THE PLANNING AND DESIGN OF

LUTYENS DELHI

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Introduction of new institutions (railway stations, law
courts, colleges, hospitals, post offices, etc.)
Emergence of a new urbanity, modernizing forces,
industrial and structural functionalism, urban inserts and
a new sense of urban design, overlaying of the new on the
old, attitude to planning,
Extension of cities and development of suburbs, hill
stations, cantonments
New urbanity in princely states
The cities of colonial origin: Bombay, Calcutta, Madras-
expression of culmination
New Delhi, the imperial city- impact of modernist urban
design ideology
Initial role of military engineers, followed by the
setting up of Public Works Department (1862)

Introduction of new building practices affecting rural

as well as urban scales

Superimposition, modification and replacement of

existing building practices, introduction of new
materials and building techniques with their impact
on architectural form.
Politico-cultural meaning through built environment
Purposeful stylistic changes in architecture-from
neoclassical to Indo-Sarcenic and Art Deco to
modern
Influence of arts and crafts movement
Important architects and their contributions
The emergence of architectural profession, debates
on arch.
Development of the bungalow typology, the most
remarkable departure with its visible impact to date
and the resultant suburban expression
Evolvement of the type from a simple dwelling to an
elaborate mansion
Reflection of sociocultural patterns, regional
expression all over the country.
In addition to major urban design schemes, it was the
civil lines and the cantonments which remain today a
major evidence of 19th century British presence, and
which in turn have influenced much middle-class housing
development in modern India.
This stems from their perception as the colonies of the
elite. The cantonments and civil lines both were generally
laid out as gridiron planned communities
They had central thoroughfares (the famous ‘Mall
Roads’), with tree-lined streets, regularly divided building
plots and bungalows as the main housing type.
Churches and cemeteries, clubs, race and golf courses,
and other trappings of an easy civil life followed.
The Cantonment was a British military settlement which was to
spread out all over India wherever the British were present in sizable
numbers.
Originally conceived as a military base for British troops, the
cantonment also began to house civilians who were associated with
servicing the military, and developed into a full-fledged mini-city of
its own.
The second half of the 19th century saw this transformation
complete.
Bangalore cantonment had, for example, a population of 100,000 by
the early 20th century and consisted of public offices, churches,
parks, shops and schools.
It was an entity distinct from the old city – traffic between the two
had to stop at a toll-gate and pay entry tax. The cantonment thus
developed into a European town in India, whose main house type
was the bungalow.
The bungalow’s design evolved as a type over a
hundred years.
While the actual model for a bungalow remains
controversial, it appears to have dual origins: the
detached rural Bengal house sitting in its compound
(from the word root bangla – from Bengal), and the
British suburban villa.
It was a fusion of these two types that led to a
building form which would later become an enduring
symbol of the Raj.
 The capital shifted from Calcutta to Delhi in
1911

Image 1 Image 2

Reasons for the shifting of the capital:

• Controversial partitioning of Bengal In 1905 - right to vote between Bengali Hindus

n Muslims.
• Delhi’s geographical position at the centre of northern India (roughly equidistant
from Bombay and Calcutta)
• Delhi’s historic importance (Important seat of the Mughal empire) (For Hindus –
maharbharata-era city of Indraprastah)
• Perceived political need to rearticulate british power.
Image source: http://www.archinomy.com/case-studies/1158/changing-image-of-lutyens-delhi
 1911 – Foundation stone for New Delhi
at Delhi Darbar
On December 15, 1911, King George V and Queen Mary laid the
foundation stone for New Delhi, at a Darbar under a purposely built
Shah Jahani dome. The message was clear: the British were the
legitimate successors of the Mughals and their new capital was
intended to express the power of the Raj, just as Shah Jahan’s capital
had expressed the authority of the Mughals.
 The initial
design of
New Delhi

Lutyens had initially designed Delhi

with all the streets crossing at right
angles, much like in New York.

However, Lord Hardinge told him of the

dust storms that sweep the landscape
in these parts, insisting on
roundabouts, hedges and trees to
break their force, giving him the plans
of Rome, Paris and Washington to
study and apply to Delhi.
 Intentions of the Layout:
Lutyens’ Delhi was planned on the most spacious
garden city lines with the great avenues
decorated with classical buildings with lush
landscape.

The layout of Lutyens Delhi was governed by three major

visual corridors, linking the government complex with :
• Jama Masjid
• Indraprastha
• Safdarjungs Tomb
Image 1

Image 2

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 Features
1. The plan reflects Lutyens’ ―transcendent fervour for geometric
symmetry,‖ which is expressed through amazing sequences of triangles
and hexagons, through sightlines and axes.

2. Lutyens’ plan is also remarkable

for the generous green spaces,
lawns, watercourses, flower
and
fruit-bearing trees, and their
integration with
the parks developed around
monuments.

3. The attempt was to include all

natural and historical wonders
in the new city.
The Road Network
• Besides the major Pathway,
there were extremely wide
avenues. The original design of
the road network was capable of
accommodating 6000 vehicles,
however these avenues, had the
potential of increasing their
carriageway-the reason why
the road layout has survived till
today.

• In general the road network

consisted of diagonals and
radials, at 30 degree/ 60
degree angles to the main
axis, forming triangles and
hexagons.
Lutyens’ Delhi - Zoning
GOVERNME
NT COMPLX

BUNGLOW
ZONE
COMMERCI
AL
DISTRICT
 GOVERNMENT COMPLEX

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 The Government Complex/
Administrative area
1. Lutyens laid out the central administrative area of the city.
2. At the heart of the city was the impressive Rashtrapati Bhawan, located on the
top of Raisina Hill. The Rajpath connects India Gate to Rashtrapati Bhawan,
while Janpath, which crosses it at a right angle, connects South end with
Connaught Place.
3. The Secretariat Building, which houses various ministries of the Government
of India including Prime Minister's Office are beside the Rashtrapati Bhawan and
were designed by Herbert Baker.
4. Also designed by Baker was the Parliament House, located on the Sansad
Marg, running parallel with the Rajpath.

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 The Rashtrapati Bhawan
Lutyen's grandiose Government House (Rashtrapati Bhawan) - located on Raisina
Hill, and one of New Delhi's major thoroughfares, Rajpath, connects it to the Purana
Qila

Lord Hardinge chose the Raisina Hill for

locating the viceroy’s palace because:
• It was a well drained.
• Constituted of slopes and plains
between the ridge and the river.
• Its eastern and southern margins were
studded with monuments of
vanished empires. A broad crescent Image 1
from Shahjahanabad and Kotla Firoz
Shah, south to Tughlaqabad and the
Qutub with tombs of Safdarjung and
Lodhis as well as Jantar Mantar in the
foreground could be viewed from the
site.

Image 2
Image 2
 The Secretariat
• The Secretariat Building was designed by
architect Herbert Baker in Indo-Saracenic
Revival architecture.
• Much of the building is in classical architectural
style, yet it
incorporated Mughal and Rajasthani
architecture style and motifs in its
architecture.
• These are visible in the use of Jali.
• Another feature of the building is a dome-like Image 1

structure known as the Chatri.

• The style of architecture used in

Secretariat Building is unique to
Raisina Hill. In front of the main
gates on buildings are the four
"dominion columns", given by
Canada, Australia, New Zealand
and South Africa.

Image 2
Image 3
Image Source (Image 3): http://www.postcolonialweb.org/india/art/architecture/colonial/seccomplex/column1.html
PARLIAMENT HOUSE
 The Parliament House
• The Parliament Hous was designed
by Edwin Lutyens and Herbert Baker.

• It was built with indigenous materials and

by Indian labour and the architecture of
the building bears a close imprint of the
Indian tradition.

• The layout of fountains both inside and

outside the building, the use of Indian
symbols, the "Chhajjas‖ and the varied
forms of "Jali" in marble are reminders of
the story of the craftsmanship displayed in
ancient monuments and memorials.
COMMON
FEATURES
THICK BAND

Parliament House
JALIS

BUDDHIST DOME

THICK BAND

JALIS

Rashtrapati Bhavan

BUDDHIST DOME

THICK
BAND
JALIS

Secretariat
 Various Masterpieces of Colonial
Architecture in Delhi:
 India gate

 Supreme Court of India

 Viceroy’s Gardens also known as Mughal

Gardens.
 India gate:
• The Gate is built as a special memorandum for all the soldiers who belongs to
Indian Army and to all those who have given their lives fighting for the
protection of their country.

• Approximately 90,000 and more soldier’s names have been encrypted over
the walls of India gate.

• The explicit india gate architecture explains us that there is a huge path
(Rajpath) at the end of which is constructed a 42 meters high India Gate that
was previously known by the name of All India War Memorial.

• The designing was done by famous architect Sir Edwin Lutyen.

•Standing behind the gate is an empty canopy made out of sandstone, which is
inspired by a sixth-century pavilion from Mahabalipuram.
 Supreme Court of INDIA:
•The main block of the Supreme Court building was built on a
square plot of 22 acres and the building was designed by chief
architect Ganesh Bhikaji Deolalikar
• An Indo–British architectural style.
•The Court moved into the present building in 1958.
•In 1979, two new wings—the East Wing and the West Wing—
were added to the complex.
•There are 15 court rooms in the various wings of the building.
•The Chief Justice's Court is the largest of the courtroom located
in the centre of the Central Wing. It has a large dome with a high
ceiling.
 Viceroy’s gardens:
•The Mughal Gardens situated at the back of the Rashtrapati Bhavan,
incorporates both Mughal and English landscaping styles
•Feature a vast variety of flowers.
•The Rashtrapati Bhavan gardens are open to public in February every year.
Main garden
•Two channels running North to South and two running East to West divide this
garden into a grid of squares.
•There are six lotus shaped fountains at the crossings of these channels.
Where as the energetic fountains rising up to a height of 12 feet.
•The channels are so tranquil in their movement that they seem frozen.
•In the channels at appropriate times of day can be seen reflections of the
imposing building and the proud flowers.
•There are wooden trays placed on stands in the centre of the channels where
grain is put for the birds to feed upon.
 Drawbacks
• In this whole process almost no
attention was paid to the problems
of Old Delhi. Due to the creation
of New Delhi, Old Delhi
experienced a 28% surge in
population from 1916-1926.
• Also, no provision of housing was
premeditated for the large no. of
skilled and unskilled workers
which immigrated in for the
construction work of New Delhi.
• This negligence of the planners
towards Old Delhi resulted in its
transformation to a large slum
area.
Colonial architecture
Region - MUMBAI
 A brief history
 19th century under British rule…………
 Around the year 1600, the East India Company was formed
to trade primarily with India. By the end of 17th century, the
company slowly began to acquire vast territories in different
parts of the country.
 The British transformed the Indian economy to a Colonial
economy.
 Bt the mid 19th century, many old towns and cities began to
decline.
 For instance, with the decline of our textile industry, textile
producing cities such as Dacca (Dhaka) and Murshidabad
lost their importance………

With the decline of old cities and towns, new cities and towns
began to slowly develop in different parts of India.
 A brief history
Several Indian cities that were born as a
result of colonization served as
showcases of power of the colonizer,
manifest in huge buildings, wide roads,
large green parks and other infrastructure.
Their architecture, though early on a pure
model of European style……… eventually
gave way to a…..combination of strong
local traditions.
 Bombay……
• The character of any great cities
manifested by its architectural and cultural
heritage. The city of Bombay is redolent
with heritage structure that are signposts
to its growth from a sleepy little clusters of
fishing village to a teeming, vibrant,
pulsating metropolis.
TOWN HALL, BOMBAY
 TOWN HALL- THE
FORMATION
• The TOWN HALL was put up by The Asiatic Society to organize
public meetings and an entertainment centre and also to house the
library and museum of the literary society.
• The proposal to build the Town hall was initiated at a public meeting
in 1811.
• The initial funds were raised through lotteries.
• In 1833 on an application of the Government of Bombay the Board
of Directors of the East India Company granted the land.
• Colonel Cowper of the Bombay Engineers designed the building.
 TOWN HALL
 :Town Hall is conceivably the most
imperial structure amongst the heritage
buildings of Mumbai.

 :Town Hall is located in the Fort area of

South Mumbai. The pillared monument
is even more significant for its exquisite
edifice that has old wooden floor, spiral
staircases, wrought iron loggias and
superb marble statues of late
benefactors of the Island City of India.

Town Hall has been profoundly

influenced by Greek and Roman styles
of architecture. Comprising a portico
with eight Doric pillars, the building can
be reached by taking a flight of 30 steps.

 TOWN HALL
• Town hall by Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Cowper preceded its
development.
• It is distinguished greek revival building with doric order rising two stories
above rusticated ground floor, carrying a pedimented central feature on
each side of the building.
• Window canopies were included in original design of building, which was
completed later.
• The entrance façade is apparoached by a flight of 30 steps to an
octastyle portico.
 TOWN HALL- INTERIORS
• The interior staircases and the large halls with their
corinthian pillars are lighted by skylight.
The Greek pillars….
Victoria Terminus...
 Victoria Terminus….
 The magnificent building, completed in 1888,
the Victoria Terminus in Bombay was named
after the then empress Victoria.
 Construction started in 1878 based on a
design by F.W. Stevens, and it took 10 years
to complete it.
 The cost of construction was Rs. 16.14
lakhs.
 The railway station was opened to public on
New Year’s Day, 1882.
 Victoria Terminus….
 The station building was designed in
the Victorian Gothic style of architecture.
 The building exhibits a fusion of influences from
Victorian Italianate Gothic Revival architecture
and traditional Indian architecture.
 The station stands as an example of 19th century
railway architectural marvels for its advanced
structural and technical solutions.
 Victoria Terminus….
 A statue of Queen Victoria adorns the Conical
Tower.
 There are intricate carvings of lions and
gargoyles.
 But many of the carvings are at such an awkward
height that you can see them only from the upper
deck of a double Decker bus.
 The ceilings are very high and exude a sense of
space and freedom so that even when the hallway
is crowded with passengers there is no sense of
claustrophobia.
 Victoria Terminus….

 Internally, the wood

carving, tiles,
ornamental iron and
brass railings, grills for
the ticket offices, the
balustrades for the
grand staircases and
other ornaments were
the work of students at
the Bombay School of
Art.
Victoria Terminus…. CEILING ARCHES
• The delicately
ornamented arches
make the interiors
look like a grand
cathedral.
 Victoria Terminus….
• The lancet windows in
the dome and towers
are of ornate stained
glass
 Victoria Terminus….FACADE

• The figure on the high

dome represents the
Goddess of Progress.
Victoria Terminus….FACADE
• The gables of the western
wings are crowned with
figurative groups
representing Engineering
and Commerce.
Crawford Market….
 Crawford Market….1865
 Crawford Market (officially Mahatma Jyotirao Phule
Market) is one of South Mumbai’s most famous markets.
 It is named after Arthur Crawford, the first Municipal
Commissioner of the city.
 The market is situated opposite the Mumbai Police
headquarters, just north of Victoria Terminus railway station
and west of the J.J.flyover at a busy intersection.
 The building, completed in 1869, was donated to the city by
Cowasji Jehangir.
 After India's independence, the market was renamed after
Maharashtrian social reformer, Mahatma Jyotirao Phule.
 In 1882, the building was the first in India to be lit up by
electricity
 Crawford market- Architecture
 The edifice is a blend
of Norman and Gothic
architectural styles.
 The friezes on the
outside entrance
depicting Indian
farmers, the stone
fountains inside, were
designed by Lockwood
Kipling father of
novelist Rudyard
Kipling.
 Crawford market- Architecture
 The market covers an area of 22,471 sq m
(24,000 sq ft) which 5,515 sq m (6,000 sq ft) is
occupied by the building itself.
 The structure was built using coarse buff coloured
Kurla stone, with redstone from Bassein.
 It has a 15 m high skylight awning designed to
allow the sunlight light up the marketplace.
 Crawford Market looks like something out of
Victorian London, with its sweet smell of hay and
50 ft high skylit awning that bathes the entire
place in natural sunlight.
 Crawford market- Architecture
• Its façade is
elegant and
the market is
crowned by a
clock tower.
 Crawford market
• Details
 Crawford market
• Ornamental ceiling
and wall brackets
made of cast iron
support the massive
structure of Crawford
Market.
These panels were sculptured by Sir Lockwood Kipling and the
students of the J.J. School of Arts
These panels are sculptured in fine portland cement