Re-instating the socio-cultural links of a transforming residential core of Pune city

Abstract

Many cities in the India have older and historic inner-city areas, which are considered as cores of cities, which are of considerable historical and cultural value. These city cores are not only valuable old assets, but also a national cultural identity. There are different types of core in Indian cities, with unique features. For example, residential core, religious core, commercial core etc. A probe into residential & mixed use core in detail is required as around maximum percent of the cores are of same nature. Because of rapid urbanization core area mostly face the issues of congestion, lack of infrastructure, loss of traditional character, increase in density and real estate pressure, etc. in short, the decline of the area in following aspects like, physical decline, social decline & economic decline, due to which there is the requirement for conservations and strengthening the socio culture of the areas through the physical interventions in such areas. There is also a need to study this area on following dimension like social inclusion, social mobility, social capital i.e. (community & social character, building character, open space ratio, shift in lifestyle, byelaws, land distribution pattern) and most important the area transformation in today’s time etc. and all this need to be understood and addressed. Kasba Peth of Pune City is considered the case for exploring as it forms the heart of Pune city, and is referred to as the old city. It is also considered to be the cultural heart of Pune City. The Pune city has gone through three layers of transformation, like Culture hub to Educational hub and now transforming into an IT hub. But in spite of all these the area has retained its charter and culture. But a new insert of BRTS and Metro proposed through main spine of the core has given a strong purpose for impulsive transformation. During transformation, the existing fabric and the Socio culture of the area will transform, which need to be retained and strengthen. Hence the project deals with understanding the socio-culture aspects of the Kasba Peth through the factors of social cohesion, analyze the undergoing transformation in the Urban Design area and it impact. The project ends with the design solution to re-instate the sociocultural links in a transforming residential core through spatial interventions.