Connaught Place--A Metropolitan City Centre

Three important nodes enclosed in hexagons of the same scaleIndia Gate: the hexagon being its physical boundary.Government House: the hexagon being the layout of roads around it.Connaught Place: the hexagon being circumscribed about a circle this circle being the outer circus of Connaught place.  

 

Connaught Place divided it into six sectors, each making an angle of 60 degrees at the centreThe sector here central processional route (now Parliament Street) met the circus, was designated as a green wedge, to emphasis the notion of ‘gateway’.Central procession route -theme of joining the ‘old’ and the ‘new’ creates visual , physical and symbolic continuity

 built as ?Dignified shopping centre for eliteCarriages driven to the destined shops doorsteps

 now ?Focus of urban life shifted out of chandni chowk to connaught placeShopping centre for masses (sunday market etc.) Each block, central greens stand as islands in the pool of vehicular traffic

 

outer circleoutward looking.various public/ semi public functionsmiddle circle a service road for merchandise. residences for the staff and servants on the first floorground floor for godowns. inner circle convenient vehicular access ,Central park and the green wedge (presently occupied by Palika) Ecologically, the central green was meant to serve as a lung space for the area and large fountains in central park

and smaller ones in the inner circle were provided to cool the place.ground floor of inner circle purely commercial first floor for the residences.

Outer Circle commercialMiddle Circleoffices and small retail  shops.Inner Circlefancy retail shops 

 

It houses important institutional and public buildings which include hospitals, libraries, art galleries, heritage sites, temple, hotels, schools and college. Besides this it acts as the centre of the city offering connectivity by means of private and public transportation systems (including the latest development- mass rapid transit system or mrts)                                                                                 

The 1966 ZDP(Zonal Devepmental Plans) released by the DDA Designated COonnaught Place and its extensions the The Central Business District( CBD) of DELHI.

  

                                  Figure Ground                                     Reverse Figure Ground   

Its circular form makes it stand out from the layout of the area around.  Wide roads were planned in and around Connaught Place even though they were not

required since the traffic consisted of horses, horse carts and few cars. This has proved to be a boon for coping with today’s large traffic volume.

The lavish design of CP provided for large open spaces and have proved to be valuable public spaces in today's context.

The Grand Scale and architectural character of Connaught Place makes it stand out amongst the buildings which surround it.

 

 

 

C.P. was the original commercial centre of Delhi.It attracted visitors from all corners of Delhi  With the emergence of the mall culture and development of the fringes of N.C.R. CP lost its relevance and importance in the Delhi map. 

Scale 

Retail 

Entertainment 

Metro 

Social-Cultural-Platform 

Leisure 

       

         

  Central Park generates lot of public interest and thus draws large number of

Public Interface…Visual Connector…Rrcreational Area…Socio Cultural Platform… 

visitors.More visitors => More consumers => More revenue 

 

 

 

 

      

     

Connaught Place as a successful and flourishing commercial, business, tourism and recreational centre.Land in CP is among the 10 costliest in the world.The footfall in CP is the largest amongst all commercial centres in Delhi

        Hawke

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ked Facade Renovations

      

 

 

 

Connaught Place with its three concentric circles and seven radial roads initially designed with two-way directional roads.Was converted into one-way with 4-enteries and 3-exits

A number of parking lots were also generated to serve those through radial roads. 

 

 

 

 

           

 

                  

 

         

 

 

 

              

             

 

            

 

C.P. has seen the emergence of scores of new & tall buildings on the periphery  i.e. K.G. Marg  & Barakhamba Road. These new buildings have radically transformed the skyline of C.P.  giving it a new monumental character. With Delhi aiming to be a world class city for the Commonwealth Games, Connaught place can’t be too far from being a world class city centre.         

Connaught Place Through Ages CONNAUGHT PLACE.. THROUGH   TIME.....

INTRODUCTIONIn 1911,British shifted their capital from Calcutta to Delhi Durbarwith King George’s coronation at Delhi.Lutyens was given the task of planning out and developing a new eighth city of Delhi. 

 

Chandni Chowk

Paharganj  

 While planning out the residences of the British officers, need of a separate market for the elite was realized. It was to be different from the usual Indian markets like Chandni Chowk and Paharganj . 

 Lutyens wanted two axes to terminate at the Viceroy’s House, that is the present day Rashtrapati Bhawan.Axis 1 : To relate the British to the Muslim masses by providing a direct axis to the Jama Masjid and the Red Fort, the capital of the Great Mughal Empire. – Parliament Street Axis 2 : To relate the British to the Hindu masses by providing a direct axis to the legendary capital of the Pandavas, Indraprastha. – Kings WayThey along with Janpath form a network of major roads which act as spines of Lutyens Delhi.The Delhi Planning Commission envisioned a monumental plaza ringed by hotels, shops and businesses dominated by a railway tation at the intersection of Parliament Street and Janpath This area was in close proximity to the existing village of Madhoganj. This was second on the priority of the Planning Committee after the Viceroy’s House as a expressive emblem of British progress and power in India. 

 The Connaught Place due to its circular shape acts as a hub between various facets of Delhi’s life.It and the surrounding areas are known as Central Delhi. Hence all the roads which lead out of Connaught Place are significant in terms of linkages.This can be best observed by studying what buildings lie along each road.Starting with Barakhamba Road , which connects Connaught Place to the Mandi House circle, which is the cultural centre with many art galleries.  

 

 Next clockwise is Kasturba Gandhi Marg which connects it to the India Gate Hexagon and the Rajpath. 

Moving clockwise, the next road is Janpath. This is one of the most educationally and culturally important streets in all of Delhi.Its home to the Eastern and Western courts, the National Archives , IGNCA and the National Museum.

Next is Sansad Marg or Parliament Street. It has the Indian Parliament and Connaught Place. as its two terminal points. The leading monetary and financial institution of the country The Reserve Bank Of India also lies on the Sansad Marg.One would also find the medieval astronomical ‘observatory’ The Jantar Mantar here. 

 After Sansad Marg we have Baba Kharak Singh Marg and Panchkuian Road.Baba Kharak Singh Marg plays host to many state emporiums like Lepakshi,etc .Whereas the Panchkuian Road connects the old market of Paharganj to CP. 

 The last two major roads  leading out of Connaught Place. are chelmsford road and minto road connect Connaught Place. to the railways land. 

 PLANNING AND CONSTRUCTION OF Connaught Place. According WH Nicholls, the architect member of the Imperial Delhi Committee, there was a omnipresent need for uniformity to endure a harmonious architectural effect.He proposed seven colonnaded facades to enclose the circus,which was about 1100 feet in diameter.However, when it was about to be implemented, it failed to take off as per the original plan.The Railway authorities were finding it unfeasible to build the station in the center of the circus and hence proceeded to construct one at close-by,at Paharganj.

 WH Nicholls Robert Tor Russell was assigned to detail out the entire structure, which he did on the lines which Nicholls had advocated.Airy, stuccoed colonnades, punctuated by Palladian archways to protect shoppers from rain and sun alike.This was compared to Nash’s Regent Crescent, London and Royal Crescent, Bath.

Connaught Place. 

 Royal Crescent

 Regent Crescent

 This was compared to Nash’s Regent Crescent, London and Royal Crescent, Bath.

 Private enterprises were reluctant to invest in the construction even though the land was sold for only Rs 2/- a square yard. Construction began when all land was sold out in 1928.The Ring was completed in 1931, three years after the inauguration ceremony.Three Indian Contractors played a major role in the construction of Connaught Place.. Sir Sobha Singh , father of the noted author Khuswant Singh was the key player. The other two were Sardar Dharam Singh and Rai Bahadur Narain Singh. 

 Sir Sobha Singh

 Built only three stories tall, the blocks failed to achieve the intended effect of urban enclosure, even before the trees in the central park grew to obscure views across the circus.

 Further, as Nicholls had feared, the sheer width of the radial avenues interrupted the desired circular continuity and rendered the boundaries of the plaza ambiguous.But these visual ‘defects’ did not hamper the magnetic popularity of the stylish shops, which eventually eclipsed fashionable Chandni Chowk in Old Delhi.

 Connaught Place. DURING THE PRE - INDEPENDENCE TIMESThe entire middle circle was a service road, meant for merchandise to move into the shops from the rear. Large yards opened out to the middle circle, solely for this purpose.

A large fountain was placed in the middle of the central park and several smaller ones were located on the inner circle. These were not only for aesthetic purposes but also to cool the place during the harsh Indian summers.The central park also had a band stand. 

The shops were spacious by the standards of those days.The shops had a standard design, with a door in the middle and show windows on both the sides. 

The upper floors were entirely residential in nature, meant for usage by the shopkeepers and their families. 

 

 While this new shopping center was developing, Kashmiri Gate used to the most popular area for the Europeans. It had facilities like restaurants, theatres , cinemas, dance halls a college and a church.The Connaught circus bore a deserted look before it was fully occupied. Some shops even shifted to Shimla for the summers along with their clientele.

 

 From 1947 to the late 50’s, New Delhi’s growth was rapid,unplanned and often chaotic. As a result, Connaught Place. was subjected to immense pressure, following intense densification of population.

 

 

  In the days following the Partition,the corridors, parks and other open spaces of Connaught Place. were invaded by refugees, defacing the very character of the shopping center.Every inch was encroached upon for peddling and other activities.  The verandahs were declared public property to remove the squatters.New ‘temporary’ markets were constructed to help settle the refugees. Markets like the Janpath Market, Shankar Market and the Yusufzai market are all a product of this act. 

 

 Palika Bazaar was one of the first fully air-conditioned markets in the country. It was developed under the central greens of the circus. Recently a multi-level parking was added to compensate for the growing parking problems.The middle circle is also used for parking these days. 

 

 

 

 After independence, there was a growth of markets and shopping complexes in South Delhi. To compete with them, Connaught Place saw a spurt of shopping festivals. These helped Connaught Place regain a lot of the lost pomp and glamour of the yesteryears.

 

 Currently, DMRC is working on the Connaught Place phase of the Metro Railway.

With its inception in the near future. Connaught Place is bound to grow manifolds in stature as “the heart of Delhi”.

PVR renovated the existing theatre of Plaza. Its interiors were done up, in an archaic style to retain the interiors of the colonial days.  

The skyline of Connaught Place. has changed in the recent past due to the construction of new tall buildings such as LIC , The Statesman House and the Gopaldas Building.

   

Public Spaces in Transition PUBLIC SPACES… IN TRANSITION

  "You are in the midst of a crowd of people meandering through lively streets, alleys and open piazzas. On all sides are stores, cinemas and cafes, in vivid buildings with dazzling signs,' around you are colorful stalls and push carts, fountain and trees. There is a cacophony of sound enchanting from all directions; there are mime artists and sired performers. It's chaotic, vibrant and loud. Where are vats," You are in public space.”-

Jon Jerde  People are the soul of the city and public spaces serve as nodes in the city, where people gather, and celebrate the goodness of life. Public places have always been a part of human civilization be it a road joining two important destinations, a vibrant street developed along a linkage, a temple square or even a heritage site which aspire people. 

Architecture exists, like cinema, in the dimensions of time and movement. Once conceives and read building in terms of sequence.

Public spaces:   Perceiving the urban environment and life, that is, the city is like looking at a play. As the beholder you get drawn into the action; the scene becomes part and parcel of your own experience. As the play and reality mingle, so do the scene and city’s life. As viewer you become drawn into the action; while the actor stands aside and becomes observers of reality. Even as spectator or bystander you cant avoid a part in the total play of city’s life. The urban open spaces of dominant visible activity exist in sequence-linked accents. periodic occurrence of accents in sequence rhythm. The disposition in a sequence has, of course, visible manifestation. Thus, accent in a sequence produce a modulation of visible intensity-varying degrees of richness of visual experience in a public place.   The meaning of space is different because our perception and description of spatial relationship are different in different situations. Space in the urban environment is the area between buildings or the hollow inside a building, The overall image of a city as a place of vitality, opportunity and diversity depends on how lively and full of activity its public spaces are.  The best loved public spaces are characterized by certain philosophical attitudes or value system, that seek to support the development of human life. They are not merely memorable because of their physical features but stand out in public memory as representatives as epitomes of type. Indeed, the most memorable public spaces are those in which the sense of being lost and yet safe co-exist.    To achieve such a status, they court participation. This involves the ability of the people to add something to the place, individually or collectively. People stop to talk, or maybe they sit and watch, as passive participant. taking in what the place has to offer. Demonstration, are possible. There is magic to great public places. We are attracted to the best of them not because we have to be there, but because we want to. "The retail precinct, in particular has always been the hub of activity in the city.  Using shopping as one of the essential  functions, the public space in the city has bought together diverse element and people of the city in close contact and create and support public life . 

History of public spaces:  The earliest form of human settlement was the village, where a cluster of huts was grouped around a central open space. Every community had a place of assembly where people gathered to discuss their common affairs, resolve disputes and celebrate festivals. A sacred tree or stone, a sacrificial altar or shrine, marked the space. This idea of community space passed into the cities that grew out of these settlements, assuming varied forms and more complex functions.   The agora of Athens is the most celebrated example, a democratic ideal for western historians and sociologists. The agora was at once a market place and a ground for political and intellectual debate. Agora fulfilled so many important urban functions that it became the most significant element of the city's physical and social structure.  Like the church in medieval Europe, temples and mosques formed the focus of the communal life in Indian cities. The courtyard of the main mosque was one of the largest open congregational spaces in the urban fabric. The 'bazaar' street formed the main commercial spine. The 'ghats' (river banks) of Benaras, the 'chowks' (square) of Jaipur, have been the important public spaces for centuries. Many Islamic cities had grounds or maidans that were originally at the edge of the town, or even outside the city walls. They served as a parade ground and open air gathering spaces on feast days. Sometimes they were integrated into the main city and served as a foreground to a palace and a mosque. While the mosque, the maidan and the bazaars were primarily open public places of the city, they were not the sort of civic nucleus that characterized the cities of the west. Urban space was largely decentralized, there was no notion of a single core or ,cart, instead there was a hierarchy of open spaces.  The British brought to India the idea of urban spaces as places for recreation and leisure. The towns they built in the cool and beautiful hills were modeled on the idyllic English towns. The Shimla Mall was a pedestrian street, which had the town hall, the church, the cinema theatre, shops, hotels and restaurants. The mall and the ridge

were very sociable places. for meeting, strolling and talking. Even Delhi, a city designed as a statement of imperial power and grandeur. with more ceremonial spaces than public ones.

The Transition:  Joyful as it is utilitarian, entertaining and open to all, permitting at the same time  as individual recognition, symbolizing a community and its history and representing public memory. The definition of a public which id loosing it meaning today.  In the light of new direction of development, the contemporary city is globalised, heterogeneous, cosmopolitan, and socially mobile to a level  unprecedented in the history. When compared to the pre industrial cities, the public realm in the modern city has lost its institutional structure.  The palace, the forts, temple, mosque and church, which formed the traditional city center have been replaced by the business districts where the size of speculative business block dwarfs the institutional buildings in the surroundings.  The civic institution no longer have the ability or the power to control the structure or the meaning of a public space.  This corporate commercialization of the public realm is leading to a growing interiorisation of civic space. This trend is apparent in the west, and is beginning to emerge in India. The mall seeks to replace the bazaar, the atrium seeks to replace the public-street and square, and there is a growing presence of gated communities with an internalized public realm of restricted accessibility. The shopping mall, in particular, has emerged as the most visible architectural expression of this phenomenon.  Rather than combine production. consumption, movement through the city, and social interaction, public spaces have grown more singular in their function. And as public space has transformed, so has private (pace and the

relationship between the two. Space and time have lost their anchoring and securing attributes as they appear to grow increasingly scarce and tyrannical in the single minded pursuit of greater productivity.  Historically, shopping was segregated according to the products. overtime it became more organized and organic. Stalls became markets, markets became streets and squares, streets and squares became arcades, arcades became gallerias, and gallerias became departmental stores and malls.