Course: Unit XIII Liveable Urbanism
The Liveable Urbanism Studio unit works on the Indian Government funded smart cities such as Mangalore and Kochi in collaboration with local stakeholder. The unit has teaching/research collaboration with the School of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi (2018- 20) and SCMS School of Architecture (2020-21). In
2020-21 Unit will continue to be situated in Kochi, for will joined by Year 3, SCMS to form a vertical unit and will be supported by IIA for research and fieldwork.
Kochi (or Cochin) a coastal city of 0.67 Million (Census India, 2011) located in the southern state of Kerala, is an important port town with great potentials for industry and tourism. Kochi receives significant deluge during monsoon, often results in floods and disruptions. Rise of Kochi as a port town and commercial capital is intertwined with the history of floods in the region. The city grew around the backwaters that connect Kochi to Alappuzha and the Western Ghats. The waterways, once the main mode of transport for spices and rice is now a major tourist attraction. Historic origins and spice trade attracted people from different parts of the world resulting in a rich cultural and social landscape.
Today maritime trade, shipbuilding, petrochemical, refineries, spice and seafood export, tourism defines Kochi’s economy. It is home to many good educational institutions, the world’s first solar-powered airport. However, cities development is challenged by devastating floods, unsustainable edge developments, threats to sensitive ecology, water quality, high levels of NCD, the disparity in education and health provision, affordability and social mobility, traffic congestion, walkability and intermodal connectivity of public transport, waste management, brain drain, erosion of social/cultural/ architectural identity.