purpose besides carrying pedestrians."
The pedestal in front of the houses were used by visitors and women of
the house.

Fig. 3 Otla ouside the house

Image Source: Mitul Sharma,B.Arch student,GGIPU

Chowk

These are the gathering spaces in community space where people gather
or a market place. Its acts as a
stoppage and break space for the
people. Usually winding streets end in an open space or squares, which
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act l like an robust destination which the mysteriously wandering street

was leading us to.
It turns out to be the end point of the curiosity which stimulates peoples
mind while moving along the ambiguous streets.

Fig. 4 Baisakhi Mela dated 1981 AD

streets of

Fig. 5 Festival celebrated in the

Shahjanabad

Image Source: Author(2016),New Delhi

Platform for Chowks and streets were used as platforms for huge
festivities, bring people of the realm , the king and his family ,his court
members together to celebrate different events.
This enhances the idea of democratic spaces, where people could move
freely.

Tree as a social space

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Fig. 6 Students studying in pathshalas

Fig. 7 Chaupal meetings

Image Source: Mitul Sharma,B.Arch student,GGIPU

Space sunder the tree were used for various social practices. Ladies used
to celebrate different festivals, lay swings on tree branches, students used
to study in pathshalas (schools) under the tree, village people used to
assemble at chaupals and discuss various issues of village and their
personal life too.
Earlier development was around these spaces, to create them as focal
point of the village hence thinking of giving some character to the open
spaces.

Fig. 8 Cultural gatherings of women

Fig. 9 Well as a social space

Image Source: Mitul Sharma,B.Arch student,GGIPU

Wells and some podiums in front of the houses were used by women of
the houses to sit around to rest and know about each other. People
passing through the streets leads to accidental encounters, increasing the
social circle of the people. This active social circle is much better than the
digital social circle that we have in our busy lives.
These spaces ensured a united community, hence these transitional
spaces ensured a character to the spaces, with every space designed to
function in a democratic and social way.
Thresholds
A transition space began with and still is the element of transit between
the public (street) and the private (house) areas considered to be
irreverent and sacred, respectively. It becomes a centre for informal
gatherings of small groups adding life to the street.

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Therefore, we can say that after an individual building and its context the
next level of transition happens at the intersection of streets (primary,
secondary and tertiary).

Without any line of demarcation these spaces and hierarchy of spaces

persisted in earlier settlements. This hierarchy not only expresses the
morphological structure of the settlement but generated the idea of
creating space for a certain use or vice versa. Every space had some
social or cultural relation with the people using it, hence giving
prominence to the place and delineating it as a place for the people.

Case study Chirag Delhi and Pushp Vihar

As for the case study two different kind of areas with completely different
fabric have been used so as to study how these two different approaches
of settlements affect the life of people and how the people responds to
them.Chirag Delhi with its winding streets ending into chowk with huge
neem trees shows a completely different picture from the planned colony
of Pushp Vihar with straight wide roads and spaces demarcated with
boundary walls.
Chirag Delhi An urban village
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Fig. 10 Development History of Chirag Delhi

Image Source: Chirag Delhi and its precincts ,DUAC

Chirag Delhi is one of the 135 urban villages that are existing in the
changing landscape of the capital city of the country. An urban village can
be defined as a village which has acquired urban character due to land
holdings for public purpose or by its transformation into residential or
industrial colonies.

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Fig. 11 Representative Diagram of

the Expansion of Urban Limits
Image Source: Narayan S. (2001),
Study of Lal Dora as a Concept, TVB
School of Habitat Studies,
Unpublished B. Arch Thesis, New
Delhi

Villages are usually identified with

winding lanes,chowk and
chaupals.But these villages are different with the rural environment but
urban context.The transformation is not in terms of movements as for the
population has not moved from its rural environment to an urban one, it is
the city that has come to them.

Pushp Vihar

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Fig. 12 Key plan of Pushp Vihar (sec-4)

Image Source: Author (2016) New Delhi

For study purpose a portion of sec-4 of Pushp Vihar is taken. Located in

close proximity to Chirag Delhi, it is one of the planned colonies around
the old settlement. Linear demarcation of areas, and plotted
developments shows a contracting image of the area.
Wide vehicular roads with huge pedestrian setback along the road,
creates no connection with the surrounding community. The housing
blocks height ranges from single storeyed to three storeyed building with
CRPF quarters. The blocks stand in isolation with every block with certain
setback from the main road.

Hence these two contrasting typology of settlements are taken to have

comparative analysis of public spaces in these areas.

Chirag Delhi An Urban Village

Spatial configuration

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Fig 13 Physical Morphology of Chirag Delhi

Image Source: Mitchell, M. (2010), Namaste Delhi Architecture of Rapid
Change and Scarce Resources: Chirag Delhi, London Metropolitan University
London, pg. 17

The Chirag Delhi village is bounded by fragments of a boundary wall.

Entrance gates located at the four cardinal directions mark original access
to the settlement.
Earlier these gates served ceremonial and defensive needs but these are
partially damaged, these urban markers are hidden by haphazard
encroachments around it.The village have its four sides surrounded by
Outer ring Road and Lal Bahadur Shastri Marg on two sides and an open
nallah and institutional context on the other two.
Further entry to the village is through crumbled gates which once used to
be the walled city.The peripheral movement is same an any commercial
street with shops all along the road and hap hazard traffic movement.
The iron railing Road is in a very dilapidated situation with an open nallah
flowing on one side and the other side of the road used by iron workers.
This creates a very repentant situation for such historically significant
precincts.
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But as soon as one enters the village, there is a whole lot new world inside
with multiple fabrics of time winding complexly into one another and
indicating a transformed but yet to be completely transformed urban
village.

With a traditional settlement pattern the community evolved around the

dargah complex and later converted into a fortified city, created an
introverted image of the village.
This introverted behavior still exists with every street overlooked by
tightly packed and dense houses. Hence creating an idea of more confined
streets which leads to more interactive and social transitional space.
Hence the transition here is from the outside context to the inside of the
complex. This transition once decorated by the four gates i.e.,Lahore
Gate,Dili Gate,Darichi Gate,Takht Gate now remain unidentified.
Hence there is no doubt in admitting that earlier architecture tend to focus
on these transitions and decorated them with some purpose.

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Fig 14 Major Chowks of Chirag Delhi

Image Source: Mitchell, M. (2010), Namaste Delhi Architecture of Rapid
Change and Scarce Resources: Chirag Delhi, London Metropolitan University
London, pg. 17

Further the streets and chowk of the area add a different character to the
area.Majorly three chowk still exists ,namely Bohran Chowk,Bazar
Chowk,Sadela Chowk.

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Bohran Chowk
Fig 15 Section through
Bohran Chowk
Image Source: Chirag
Delhi and its precincts
,DUAC

It is located along the line connecting the four gates of the fortified
settlement of the village. The name is derived from the mohalla that
housed Bohran Muslims. The Chowk is characterized by a historical
well.The landmark Chowk is defined by a large tree and the chaupals
around it. Sweet shops and stores serving daily needs line the edge of the
Chowk. Earlier the kuan(well) was used by ladies of the village to draw
water ,this way they could meet other ladies of the village ,talk and
discuss their daily routines. Also such activities gave a character to the
place, and hence the location of the chaupals and kuan, created a very
ebullient picture of people sitiing on chaupals ,women drawing water from
the kuan.
Activities

Fig 16 Chaupal at Bohran Chowk

Fig 17 Bohran Chowk

Image Source: Author(2016) New Delhi

Fruits sellers , a permanent sweet shop ,vehicle parking are sme of the
common scenes experienced in the chowk. People do use these chaupals

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for sitting and restiny but may be the degree of use is reduced due scale
of chaupals is not propotionate to the size of the chowk.
Transformation

Fig 18 The kuan at bohran chowk

chaupal

Fig 19 Fruit sellers at

Image Source: Author(2016) New Delhi

Earlier this chowk was used by people for various social gatherings,
community functions and panchayat meetings. Now this space is used for
parking cars and scooters.The Bohran Chowk with two huge trees and
high platformed chaupals is a huge space for such a tightly packed
settlement.The peripheral of the chowk are mainly used by hawkers and
shops,adding some commotion to the place.Some portion of the chowk is
used for vehicular parking.Hence the social potencial of the place is being
lost with usual transformation in lifestyle.
The chowk seems very congested with a sweets shop at one end,electricty
wires hovering over the head,vehicles parked everywhere.Hence the place
rather than being a stoppage point is used more for passing by.

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Bazaar Chowk
Fig 20 Section through
Bazaar Chowk
Image Source: Chirag Delhi
and its precincts ,DUAC

The largest of Chowks within the settlement is located outside the Chirag
Delhi Dargah. For safety reasons, the historical well located within has
been recently covered. On account of its proximity to the Dargah, the
largest concentration of commercial activity within the settlement is
around Bazaar Chowk. Daily need shops, vegetable market and eateries
contribute to the areas character.
Activities

Fig 21 Various activities under the tree

Dargah

Fig 22 Street leading to

Image Source: Author(2016) New Delhi

The street outside the dargah contains some commercial shops,marking

the entrance of the dargah.Comparing the size of chaupal of Bohran
Chowk and Bazaar chowk,the later terms out to be more appropriate,with
people playing cards around the tree.A small panwala stall stands as
permanent picture in the chowk.

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Some portion of the chowk is used for parking the cars.Small children
playing in there own space.The chowk turns out to be a multifuntional
area ,with many ages groups,genders involved in respective activities.

Transformation
Perhaps the most charming aspect of the dargah complex is its relatively
untouched, non-commercial nature: its quiet and tranquil, with shady
trees dotting the irregular rectangle of the compound. Worshippers come
and go, but mostly in silence, and theres a serenity that would probably
have appealed to Chirag-i-Dilli himself.
(World Monuments Fund, INTACH 2008)
Being one of the major chowk of the village, and association with the
dargah ,the chowk used to be a serene place, which is not the case now.
Currently dargah seems to be a lost case in the whole complex.Once you
cross the bunch of people and shops ,then only you see the small street
from the chowk leading to the dargah.
Sadela Kuan Chowk
Fig 23 Section through Sadela
Kuan Chowk
Image Source: Chirag Delhi and
its precincts ,DUAC

The Chowk derives its name from an ironic reference as the surela kuan
a well that once contained sweet water. Local tales suggest a tunnel
located below in the well connected the village to Tughlakabad fort. The
area is predominantly residential in nature. It is mainly inhabited by the
Pandit community and marked by a few grocery stores. The Chowk is
presently used as a parking lot for cars and two wheelers

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Streets and thresholds

Fig 24 Thresholds

Fig 25 Thresholds
Image Source: Author (2016) New Delhi

The primary streets are along the main axes of the village and are
important commercial centres. There is partial vehicular movement on
these streets. The secondary streets allow less or vehicular movement
32 | P a g e

and predominantly pedestrian. Some streets barely allow light to enter

because of the encroachment by adjacent houses.The exquisitely
designed entrances and otlas are proof of the fact that the traditional
character of the place has not completely vanished, it is on its verge of
transformation.

Fig 24 Thresholds

Fig 25 Thresholds
Image Source: Author (2016) New Delhi

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The areas in front of the house was used as resting places for the vistors,
or used by women of the house to converse with their neighbours.This
type of setting created a healthy neighbourhoos in the community,as
every space had some relation with the other place in its vicinity.Niches,
wooden doors are some of the common features creating a very attractive
and welcoming entrance.
TRANSFORMATION
Fig. 26 Transformation of Landuse and
Physical Morphology
Source : Abraham,S.2012, The
Heterotopic Space Of Chirag Delhi -A
Study of an Urban Village,B.arch
Desseration, University School Of
Architecture And Planning ,GGSIPU

Over the last century, the traditional urban structures of our cities have
changed radically. And it is important to study this morphological
alteration of our historical cities to understand the cultural and social
implications of space. The significant meaning behind the street is lost to
function of movement. Usually door is to demarcate the boundary
between inside and outside but these threshold removes this stigma of
boundary and creates transitional space which is used for various
purposes and creates an environment for safer and interactive streets.

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Fig. 26 Streets of Chirag Delhi

Fig. 27 Streets of Chirag Delhi

Source :Author (2016) New Delhi

Pushp Vihar Sec 4

Spatial configuration

Fig. 28 Physical morphology of Pushp Vihar(Sec-4)

Source :Author (2016) New Delhi

Architecture equips people with tools to regard their surroundings in many

ways. To build a wall, means to set a boundary to define space. In doing
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this a statements about both sides is made. A completely solid and closed
boundary isolate the inhabitants from their surroundings. Creating
openings in the boundary is a different statement. The structure that is
build, the house, takes a position toward its context. A box creates a very
rigid separation between the inside space and the outside space, but the
definition of space does not have to be a very rigid one, it is hardly ever
just a closed box.
Entering the comlex from a gated entrance again creates an introverted
image of the complex. Wide vehicular roads with huge pedestrian setback
along the road ,creates no connection with the surrounding
community.The housing blocks height ranges from single storeyed to three
storeyed building.The blocks stand in isolation with every block with
certain setback from the main road.
Even the green spaces are gated entities which do not create a welcoming
entrance for the user.This kind of planning create a static footprint and
hence there is no scope of flexibility in its usage.

Main vehicular roads

Fig. 29 Entrance of Pushp Vihar(Sec-4)

Fig. 30 Vehicular road

Source :Author (2016) New Delhi

The main street leads to small streets to the housing block.These roads
and streets are further introverted by the boundary walls on various
plots.These boundaries not only creates a separate space between the
two adjacents lots with no realtion to them but also enforces the user to
use the space as passing ways rather than space.The idea of space
making is emphasized over place making.

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ACTIVITIES

Fig. 31 A junction at Pushp Vihar(Sec-4)

Source :Author (2016) New Delhi

After entering the complex ,the main vehicular roads are lined up with
trees which are further are a t a setback from the boundary walls of
various spaces.The cenr junction of the road have some character with
some vendors lined up at one side.Mother dairy booth located at the
junction shows that the junction is usually visited by the people.
The junction area is comparatively more lively than any other vehicular
road in the area studied.The wide roads are not in a good relation to
human scale and hence create no connection with the surrounding areas.

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Fig. 32 Activities in open spaces

Source :Author (2016) New Delhi

Lack of any common public spaces forces people to sit on the pedestrian
way under tree . This is very similar to the situation in rural villages where
people used to sit down under a tree (chaupal) and have a socially active
space.Here these spaces lack this nature and people are forced to sit
anywhere on the road for any kind of meeting.
Hence even the space is accessible ,but due to lack of comfort and safety
it could not be termed as a good public space.
Streets and thresholds

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Fig. 33 Street in front of the block

Source :Author (2016) New Delhi

Streets to the houses branch out from the main roads ,leading to the
respective blocks.The block faces a park which again are walled entities
,which rather than creating a natural environment creates a segregated
entity of the complex. The demarcation of spaces rather than creating a
whole picture divides the scene into three separate entities,i.e,Residential
block,street and the park, drawing a clear line between public and private
spaces.This space is usually used for passing by and sometimes meet
people while going out for work or whatsoever purpose.

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Fig. 34 Gated greens

Source :Author (2016) New Delhi

Gates and Boundaries

The gated public parks creates an invisible barrier between the passer by
or the people living in the colony. The character of the place is lost as a
monotonous half meter wall runs all along the road ,demarcation spaces ,
rather than making them. Privatization of public spaces is one of the major
factor leading to wide open spaces which are used for ill practices and
hence creating an unsafe society for people.

CONCLUSION
Three systems of settlements were studies- one of the earlier villages,
second in an urban transforming village and third in a well-planned
settlement. It is noticed that there are two ways of visualising a space- as
an open landscape into which buildings have been introduced as threedimensional objects or as a public space, that is, the streets and squares
appear to be carved from an original block of material. Various kind of
public spaces in different settings are discussed and hence it is concluded
that more dense system,with people on the streets , having a platform to
interact with one another ,is a better setting rather than a secluded two
dimensional piece of land left in the name of public space.
Type of
settlemen
t
Old

Spatial
Peoples
configurati involvement
on
Abadi
People

Activities
perceived by
people
Village

Conclusion
Such kind of
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villages

Chirag
Delhi An
urban
village

Pushp
Vihar
(sec-4)

-streets
-chowk
thresholds
Gher
Fields

regularly
used these
spaces as
their daily
curriculum
was
somehow
related to
these
spaces.
Organic
Peoples
settlement involvement
Chowks
is
Streets
decreasing
thresholds day by day
with the
changing
lifestyles but
some
portion of
the village
still retains
the earlier
character
and hence is
in a
transforming
stage.
Planned
Even being a
settlement planned
Main
settlement
vehicular
most of the
roads
activities
Secondary taking place
roads
in it are unBlock
planned.
entries
People
involvement
was very
less as
compared to
the above
two
examples.

meetings, daily
encounters,
marriages,
Cultural
activities
Day to day
activities

settlement
resulted in a
healthy
communicative
society, with
more socially
active
community.

Commercial
activities,
playing cards,
Daily
encounters,
parking

A perfect
example of a
rural yet urban
setting, it has
transformed
into an urban
setting in
many terms
but one can
still find the
rural character
of the place.

Vendors
,playing cards,
parking,
walking

Such kind of
secluded
community
creates dark
spaces which
question the
factor of safety
in public
spaces.

The activities perceived by people in various spaces in different context

shows people have become self-involved, they talk less ,hence a more
interactive community requires more accessible and welcoming public
41 | P a g e

spaces, to impart knowledge and hence give a better community for

future.
It is also noticed that with time peoples presence have decreased in
public spaces. Hence it is necessary to be a little sensitive towards the
cultural and social aspects of place making and give better spaces and
collaborative platforms to people.
In the race of creating word class cities we are leaving behind our legacy
of inherited spatial arrangements that we have learned from earlier
examples.
By the case studies also is it concluded ,that segregation of spaces by
boundaries not only creates an unresponsive space but also generates
certain serious issues in a city .People do want common platforms to
interact ,but lack of these healthy spaces creates unnecessary chaos,
which doesnt creates a decent atmosphere. We are moving towards a
planned development where space is designated and not designed for the
purpose. Therefore we can surely learn from our ancestral examples, learn
from them and to some extent apply them in our current designing
systems and achieve what we all want to achieve, a more responsive,
interactive and healthy society.

REFERENCES
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an Urban Village,B.arch Desseration, University School Of
Architecture And Planning ,Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha
University ,Kashmere Gate, Delhi.
2) Brookes, T. R. (2012). INSIDE / OUTSIDE and the [inbetween].
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4) Lefebvre,H.(1992) The Production of SpaceBlackwell.
5) Delhi Urban Art Commission,Chirag Delhi and its precincts.
6) Deshmukh, S.2009, Transition Spaces. Retrieved 09 2016, from
INFINITY Architecture:
http://shwetadeshmukh.in/2009/10/14/transition-spaces/.
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7) Gupta, A. (1996), Thesis: A Study of the Urban Morphology of Chirag

Delhi, Unpublished B. Arch Thesis, TVB School of Habitat Studies,
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Gothic, United States of America.
10)
Jacobs, J, 1961,The Death and Life of Great American
Cities,Random House.
11)
INTACH (1996), Process for Historic Site Development: Chirag
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12)
Lefebvre,H.2008, Space, difference, everyday life,
Routledge,New York.
13)

Mehra, A. Urban Villages Of Delhi.

14)
Moughtin, C.2003, Urban design:street and square, An imprint
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15)
Ramaswamy, D. (2005). Thresholds And TRANSITIOns | In
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Shahlaei, A., Mohajeri,M,2015In-Between Space, Dialectic of
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Shankar,P.Internet, Society& Space In Indian Cities.

18)
Whyte,W.1980, The Social Life of Small Public Spaces,Project for
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