GEORGE TOWN

ELECTIVE - UNDERSTANDING MADRAS

SHALINI P - 2018701558
THABIS S SIDDIK - 2018701574
BLACK TOWN TO GEORGE
TOWN a Background
The British East India Company began establishing a
presence in the south at the bay of bengal. They
encouraged the weavers and merchants to settle north of
the fort, which was occupied by british merchants and
became known as white town. The area were the tamil
merchants and weavers settled became known as black
town, later named George town.

Weavers, washers, painters and hosts of other hindu

artisans flocked to the spot and eagerly entered the
service of the british, and began to set up their looms to
weave, wash, and paint their cotton goods in the open air.

A large migrant population swarmed into the stable

environment of chennai to escape harmful business
conditions in uttar pradesh, bihar, rajasthan, etc. Traders
started with being pawn-brokers and later specialized into
selling various items like ornaments, clothes, utensils, etc.

It is said that there is nothing that cannot be found to be

sold in this area.
 EVOLUTION OF GEORGE
TOWN
A fishing hamlet existed at
the present site of george
Francis Day was looking town called
for somewhere to build a chennapatnam, from
fortified warehouse. which the name was
derived
Patterns from this area
move outside the fort on
the west side and
formed a new colony
named kasapet
The burma bazar a
market selling
imported foreign
goods in shops on the
pavements.

1639 1640 1700 1733 1773 1800 1969 2002

He built compounds
named st. george fort.
Soon after it was built a
township began to grow
up outside it.
Weaver community
started in chintadripet
area contributed to
washerman community
moving north to mint area
After the inception of
municipal corporation,
the development of
the city began.
Relocation of wholesale
activities vegetable fruits,
flower market and city bus
stand from CBD to
koyambedu
Iron and steel market .
Parry’s Corner - Chennai 600001
The corporate headquarters of the city
ECONOMIC
SIGNIFICANCE
George town is the neighborhood in Chennai city where the first
settlement of madras began. When the city grew, this area became
the base for development. As the result of unplanned urban growth,
overpopulation and increasing commercial activities in the
surrounding areas, left parry’s corner with pockets of Urban blight.

A principal
thoroughfare –
Garden Street,
running north and
south. Three alleys
branched off it –
Garden Lane,
Merchants’ Street
and Merchants’ Lane.
To the east of Garden
Street was Back
Lane.
STREETS
AND
ITS
SIGNI-
FICANT
PURPOSE
 FIVE IMPORTANT STREETS OF GEORGE TOWN

Sowcarpet Burma Bazaar Anderson Armenian Street Broadway

Clothing bazaar hub of electronic Stationery street Historical street optical outlet
gadgets
Commercial street - Buildings and people interact in narrow streets.these streets can be characterised by
Economic activities can be classified as formal or informal.
They purchase each of their groceries from the bazaar road
businesses. Formal hawkers use permanent structures, whilst
informal hawkers use temporary ones. The expansion of the
informal economy (hawkers) creates an unwelcome crowd. It is
occupied by pedestrian walkways, which impede pedestrian
mobility. Informal activities take place near religious structures.
Typography
Chennai Hoardings Advertisements are grab all the eyeballs. we
are the best at billboard advertising shop sign boards .
South India house
Chamfered or the corner, a
characteristic meant to avoid sharp
street edges. The South India house
was initially a residence, and is now a
centre for trade and commerce.

Oriental building
The Oriental Life
Assurance Company
was started in
1818.Oriental building
is one such building
constructed in Art
Deco architectural
style. Now the
building houses LIC
City Branch office.
 Government Central Press
The building was constructed in 1807 by the English East India Company.The Government Central Press was
established on 17 December 1831.
Closed press building

PAPER MART
LORRY SERVICE
Rangoon madam
Coral Merchant Street was occupied by merchants of the Jewish community, who traded in gems and
diamonds. This street housed several ‘sathirams’ or ‘madams’, three of which stand today. The Rangoon
madam is being used for institutional purposes. The other two, ‘Chettiar madam’ and ‘Chinna madam’ still
function as places for stay by visitors.
Gokhale hall
This structure housed indoor sports.It
later became the location for many
freedom struggle discussions.Once a
fine building with a dome, well planned
balconies and a comfortable airy
auditorium with good acoustics, it was
the epicenter of India's active freedom
movements in Chennai.
Gandhi in Madras

Pachaiyappa's Hall, Esplanade (now NSC

Bose Road) – where Gandhi spoke in 1915

The YMIA Gokhale Hall – Gandhi spoke here several

times, the first being in 1915 when he addressed the
Gokhale Club at the premises.
MANSIONS -The mansions were huge buildings that had room for over 70-80 occupants at a given point of time. -
Large dwelling house - It is evident that people from other countries have come here for work.With the rise of mansions
sprung related business, such as restaurants, mess and catering services.
First Line Beach Road
Virtually unchanged in character, Rajaji
Salai (or First Line Beach Road) was and
still is the city’s major financial district.
 Compared to commercial streets , residentials areas has wider
streets and flour mills were identified. These regions are
particularly calmer. Filled with friendly people willing to help
RESIDENTIAL AREAS and start active conversations.
STREETS FOR ALL - Vehicles, people and animals
 HAND PULL RICKSHAW FOR GOODS

CYCLE RICKSHAW FOR

PASSENGERS
RELIGIOUS Armenian Church
the church was built in 1719.

INFLUENCE
Georgetown was the birthplace of
many religions in Chennai, with
churches, temples, and the earliest
synagogue, which no longer exists.
 Mallikeswarar temple
Located on Linghi Chetty
Street, the temple has a
mandapam in the front for
cultural congregation.

Kachaleeswarar
temple
The Kachaleeswarar
temple was built by
Kalavai Chetty.

Kalikambal temple
Built in 1678.

The city's first Jain

temples were built in the
central part of the western
half of the neighbourhood
MARRIAGE occupied by settlers from
HALL -
EXTENSION OF
Rajasthan and Saurashtra,
TEMPLE now known as Sowcarpet.
The oldest church is the Armenian Church on Armenian Street.
The Cathedral of St Mary of the Angels located next to the church has its presence
since 1642.
A few blocks away from this church is the St Mary’s co cathedral. the church also
houses the St Mary’s Anglo Indian school, the oldest school in India. The church was the
site of cultural performances (music).
 The First Madras
Synagogue was built
in Coral Merchant
Street, which had a
large presence of
Portuguese Paradesi
Jews in the sixteenth,
seventeenth and
eighteenth centuries.
The Madras
Synagogue doesn't
exist today.

The first mosque in the neighbourhood was built in the

1670s on Moor Street. The mosque, however, does not
exist today. The oldest surviving mosque is the huge
Masjid Mamoor in Angappa Naicken Street, which was
built in the eighteenth century.
STREET CORNERS OF
GEORGE TOWN
The streets are wide, and trees planted in some of the
regions. In sharp contrast however are several other
accounts of the crowded and insanitary conditions of
the place. Chamfered or the corner, a characteristic
meant to avoid sharp street edges. These corners
ease vehicular moment and also seem to be the
hotspots for social and economic activities.
CORNERS - From visual - aesthetic use to functional use
JUXTAPOSITION - BETWEEN OFFICE BUILDING - RESIDENTIAL - GOVERNMENT BUILDING
MULTIPLE
OFFICE BUILDING

SINGLE MASSIVE GOVERNMENT

PRESS

OFFICE BUILDINGS AND

THEIR ORGANISATION
VIEWS HIDDEN IN
PLAIN SIGHT
Seemingly hidden, but actually not hidden and easy to navigate around
with helpful people to guide you around.Many secrets are hidden under
the eroding facades of Georgetown's small, forgotten lanes.
FENESTRATIONS OF
GEORGE TOWN
Facade treatment for each
typology, and its period of
construction ( done by whom ) is
clearly addressed by fenestrations
of the buildings.
 Absence of transom windows, Row of box single window
alternating with simple with sharp edge
sleak pilasters

Semi-circular arches with Simple windows,

windows, alternating with alternating
Corinthian capitals over with simple pilasters
pilasters

Each building presents its uniqueness in its

architectural character
Facade is completely hidden with
another layer fenestration of simple jaali
LOVE FOR
PASTELS
It was observed that a lot of
buildings in the neighbourhood
displayed pastel shades on their
facade accounting for a bright and
vibrant street view.
TONALITY OF IMAGE
NEED FOR CONSERVATION

Historic structures with poor

maintenance and conservation.
The majority of the structures in
George Town have significant
defects and are not considered
healthy.
More than 60% of the
structures in the
neighbourhood are over 50
years old. As a result, officials
believe that prompt care is
required to safeguard safety.