revitalizing tezpur: urban design strategies for holas, public spaces and cultural identity

Abstract

Urban revitalization today requires a careful negotiation between ecological restoration, cultural continuity, and contemporary spatial needs. As cities expand, many ecologically significant landscapes and culturally embedded spaces face degradation or disconnection. Public spaces are increasingly fragmented, architectural identity is diluted by unregulated growth, and the relationship between built form and natural systems is weakened. Addressing these challenges calls for urban design strategies that are place-based, layered, and responsive to both environmental and social contexts. This thesis explores these concerns through the case of Tezpur, a historic city in Assam recently designated as the Cultural Capital of the state. While this recognition invites tourism and investment, it also exposes the city’s fragile ecological and cultural layers to pressure. One of the most critical concerns is the degradation of holas—seasonal wetlands that once supported drainage, agriculture, and community interaction. Today, they are fragmented, encroached, and functionally lost. Simultaneously, public spaces suffer from poor accessibility, spatial neglect, and vehicular dominance, while built fabric increasingly adopts generic, non- contextual forms. The thesis proposes a multi-scalar design framework that focuses on three interlinked strategies: restoring ecological continuity, reactivating underutilized urban spaces, and reinforcing cultural identity through spatial form. Layers such as holas, open spaces, movement networks, and heritage structures are mapped and synthesized to form the basis of design decisions. Rather than isolated proposals, the approach emphasizes integrated, adaptable, and resilient spatial interventions. By aligning environmental systems with cultural memory and everyday public use, the thesis reimagines Tezpur not only as a heritage town but as a dynamic, inclusive, and ecologically grounded urban environment. The outcome is a set of spatial guidelines and proposals that can inform the city’s growth without erasing its identity. Keywords: Ecological Restoration, Public Space Revitalization, Cultural Identity, Urban Revitalization, Tourism and Place making