Riverfront Development

Project idea

The project given for the said academic semester was to design and develop the riverfront of the river Mahanadi in Cuttack, Odisha. The whole project was divided into two parts. The first part required to design a promenade across the whole stretch of the river i.e. a macro level planning of beautifying the banks of Mahanadi river. The second part was to develop a given site across the river side which would provide recreational activities for public use. The main aim was to re-develop the riverfront and recreate a visual, functional space that provides refreshment, recreation and a deep connection with the nature and culture of the area alike. The idea behind this was to create a landmark which may be the center of attraction for the entire city. The objectives that were tried to achieve were to revive the river-view, make it more accessible for people, and en-cash from it with nature-friendly and statistical planning of the site.

Project description

In the macro level planning, a promenade has been designed along the stretch of the river that beautifies the city and rejuvenates the river bank. A bridge that merges into the river was proposed for a spectacular view point and would act as the major attraction of the river side. Only bicyclers and pedestrian entry is allowed. Small food courts and shops are provided over the bridge for the public. Beautiful landscaping flows through the promenade along with parks and gardens for recreation purpose. Public toilets have been provided at regular intervals. And for the micro level planning, a site was assigned along the riverside which needed to be developed and designed to attract people and provide with entertainment and refreshment. The requirements for the site include riverside recreational activities, water sports, restaurants, amusement park, exhibition pavilions, interpretation center, OATs, workshop area, display areas, food courts, parks, gardens, plazas, parking and public utilities. Landscape plays a major role as it is an urban planning project. The scope was to blend the nature and the architecture seamlessly into each other so as to capture the beauty of nature and create equally enticing functional spaces.

Technical information

The master plan follows an organic flow of the spaces to engage the people visually and connect them to every space designed in the site. The central focus in the provided site is the exhibition pavilion that is a huge parametric steel structure designed for the displays and exhibitions of various arts and crafts of local and international level. The roof covering is made of 'glass fiber reinforced plastic' that is both structurally durable and visually appealing. The site is divided by a straight axis that starts from the entry, encircles the pavilion, leads to the major open air theater and finally merges with the riverfront promenade. Either side of the axis comprises of parking and various other activities designed as per the requirements. There is a deck at the end of the site to provide access for all the water-based sports and create a view point for sunrise and sunsets. Gazebos, sit-outs, food courts and public toilets have been spread throughout the site. Contemporary style of architecture has been followed throughout that proudly shows off the advancement and "newness" the city has accepted and transformed into, without letting go of its cultural values.