REIMAGINING LAL IMLI MILL, KANPUR AS A HYBRID PUBLIC MARKETPLACE

Abstract

India’s post-industrial landscape is a dying entity and even though there have been revitalizations of these landscapes, a major chunk in still lying in ruins taking up major valuable land in the core of some of the biggest cities. In Kanpur itself there are numerous mill lands lying dilapidated due to the stalemate between the government and the stakeholders. The project aims to revitalize one of such dilapidated mill precincts as a marketplace which brings together the digital and physical aspects of shopping in a single location. A space which caters to the younger generations on a more personal level by including the elements of technology along with the shopping experience. Lal Imli Mill in Kanpur is one of the oldest mills set up in the city and it used to manufacture woolen clothing for the British army officials, which was then extended to the general public. The mill has always been a close to people’s hearts who grew up using the products that were made in the mill and it provided employment to thousands of the locals. The project explores ways to revitalize the mill and its history without causing extensive damage to the existing architecture while also trying to inculcate the elements of digital media and information and communication technology with the new functions being planned inside the mill. With these interventions, the aim is to develop the Lal Imli Mill which lies in the core of the city as a new civic space such that it provides people a space to stay and enjoy the historic architecture and values. It also helps the younger generation get more involved with the slowly dying history of the city all the while intertwining them and their interests with the mill. Keywords: Adaptive Reuse, Public Space, Millennials, Markets, Digital Placemaking, Hybrid Spaces