Walk On - Creating Public Experiences
This is my entry for the Berkley Prize Essay Competition 2011. Theme:Architecture for the Public Good The evening sun sets gently. The dance of the orange -pink hues reflected in the water. A simple pleasure of life, the experience made memorable by the setting. The cool breeze flows unhindered, –free for everyone to enjoy, cutting across class and caste. This celebration of freedom and of public space is an everyday affair on the Carter road promenade, Mumbai.Once an abused and derelict waterfront, it is an epitome of social infrastructure development that I aim to explore and emulate for Mumbai`s 140 km long coastline.The burgeoning real estate prices and subsequent land grab spelt doom for Mumbai`s recreational spaces. Waterfronts -once the raison d’être of Mumbai fell into neglect, viewed only as dumping yards. Owing to the efforts of concerned citizens and activist -architect Mr P. K. Das, a fresh lease of life was infused into the claustrophobic urban fabric of Mumbai. For...