Redefining markets for the metropolis: redevelopment of INA market into a socio cultutal hub, New Delhi

Abstract

Markets have been spaces for public interaction, along with a hub for commercial activities since time immemorial. The market typology has gone through extensive changes over time and this emerging typology of markets functioning as socio-cultural hubs has been explored in the thesis. Socio cultural hubs have been places of importance in the functioning and flourishing of the city. These are sources of culturally varying activities which facilitate meeting and concentration of people through events like 'flea markets', temporary art, crafts and regional products exhibits, performing concerts and periodic activities can and should happen in these spaces, without resorting to costly infrastructures. Market as a socio-cultural hub is now only gaining momentum in the Public Space design forum. Markets have been closely functioning with the needs of the community surrounding it and the community influences the design of the market also, until it becomes a city level node. With today’s cities growing without any respect to the communities residing in them, the concept of Place lessness or the feeling of not being able to relate and differentiate between same space in different cities is growing and this is making the design process more module type, replicable rather than indigenous and context led. The concept of Placemaking can be the solution to solve this problem of Place lessness through design. The thesis project aims to create a redeveloped INA Market that will establish a strengthened network of public spaces functioning as cultural and social nodes. The project seeks to set in place an example of integrating the public realm and contemporary market with a string of socio-cultural activities that will become a landmark in Delhi’s unique metropolitan urban landscape. The new market will place people at the centre of the architectural response, with an emphasis on placemaking to foster a strong sense of community at INA Colony, integrating the ideals of strengthened diversity through a phenomenological approach to architecture. The design has been influenced by factors of Placemaking in order to deliver a city level socio cultural node with a network of public places.