SPACES UNDER ELEVATED TRANSIT INFRASTRUCTURE

SPACES UNDER ELEVATED TRANSIT INFRASTRUCTURE

SPACES UNDER ELEVATED TRANSIT INFRASTRUCTURE

Submitted By: CINDHYA THERESA

A dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Bachelor of Architecture

KMEA COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam 2017 KMEA COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE | i

SPACES UNDER ELEVATED TRANSIT INFRASTRUCTURE

CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that the dissertation ___________________________________ is the bonafide work of _________________________ submitted to the faculty of KMEA College of Architecture in partial fulfilment of the requirement towards the Bachelor Degree in Architecture awarded by Mahatma Gandhi University & recognized by the Council of Architecture.

Principal

Dissertation guide

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PROJECT APPROVAL

This dissertation titled “SPACES UNDER ELEVATED TRANSIT INFRASTRUCTURE" submitted by Ms. Cindhya Theresa is approved for the degree of Bachelors in Architecture under the Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam.

External Examiner

Internal Examiner

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

All graces to the Almighty whose clemency made this dissertation possible.

I take this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude to my mentors, Ar. Anjith Augustine and Ar. Thanseem .A for their constant guidance, mentoring and motivation during the course of this dissertation and for their valuable suggestions and critics that pushed me to do better.

I would also like to thank my college management, Principal Ar. Atule Kedia and HOD Ar. Abishek Xavier for giving me the opportunity to acquire immense knowledge during the course of this dissertation and for pushing me to perform to the best of my abilities.

Also thanking Ar. Shyne .U and Ar. Monolita Chatterjee for guiding me and providing valuable learning opportunities, enriching my academic experience with their inspiration and expert knowledge.

I owe my deepest gratitude to all the faculty members of KMEA College of Architecture, Edathala and all my peers for their constant support along the course of this study and for their valuable comments and critics.

Finally, special thanks to my family and friends who in spite of being in different places, was always around for me whenever I needed them, constantly providing motivation and helping me to stay focused and cheering me up in my low phases.

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ABSTRACT

Inaccessible, an absence and an abscess in the civic life of the city, the spaces under elevated highways are devoid of any activity. It is a bit of a paradox - elevated highways are meant to connect two sides of a gap, to bring them together, but they often act quite intentionally as barriers because the space beneath them is so problematic. There is a tendency to leave it unused and overgrown with weeds, or to give it up for some perfunctory use, like parking. But there are many creative solutions to dealing with the space underneath an elevated highway. This dissertation studies different ways to rehabilitate these forgotten, dark urban spaces without eradicating heterogeneity and fostering exclusion with the help of examples and discuss its application in a live case study. Instead of dividing neighbourhoods, the elevated highways can serve as foci for the city. The study aims at proving that, these spaces can be transformed into happening and active urban pockets through careful design and organization.

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LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1: Washington D.C. Ariel photograph ............................................................ 11 Figure 2: Washington D.C. Diagram of same site only with buildings ..................... 11 Figure 3: Type of voids ............................................................................................. 12 Figure 4: Edge spaces ............................................................................................. 14 Figure 5: Infrastructural void ..................................................................................... 14 Figure 6: Transportation voids .................................................................................. 15 Figure 7: Large scale plots ....................................................................................... 15 Figure 8: Diagram of urban design theories. ............................................................ 16 Figure 9: Six typological patterns of solids and voids. .............................................. 18 Figure 10: Fumihiko Maki, Three Types of Spatial Linkages. ................................... 20 Figure 11: The crowd at resurfaced ......................................................................... 22 Figure 12: The plaza on Main Street. ...................................................................... 22 Figure 13: Involving the entire community ................................................................ 23 Figure 14: San Mateo Happiness Wall ..................................................................... 23 Figure 15: The area before activation....................................................................... 24 Figure 16: The triangle on a sunny day .................................................................... 25 Figure 17: Alley become vibrant public space .......................................................... 25 Figure 18: Ariel view of Underpass Park at Toronto ................................................. 28 Figure 19: Site plan Underpass Park, Toronto ......................................................... 29 Figure 20: Graffiti done on the columns ................................................................... 30 Figure 21: “Mirage� by Paul Raff .............................................................................. 30 Figure 22: Conceptual Lighting Plan ........................................................................ 30 Figure 23: Skate Park............................................................................................... 31 Figure 24: Half basketball courts .............................................................................. 31 Figure 25: The playground at central block .............................................................. 31 Figure 26: Ariel view of A8erna ................................................................................ 32 Figure 27: Activity zoning of A8erna ......................................................................... 33 Figure 28: Site Plan of A8erna ................................................................................. 34 Figure 29: The Supermarket .................................................................................... 34 Figure 30: Skate Park in the west zone .................................................................... 35 Figure 31: Park in town hall side .............................................................................. 35 Figure 32: Mini harbour ............................................................................................ 35 Figure 33: Ariel view of Tulpule flyover..................................................................... 36 Figure 34: Seating under Tulpule flyover .................................................................. 37 Figure 35: Recreational Activities under Tulpule Flyover ......................................... 37 Figure 36: Public Events Organised In Park............................................................. 38 Figure 37: Night view of garden under Tulpule flyovver ........................................... 38 Figure 38: Skating area in the Nanalal garden ......................................................... 38 Figure 39: Vertical Garden in Hosur Flyover ............................................................ 39 Figure 40: Vertical Garden in Pillars at Hosur Flyover.............................................. 39 KMEA COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE | vi

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Figure 41: Figure: Aerial view of Aluva flyover ......................................................... 42 Figure 42: Basic Activity Zoning Under Aluva Flyover .............................................. 44 Figure 43: Ariel view of the Aluva flyover ................................................................. 44 Figure 44: Animals grazing under the flyover ........................................................... 44 Figure 45: Waste dumpsite ...................................................................................... 45 Figure 46: Encroachments ....................................................................................... 45 Figure 47: Tea stall under flyover ............................................................................. 45 Figure 48: Vehicular parking under flyover ............................................................... 46 Figure 49: Inter crossing under flyover ..................................................................... 46 Figure 50: Aluva market ........................................................................................... 46 Figure 51: The flyover .............................................................................................. 47

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TABLE OF CONTENTS PROJECT APPROVAL........................................................................................................................................III ACKNOWLEDGEMENT .................................................................................................................................... IV ABSTRACT ....................................................................................................................................................... V LIST OF FIGURES............................................................................................................................................. VI TABLE OF CONTENTS........................................................................................................................................ 1 CHAPTER 1- INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................ 2 1.1 BACKGROUND ............................................................................................................................................ 3 1.2 AIM ............................................................................................................................................................. 4 1.3 OBJECTIVES, GOALS AND RESEARCH QUESTIONS ....................................................................................... 4 1.4 SCOPE ......................................................................................................................................................... 5 1.5 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY ........................................................................................................................ 5 1.6 LIMITATIONS ............................................................................................................................................... 6 CHAPTER 2- CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK ......................................................................................................... 7 2.1 INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................................... 8 2.2 OVERVIEW OF FLYOVER DELEVOPMENT .................................................................................................... 8 2.3 LOST SPACE ................................................................................................................................................. 9 2.4 APPROACHES TO URBAN DESIGN ............................................................................................................. 16 2.5 LQC APPROACH TO URBAN DESIGN ................................................................................................ 21 CHAPTER 3 - LITERATURE CASE STUDY ........................................................................................................... 27 3.1 UNDERPASS PARK, TORONTO: .................................................................................................................. 28 3.2 A8ERNA IN ZAANSTAD, THE NETHERLANDS.............................................................................................. 32 3.3 NANALAL D. MEHTA GARDEN UNDER TULPULE FLYOVER, MUMBAI ........................................................ 36 3.4 HOSUR, BANGALORE ................................................................................................................................ 39 3.6 ANALYSIS .................................................................................................................................................. 40 CHAPTER 4 - A CASE STUDY OF ALUVA ........................................................................................................... 41 4.1 LOCATION AND CONTEXT – ALUVA, ERNAKULAM, KERALA ...................................................................... 42 4.2 PUBLIC LIFE ............................................................................................................................................... 43 4.3 LOCATION ANALYSIS .......................................................................................................................... 43 4.4 FACTORS CONSIDERED FOR SOLUTION SUGGESTIONS. ............................................................................ 47 4.5 CHALLENGES IN THE CITY .......................................................................................................................... 48 4.6 ISSUES ....................................................................................................................................................... 49 4.7 BRIDGE UNDERSPACE DEVELOPMENT ...................................................................................................... 51 CHAPTER 5- INFERENCE ................................................................................................................................. 52 5.1 SOLUTION ................................................................................................................................................. 53 5.2 HOW CAN THESE LEFT OVER SPACES BE PUT TO USE? .............................................................................. 54 5.3 EXAMPLES ................................................................................................................................................. 55 5.4 CONCLUSION ............................................................................................................................................ 56 REFERENCES................................................................................................................................................... 58 BIBLIOGRAPHY ............................................................................................................................................... 60 KMEA COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE | 1

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CHAPTER 1- INTRODUCTION

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1.1 BACKGROUND “Travel and transport by road is seen as a significant function of civilised society, a symbol of an advanced nation.” (Rae, 1971)

In a developing country like India, there is a predominant increase in the number of elevated transit infrastructures. In recent years countless flyovers, bridges, and elevated motorways have transformed many cities. These elevated structures have a clear number of benefits as outlined in Lloyld Aldrich‟s report “The Economy of Freeways: City of Los Angeles”- “the capacity to alleviate city congestion, increase of property values and radius of real estate development, increased tourist travel, and increased mobility in times of emergencies”, but these structures introduced as many negatives as positives. While public spaces and parks have woefully diminished, we have acquired vast amounts of non-descript, underutilized, and unfriendly „wasted‟ spaces beneath the new concrete infrastructure. The tendency is to leave it unused and overgrown with weeds, or to give it up for some perfunctory use, like parking.

Undeveloped spaces below elevated highways have the potential to be transformed in to major corridors, gathering areas and/or recreational spaces that integrate the elevated highways and their surrounding environment. These untapped public assets have the potential to serve as foci for the city.

On this note, the study focuses on the situation of Kerala, where public recreational areas are scant. Over the last couple of years, the state has seen similar projects on planning and under construction stage. The Kochi metro rail project and associated flyovers being built around the city, draws the need to address the effective utilization of its by-product, i.e. kilometres of dead space underneath these structures.

This project seeks ways to discourage the usual negative effects of the random implementations of elevated highways in urban areas including divisions of wellestablished communities, hampering privacy of adjacent buildings, excessive noise, unwanted views that drastically change the urban landscape, physical and psychological barriers making the pedestrian experience unpleasant, and land misuse (e.g. - dumping debris, abandoning cars, illegal activities).These areas can KMEA COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE | 3

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be transformed into happening urban pockets through careful design and organization. Therefore, it is important to understand a different perspective of these spaces and search for factors that can enhance them. Effective utilisation of these spaces can bring a lively change in the urban fabric.

1.2 AIM The main aim of this project is to rehabilitate these forgotten, urban voids. The study is to understand the various possibilities in utilisation of dead spaces under elevated transit infrastructures. The study is aimed at deducing answers for the question does the unused spaces under built structures like flyovers, bridges and metros possess immense potential to be transformed into active public spaces?

1.3 OBJECTIVES, GOALS AND RESEARCH QUESTIONS The main objective of this project is to derive inspirations and suggest guidelines for these urban voids without eradicating heterogeneity and fostering exclusion, which often accompany so many regeneration projects. By analysing spaces below elevated highways, the possibility of incorporating them into the surrounding communities while maintaining functional and aesthetic qualities of the areas would be explored. These spaces exhibit the negative characteristics associated with the development of elevated highways crossing through an urban area and yet can become potential destinations in the city. These spaces need to be reorganized and provided with proper accessibility, light fixtures, sidewalks, landscaping, and other amenities.

The goal or objective is to analyse cases to illustrate larger issues associated with the spaces below elevated highways within urban environments and discuss possible applications in the case of the flyover at Aluva. In doing so, we can identify current condition of the spaces below chosen elevated highways in the area and study the potential of utilization in other similar cases.

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1.4 SCOPE The investigation focuses on one flyover site within the urban fabric of Kochi city based on their proximity to residential area and presence of diverse activities. The site is the flyover connecting Pulinchode and Marthanda Varma Bridge at Aluva.

Visual survey shall describe the experiences and perspectives which are of the users of these spaces and authorâ€&#x;s.

The literature study on examples is conducted to understand the utilisation of similar spaces and to analyse the reasons which formulated the need to transform the spaces.

1.5 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY The method of approach will be to study the specific design interventions to the spaces below elevated highways in various cities shaped by several steps and analyse its application in a chosen context. First, a theoretical base is devised for the analysis of various literature reviews that are to be conducted to establish the framework for the study of the spaces below elevated highways within urban environments. Next, an inventory analysis of these spaces is performed to determine the existing conditions of the chosen sites. This inventory and analysis places a value or judgment on the site conditions based on the designersâ€&#x; perspective. After completing the analysis of the current conditions of the chosen cases the findings are summarized into tentative solutions for the chosen zone.

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1.6 LIMITATIONS This report is more of a study and analysis of the subject matter than with finding propositions. Time constraints and limited availability of resources restrict the discussion to one flyover case study in Kochi. It seems that the study area and topic cover a wide range of interrelated areas from operational framework to institutional politics. However, due to subject matter of this report, this investigation sticks with the user perspective of flyover.

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CHAPTER 2- CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

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2.1 INTRODUCTION This chapter aims at defining what are flyovers and its historical development and its impacts, in cities around the world, to understand the concept of lost spaces and to discuss different approaches to urban design which would serve as the theoretical foundation of this study.

2.2 OVERVIEW OF FLYOVER DELEVOPMENT What is a flyover?

The term „Flyover‟ is commonly used in the United Kingdom and in most Commonwealth countries to describe a grade separated or elevated bridge, road, railway or similar structure that crosses over another road or railway. It has the similar meaning of overpasses-known in the United States, yet with some differences. They have variable names in different countries and thus the term flyover is not fixed or agreed upon (Kabir, 2014). However, in this study, the author decides to go with the term „Flyover‟ as any elevated roadways.

Development of flyovers: Susan Robertson in her article “Visions of Urban Mobility: The Westway, London, England” points out how the late 1920‟s, saw the emergence of infrastructures that were devoted to „car age‟ transport system. This devotion led to the creation of some of the most striking and technologically interesting structures of twentieth century (Robertson, 2007). One such example is the highways or freeways or the flyovers.

Limited access highways in the city were considered as the epitome of modernity, reflecting the ever increasing speed of everyday life and the distancing of individuals from communities and place (Auge, 1995).

During this period of industrialisation and mobilization, the process of planning and construction of flyovers was triggered in major cities of the United States. They were

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pushed through the social and physical fabric of many cities without regard to the fact, that they ripped neighbourhoods, exposed residents to negative environmental conditions and considerably reduced valuable open space and parkland (Napolitan and Zegras 2008). In a very short period of time there were many flyovers coming up, which resulted in unexpected negative consequences in the entire urban context it was sited. However, following the Unites States‟ lead of early highway building, many cities around the globe started promoting urban highways overlooking these adverse consequences.

Influential urbanists such as Jane Jacobs, Lewis Mumford, Herbert Gans and others voiced criticism of urban highways, freeways, expressways and other similar developments, calling for the end of highway construction in inner cities. At some point in the 1960s, many Americans too came to focus on the negative consequences of freeway building, as opposed to the demonstrable advantages of modern, high-speed, express freeways serving a nation addicted to automobiles and to mobility (Mohl, 2004). In late 1960‟s, opposition to freeways gained momentum and it resulted in the “freeway revolt”. The growing opposition was able to halt some freeway projects. By the early 1990s, the era of new freeway construction in urban areas was largely over. Many cities discussed or planned removals or teardowns of inner-city elevated expressways or at least segments of them, and replace them with at grade boulevards to reclaim the resulting land for housing, recreational space and commercial development as well as to re-knit the urban fabric that was destroyed (Mohl, 2012).

2.3 LOST SPACE What exactly is a lost space in an urban context?

A lost space can be leftover unstructured landscapes; it can be abandoned waterfronts or no-man‟s land along the edges of freeways that no one maintains, it can be deteriorated parks or even surface parking sites. These are spaces which are often neglected or either forgotten in the eyes of people. In short, lost spaces are undesirable urban areas that are in need of redesign.

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Trancik in his book “Finding Lost Space: Theories of Urban Design� points out that every modern city has its amazing share of vacant, unused land in its core. This is a by-product of the usual process of urban development, where buildings are considered as isolated objects in a site, and not as part of a larger urban context. In our contemporary cities many spaces are left unused, dead and neglected. For example there are number of Urban Voids or lost spaces in between buildings, street corners which are leftover spaces which are simply used for garbage dumping or social activities, even with the increasing cost of land and fight for usable space these spaces are unutilized, underutilized or abandoned.

Trancik in his book outlines the five major factors that have contributed to lost space in cities: 1. The automobiles- An increased dependency on automobiles.

2. Modern movement in design- Attitude of architects of modern movement toward open space.

3. Policies- Zoning and land-use policies of the urban renewal period that divided the city.

4. Privatization of public space- Unwillingness on the part of contemporary institutions- public and private- to assume responsibility for the public urban environment 5. Changing land use -An abandonment of industrial, military or transportation sites in the inner core of the city.

Out of the five factors listed, this study revolves around the first factor- The Automobiles. Today the dependency on automobiles is deeply ingrained to the modern way of living, making this factor the most complicated to deal with. In the new urban environment, parking lots, highways and thoroughfares are the predominant type of open space. In many major modern cities, a high percentage of urban land has been devoted to the storage and movement of automobiles. Over the past years, streets have lost their social and commercial role as it has shifted towards malls and other isolated super blocks and merely functions as the fastest automobile link, regardless of the social cost.

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Figure 1: Washington D.C. Ariel photograph (Source: Trancik, Finding Lost Space: Theories of Urban Design�)

The images show that without the roadways and parking lots, the buildings have little relationship with each other.

Figure 2: Washington D.C. Diagram of same site only with buildings (Source: Trancik, Finding Lost Space: Theories of Urban Design�)

2.3.1 CATEGORIES OF URBAN VOIDS OR LOST SPACES

Lost spaces are the result of inefficient decision making, poor land management, poor coordination among decision makers and designers. In the world of expanding cities, situations such as disinvestment, suburbanisation, de-industrialisation, and outmigration have created a lot of problems. This has resulted in various spaces to be lost in the process and left unused regarding the previous original purpose of which it was built on. In this report lost space or voids are defined as unused, underused and underutilized spaces, residual spaces between individual plots.

These voids can be categorised into three:

a. Planning Voids:

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Voids created due to inefficient and improper planning processes. These are created due to planning in isolation without understanding the fabric of the city. These are most visible in our cities also can be perceived using figure ground theory.

b. Functional Voids: These are dead vacant spaces in the cities. When a space is not used like it was designed to use the space becomes defunct. These occupy precious land in the city and make the environment unpleasant.

c. Geographical Voids: These are existing geographical features in the city. When the city planners and designers do not respond to these geographical features voids are created around them making the space unusable. (Trancik, 1986)

Figure 3: Type of voids (Source: Urban Voids-Adaptive Use of Public Spaces under Flyovers)

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2.3.2 DEVISING VOID TYPOLOGY

Aamir Ansari in his study “Rethinking Urban Voids: Innovating Ways To Use Lost Spaces” tried to relate these types of voids to the Indian urban context and considering the concern for the potential of urban voids to contribute to the public realm and devised his version of urban void types.

Although there are similarities between the cities of the west and the Indian cities, but there are also major differences. There is a categorization of the voids based on understanding and knowledge of Indian cities. The criteria to select these voids were ownership, the role they play in liveliness of the street, and the potential to transform.

(Ansari, 2016)

There are 7 categories from both the public and the private realm. But the study sticks on to the public realm. After refining and addition according to scale and ownership, 4 main types of voids are:



Edge and Buffer Voids



Infrastructural Voids



Transportation Voids



Large Scale Plots

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Figure 4: Edge spaces Figure 5: Infrastructural void (Source: Ansari, Rethinking Urban Voids: Innovating Ways to Use Lost Spaces)

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Figure 6: Transportation voids Figure 7: Large scale plots (Source: Ansari, Rethinking Urban Voids: Innovating Ways to Use Lost Spaces)

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2.4 APPROACHES TO URBAN DESIGN Roger Trancik in his work “Finding Lost Space: Theories of Urban Design” outlines three theories of urban spatial design: 

Figure- Ground Theory: The study of relative land coverage by buildings as solid mass (“figure”) to open voids (“grounds”).



Linkage Theory: The organisation of a system of connections or a network that establishes a structure for ordering spaces.



Place Theory: In this theory, the human needs and cultural, historical and natural contexts are considered as key factors.

Figure 8: Diagram of urban design theories.

(Source: Trancik, Finding Lost Space: Theories of Urban Design”)

2.4.1 FIGURE-GROUND THEORY Figure-ground is “a graphic tool for illustrating mass-void relationships, it is a twodimensional abstraction in plain view that clarifies the structure and order of the urban spaces" (lrizarry, 2012). The two basic components of figure-ground drawings are the buildings or solid mass and the surrounding open spaces (ground). These types of studies are used to identify the textures and patterns of the urban fabric as KMEA COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE | 16

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well as the problems associated with the order of the spaces. Figure-ground theory is the starting point to understand the urban form. This approach to spatial design is considered a valuable tool used to study and manipulate the pattern of solid and spaces in the urban environment. The easiest way to create positive space is by working with horizontal buildings, which provide an appropriate ground coverage area Contrasting to this there are numerous vertical elements in the modern urban environments such as skyscrapers and block towers which lack the appropriate ground coverage making it difficult to achieve a cohesive urban space These vertical elements over a large ground plane are perceived as objects on the landscape and result in vast open areas hardly ever used or employed.

In conclusion, figure-ground is a graphic tool based on the manipulation and organization of urban solids and voids used to create a dialog between voids and solids in an urban environment.

A figure-ground diagram is a two-dimensional map of an urban space that shows the relationship between built and unbuilt space. It is used in analysis of urban design and planning. It is akin to but not the same as a Nullie map which denotes public space both within and outside buildings and also akin to a block pattern diagram that records public and private property as simple rectangular blocks. The earliest advocates of its use were Colin Rowe and Fred Koetter. (Trancik, 1986)

The figure-ground theory of urban design and urban morphology is based upon the use of figure ground studies. It relates the amount of "figure" to the amount of "ground" in a figure-ground diagram, and approaches urban design as a manipulation of that relationship, as well as being a manipulation of the geometric shapes within the diagram. A figure-ground illustrates a mass-to-void relationship, and analysis of it identifies a "fabric" of urban structures. (lrizarry, 2012) Other related theories of urban design employ different approaches. Linkage theory operates upon linkages between elements of an urban space, and manipulates those. Place theory operates upon structured systems of human needs and usage.

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Figure 9: Six typological patterns of solids and voids.

(Source: Trancik, Finding Lost Space: Theories of Urban Design”)

Figure – ground studies the urban form as a combination of patterns and solids.

Most cities are built from combinations and permutations of these patterns. There are different types of urban solids and urban voids that contribute to the design of public space.

Urban solids: Urban solids can be characterized into three: 

Public monuments or institutions which serve as the foci of the city. These buildings are often placed in open space to announce their significance.



The field of urban blocks i.e. the size, pattern, orientation. These are the most important elements in the composition of the public spaces.



Directional or edge defining buildings. These are non-repetitive and specialised forms of buildings that are intentionally designed.

These three types of urban solids should be interconnected in such a way that the voids become a figural network of linked spaces.

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Urban voids: There are five types of urban voids with different degrees of openness and enclosures: 

The entry foyer space, establishes the important transition between personal domain and public territory.in form it can be forecourts, lobby front yard etc. which acts as a vital buffer between private and communal zones.



The inner block voids can be referred to spaces such as- semiprivate residential space for leisure or courtyards or a midblock shopping oasis for circulation or rest.



The network of streets and squares



Public parks and gardens are larger voids that act as nodes for the preservation of nature in the city.



Linear open space systems are the formal and informal greenways that create edges, slice through cities and link places. They are often referred to major water features.

The core of the figure–ground theory lies in the dialogue between the urban solids and voids. If this dialogue is complete and perceivable, then the spatial network becomes successful otherwise results in a lost space. Therefore categorizing the selected cases into one of these patterns will help in bringing clarity, to the reason of development or how a space turned about to be so, based on the relationship between solids and voids in its surrounding context.

2.4.2 LINKAGE THEORY

This theory involves in the organisation of lines that connect the parts of the city and the design of a spatial datum from these lines relates buildings to spaces. A special datum can be a site line, directional flow of movement, an organisational axis, or a building edge (Trancik, 1986). The theory indicates a constant system of linkages that has to be considered while making additions or changes in the special environment.

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Fumihiko Maki, in his landmark treatise, “Investigations into Collective Form” defines three different formal types of urban space, giving emphasis on the linkage theory. 

Compositional form



Megaform



Group form

Figure 10: Fumihiko Maki, Three Types of Spatial Linkages.

(Source: Trancik, Finding Lost Space: Theories of Urban Design”)

2.4.3 PLACE THEORY

In order to understand this theory we must define place as: "a space that has a distinct character (lrizarry, 2012).” “Place Theory" or the study of place is an attempt to understand the context of the physical place. The essence of this theory resides in considering the social and cultural values of the place, visual perceptions of the users and an individual's control over the immediate public environment. This approach to urban design recognizes the unique character of each place given by its surroundings. The meaning of a place is an outcome of the cultural or regional content of the area and consists of concrete things such as colours, shapes and textures, as well as intangible things like cultural associations, and the flavour given by the human use over time. The practitioners of this theory give physical space richness by incorporating unique forms and details native to its setting as means of enhancing the sense of the place.

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According to Roger Trancik, some of the approaches to the "place theory" are: •The organic or vernacular: a response to the natural systems.

•The new classicist: looks at the formal devices to connect the old and the new elements of an urban area.

•The contextual list: a nostalgic approach to the city, an emulation of the evolution of the city. (lrizarry, 2012)

The Mental mapping of Kevin Lynch: approaches the urban environment, using as a base the way people perceive and experience the city. Other approaches manipulate the way people experience the urban environment through a sequence of spaces or let people determine the design of certain places by letting them decide which will be used for certain spaces.

In conclusion, the key is to use the theories appropriately and collectively to urban projects. Setting aside any one of these theories will become an inadequate approach.

2.5 LQC APPROACH TO URBAN DESIGN In the mid-1970‟S, an organisation named the Project for Public Spaces (PPS), based on New York, began a holistic approach to urban design. It emphasized on cultural, economic, social and ecological principles and gave importance to citizen participation in the design process. This is what they call LQC (Lighter, Quicker, Cheaper) neighbourhood projects. The approach is based on the idea that “it takes a place to create a community and a community to create a place”. This movement goes by different names like action-planning, tactical urbanism, guerrilla urbanism, D.I.Y. Urbanism, pop-up projects.

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What does LQC mean?

LIGHT

- flexible and evolving process

QUICKER - fast to launch CHEAPER - affordable programming and management solutions

2.5.1 THE LIGHTER APPROACH



SEASONAL/ ONE-OFF EVENTS Organising one-time event can generate support and awareness for a project.

Conducting temporary events can showcase the potential of a particular public space. The space can be used for street fairs or community events based on the context.

The

LQC

implemented U.S.

by

approach at

a

Louisville,

collaborative

initiative named “resurfaced”.

Converted 16000 sq.ft vacant lot to pop up beer garden, café and outdoor

space

Figure 11: The crowd at resurfaced (Source: projects for public spaces)

Figure 12: The plaza on Main Street.

(Source: projects for public spaces)

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

INTERGRATING ART

In cities of all sizes, public art always generate a sense of pride and belonging. the success of public art initiatives relies heavily on both the level of community engagement, and the design of the public space in which they are located. It can build community morale and turn the place into a cultural identity. The local artist‟s participation can help in the success of the space and vice versa.

Figure 13: Involving the entire community (Source: projects for public spaces)

Figure 14: San Mateo Happiness Wall (Source: San Mateo City Insider- news and events)

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

IMPLEMENTING THE COMMUNITY DRIVEN IDEAS

The success of the place making project always depends on the community involvement at every stage of the process. Remember that community is the expert.

Giving the community what it needs will always make them happier. This will help build partnerships, raising money, avoiding criticism and backlash and also ensure the management and maintenance if the community is supporting and be involved. .

2.5.2 THE QUICKER APPROACH

Small Interventions huge Impact Simple additions of planter or benches in the space or painting, or introducing a community suggestion board on a blank wall are all illustrations of LQC place interventions. These are very flexible and very cost effective. During a tight budget or lack of monetary resources or permit issues the LQC intervention can activate the public space using inexpensive, ultra-light transformation or donated materials or from scrapyards. 

ACTIVATING AND REPURPOSING: With the advantage of using LQC approach it can be implemented very soon.

So in the case of under-performing spaces it can help in temporarily transform the public space and in the process help in finding the most appropriate strategy.

Communities and organizations wishing to make public space

interventions will be able to strengthen their case, for both approval and funding.

Figure 15: The area before activation (Source: Plan Philly, projects for public spaces)

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Figure 16: The triangle on a sunny day (Source: Nidhi Gulati, projects for public spaces)

2.5.3 THE CHEAPER APPROACH 

SECURING DIVERSE AND CREATIVE FUNDING SOURCES

The participatory method of place making as well as the LQC method can help in the exploration of new sources of funding from the private and public domain. Lack of available

funds

has

been

the

main

motivation

for

the

LOC

approach.

Nonconventional funding sources like crowd funding, institutions and foundations providing technical assistance can be of great help in financing the actions and plan. 

DEVELOPING A MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE

Local partnerships to ensure the public space in the longer term have long lived impacts on the community. When the management plan evolves from the place making process organically, the project tends to be better and more likely to be preserved more.

Figure 17: Alley become vibrant public space (Source: Jennifer Catherine, projects for public spaces)

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2.5.4 WHY LIGHTER QUICKER CHEAPER? People needs and demand for better public spaces are always high and we get stuck in the net of funding and capitalizing on local ingenuity and turn these spaces into community public spaces. Lighter quicker Cheaper can be a low cost and high impact approach to the implementation process. 

LQC is temporary and a cheaper alternative for public spaces



Creates a sense of community, belonging and pride among the localities



Acts as a kick-start for long-term public projects



Generates investors by showcasing the potential of the spaces

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CHAPTER 3 - LITERATURE CASE STUDY

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3.1 UNDERPASS PARK, TORONTO:

Figure 18: Ariel view of Underpass Park at Toronto (Source: Google earth, modified by author)

Location : Toronto, Canada Under and around the Eastern Avenue and Richmond/Adelaide overpasses, south of King Street between Cherry Street and Bay-view Avenue.

Size

: 2.7 acres (3 blocks) About half of the park, 1.48 acres is covered by the overpass.

Public art: Paul Raff Studio Landscape architect: Phillips Farevaag Smallenberg, The Planning Partnership

Underpass Park is the biggest park to be built under an overpass in Canada, and first in Toronto. The massive concrete structure of the overpass was an obstacle between the north and south parts of the community. The design converts this liability into a welcoming and lively public space.

The Underpass Park is composed of three blocks: underpass functions as a hybrid public zone (western block), children's play area-urban room-flex space (central block), and sports-recreational zone (eastern block). Two are covered and one is open and unobstructed. The covered area is the active zone within the park and has the added benefit of weather protection provided by the overpass.

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Figure 19: Site plan Underpass Park, Toronto (Source: Paul Raff Studio, Underpass Park Underway in the West Donlands)

Western block: 0.98 acres of uncovered green space of the park. The community garden consists of dense grove of salt and drought resistant trees, grass and other plantings. It turns out to be the much needed platform for interaction between residents and nature.

Central block: The middle section of the park is the playground for all ages. It has features ranging from a teeter-totter, hopscotch, 4-square, swings, playful climbing structures, a series of ribbon walls and park benches, to flexible community space that can be used for markets and public events.

Eastern block: This block includes two basketball half-courts, a skate park and flexible open space for programming or community events.

The public art has played an important role in the project. “Mirage� by Paul Raff, which is a 57 octagonal mirrored stainless steel installation suspended 4 meter above the ground and overpass columns with interesting graffiti works are lit using LED spotlights are key features that make the area safe and inviting at all times of day.

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The Underpass Park is an example of sustainably transforming, what was once a dark and neglected space into valued public amenities that glows at night.

Figure 20: Graffiti done on the columns (Source: Nicola Betts, Underpass Park Redefines the Future of Public Realm)

Figure 21: “Mirage” by Paul Raff (Source: Nicola Betts, Underpass Park Redefines the Future of Public Realm)

Figure 22: Conceptual Lighting Plan (Source: Phillips Farevaag Smallenberg, Underpass Park Redefines the Future of Public Realm)

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Figure 23: Skate Park (Source: fill in the residue, Toronto Underpass Park)

Figure 24: Half basketball courts (Source: Tom Ryaboi, Underpass Park Redefines the Future of Public Realm)

Figure 25: The playground at central block (Source: fill in the residue, Toronto Underpass Park)

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3.2 A8ERNA IN ZAANSTAD, THE NETHERLANDS

Figure 26: Ariel view of A8erna Source: Google earth (modified by author)

Location : Zaanstadt, Netherlands Size

: 24,000 m2 (40 by 400 meters design intervention)

Public art : Arie van den Berg, Horst Rickels, Marc Ruygrok Architects : NL Architects, Pieter Bannenberg, Walter van Dijk, Kamiel Klaasse

Koog aan de Zaan is a village near Amsterdam. It is located at the river Zaan.In early 1970â€&#x;s in order to cross the river, Highway A8 was built on seven- meter high columns. Though it was build to connect, it ironically resulted as a physical barrier between the townâ€&#x;s two civic activity centres, the church and town hall.

The project sought to reactivate the space under A8, a 7-meter-tall elevated highway.

Over 30years the monumental space under the A8 was a blind spot, the A8erna Project was an attempt to reactivate and restore the connection between both sides of town. The design process was a highly participatory program, were the objectives and desires of all stakeholders were considered.

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Figure 27: Activity zoning of A8erna (Source: NL ARCHITECTS)

The large arcade has two inter-crossing streets dividing it into three zones.

Central zone: a covered square with the supermarket, the flower and pet shops, and a light fountain and 120 parking spaces.

Eastern zone: this zone consists of a 'sculptural' bus stop and a small harbour with a panoramic platform. Dense development along the river prevented public interaction with the River Zaan, the mini harbour that is excavated under the highway, brings the water from the river till the High Street, recreating the lost connection between the river and users. The panoramic platform with public seating becomes a window opening up views of the River Zaan.

Western zone: This zone provides the youth with recreational amenities. Playground consisting of a „graffiti gallery‟ (the idea was to discourage graffiti in other spaces of the city by providing one), a basketball court, a skateboarding park, so Ping-Pong tables, a seven-a-side football pitch, a break dance stage, and the „lovers‟ benches‟.

The space outside the covered motorway, i.e., the town hall and the church sides are also modified to make it more attractive and usable. The redundant green from the church square was cleared to make a lively and flexible hangout area for markets, fairs and other celebrations. On the town hall side, the space was converted to a

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park with a bowling ground, a space for barbecues, a small grassy hill with birch trees, and a football pitch.

The merit of the intervention is that it was able to reunite the city through what was once considered as an impenetrable planning barrier.it was successful in two ways: firstly, to bring the three parts of the city back in touch, the church side, the town hall side and the river Zaan and secondly the barrier itself becomes the single roof under which the needs and interests of all ages are met.

Figure 28: Site Plan of A8erna (Source: NL ARCHITECTS)

Figure 29: The Supermarket (Source: NL ARCHITECTS)

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Figure 30: Skate Park in the west zone (Source: NL ARCHITECTS)

Figure 31: Park in town hall side (Source: NL ARCHITECTS)

Figure 32: Mini harbour (Source: NL ARCHITECTS)

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3.3 NANALAL D. MEHTA GARDEN UNDER TULPULE FLYOVER, MUMBAI

Figure 33: Ariel view of Tulpule flyover (Source: Google earth (modified by author)

Location : Tulpule flyover, Dr.Babasaheb Ambedkar road, Matunga Size

: 1.5 KM, 17 m wide

Architect : Ar. Pallavi Doke Authority : BMC &MMRDA The Nanalal D. Mehta garden at Matunga is Mumbai‟s first „garden under a flyover‟.

Open spaces is a major constraint in Mumbai. The city is craving for parks and promenades, places to jog, take walks and escape from the small apartments. At the same time, space under the flyover was encroached by vehicles, hawkers, beggars, and gamblers. It was this lack of quality open spaces that forced the residents of Matunga to get together and revitalize the huge stretch under the Tulpule flyover. It was the initiative of the localities to convert the area into a 600m long beautiful garden with a walking cum jogging track.

The theme behind the garden is based on the Narmada River. The flow of the river has been replicated on the garden‟s pathway. Granite blocks along the length of the garden carry information on the famous landmarks stationed along the course of the river. The seating space in the middle of the garden is inspired by the Narmada

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Ghats. The space accommodated people across all age groups. The garden was place where one can exercise, relax, take leisurely walks and engage in conversation, oblivious of the Mumbai traffic which glides along both sides of the garden. The plants and greenery along the stretch is a blessing as it adds to the aesthetic look of the space and most importantly, to the green lungs of the city. The garden is equipped with rotatable CCTV cameras to ensure safety and is fitted with around three hundred lights. They transform the garden into a sight to behold in the evenings.

Figure 34: Seating under Tulpule flyover (Source: one matunga, Facebook)

Figure 35: Recreational Activities under Tulpule Flyover (Source: one matunga, Facebook)

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Figure 36: Public Events Organised In Park (Source: one matunga, Facebook)

Figure 37: Night view of garden under Tulpule flyovver (Source: one matunga, Facebook)

Figure 38: Skating area in the Nanalal garden (Source: one matunga, Facebook)

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3.4 HOSUR, BANGALORE Bengaluru installed its first vertical garden on one of the pillars of the Hosur flyover reclaiming its effort to remain the garden city and to protect the environment initiated by an NGO. They aim to curb pollution in the city and beautify it as well. Over 3,500 saplings of 10 different species have already been planted in the organic garden. An automated drip irrigation system will water these saplings every day, so it is sustainable. The organisation's volunteers will maintain the saplings. The garden on each side of the pillar is designed to increase its aesthetic value. The organization aims to cover all pillars of the over 9-kilometre flyover with similar vertical gardens.

Apart from reducing smog and heat and cleaning the air of pollutants, vertical gardens also create habitats for birds and beneficial insects. This case can be applied or used in cases where the spaces below the flyovers do not have enough potential to be transformed into an active space yet can be of some value to the surroundings.

Figure 39: Vertical Garden in Hosur Flyover (Source: SayTrees, Facebook)

Figure 40: Vertical Garden in Pillars at Hosur Flyover (Source: SayTrees, Facebook)

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3.6 ANALYSIS Flyovers- Infrastructural barrier or a potential opportunity for knitting the city fabric?

If one whizz past on the cityâ€&#x;s flyovers, one can feast his eyes on inviting hoardings, get lost in the haze of high-rises and get a high on life in the fast lane. But the underside of these flyovers tells a very different story. Encroached by squatters, littered with filth and dumping grounds for garbage, thatâ€&#x;s the sight under most of the over bridges across the city. Conditions such as transportation facilities like the railways, road networks, flyovers and high ways form the basis of contemporary Indian urbanism. However, there are vast amount of urban spaces which appear in various scales. Very common examples of such residual spaces are Railway tracks precinct, subways, skywalks and spaces below the flyovers. The flyover itself was proposed as necessary civic infrastructure. The case studies display the immense opportunities in extending flyover designs under them as well. A strong vision by local government, place making project and proper management creates successful public spaces to activate the heart of the city. This resulted into dead spaces around the public space to grow and generate more activities attracting more public life. The uniqueness of flyovers lies in its character of an overhead shelter with its generous underneath space that is longitudinal and barrier free. It is sheltered from the rain and from the heat of the sun. It is also free of much of the politics, land tenure disputes and real estate speculation that plague much of the developing cities today.

Thus, the negative effects produced by flyovers can be reduced through careful design and more important the incorporation of the spaces below into their surrounding urban environment. Hence we can say that Flyovers are an example of an Urban Void.

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CHAPTER 4 - A CASE STUDY OF ALUVA

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4.1 LOCATION AND CONTEXT – ALUVA, ERNAKULAM, KERALA

Figure 41: Figure: Aerial view of Aluva flyover (Source: Google Earth (modified by author))

Location : Aluva Flyover Flyover connecting Pulinchode and Marthanda Varma Bridge Size

: 1 km, 24.5m Average height: End- 3.5m Center - 5.5m

Aluva is one the important city in the district of Kochi.

It is located in between the two districts Ernakulum and Trissur through which runs the NH47. There is a flyover connecting Pulinchode and Marthanda Varma Bridge which fails to serve its purpose of reducing traffic congestion instead intensifies it. In the absence of grade separators and effective signals, the bypass junction has become a traffic bottleneck as vehicles have to queue up for long hours to cross the signal.

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to Aluva. There are service roads and motorists are directed through these roads also. Vehicles from all directions congregate at the junction. The bad state of roads and construction works of Kochi Metro add to traffic congestion. Ironically, the flyover serves as a barrier rather than a connection!

The flyover is located right in the middle of the famous Aluva market and has broken the easy flow of the market routines. The space under the particular flyover is abandoned and has turned out to be a space for heavy vehicle parking and inhabited by street dogs and hawkers. The space under the 1km flyover stretch displays great potential for effective and efficient revitalization considering the major role the market can play.

4.2 PUBLIC LIFE The identified location is one of the busiest in the city active during the peak hours of the day as it located in the centre connecting the market and the private bus station.

It experiences a major concentration of crowd in the city and is also surrounded by residential pockets and is now located next to one of the important metro station .

4.3 LOCATION ANALYSIS After the initial observations data collection the site is identified with potential transformable spots based on the literature review. Various types of use were recognised which can be turned to public spaces. The spots chosen were creating dead spaces which were hampering the public life of that area.

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Figure 42: Basic Activity Zoning Under Aluva Flyover (Source: author)

Existing Site Conditions:

Figure 43: Ariel view of the Aluva flyover (Source: Kochi Metro)

Figure 44: Animals grazing under the flyover (Source: author)

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Figure 45: Waste dumpsite (Source: author)

Figure 46: Encroachments (Source: author)

Figure 47: Tea stall under flyover (Source: author)

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Figure 48: Vehicular parking under flyover (Source: author)

Figure 49: Inter crossing under flyover (Source: author)

Figure 50: Aluva market (Source: author)

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Figure 51: The flyover (Source: author)

4.4 FACTORS CONSIDERED FOR SOLUTION SUGGESTIONS.

a. Presence of Public Life: The-presence of the market and informal vendors were key reasons of the presence of public life in the area. Also with the facility of the private bus stand right next to it and an informal rickshaw stop the area was seen with number of people using the space. b. Stakeholders: Informal vendors and local business can be strong stakeholders while developing the space. The day-night facility of vendors with unsymmetrical placement of spaces under the flyover creating chaos.

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c. Availability of spaces: The space beneath the flyover (24.5 mx3.5 m min) is unused. This occupies expensive piece of land in the state. d. Flexible Setting: There exists a connection of well-connected fabric of public transport, mobility and activities.

4.5 CHALLENGES IN THE CITY Lack of public spaces: Aluva has lack of public spaces. Public spaces have a lot of benefits including economic, health and social pay- backs. Streets have become roads where vehicles are given utmost importance and pedestrians are neglected. In informal old city the public spaces were vital part of the public realm, we are seeing in a planned city there is lack of planning of public spaces. Builders are creating so called public spaces inside the walls which is actually a private space thereby creating gated communities all over the cities.

Lack of Public Participation: There is lack of public participation at both ends on government as well as the people side. Building cities is an organic process and not all techniques or recipe fits every city. Hence key to building better cities, public spaces and communities is engaging community in the process. So it‟s not just the city government, planners or designer who must decide what‟s going to happen under these spaces. It must be the citizens, people who must decide what will be happening on that space. Also the government is disinterested in taking forward in increasing the public realm of the city, so there are very few public spaces projects in the city that promote public participation.

Poor design of Public spaces: There is a gap between people‟s need and design in the public spaces that is been present in the city. Poorly designed public spaces. Local needs are often neglected and planners and designers are hired to design the public realm. As a result it ends up as a design intervention. Often the issue of maintenance is untouched. These

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public spaces later become dead spaces as the quality is deteriorated and few people tend to visit these spaces.

4.6 ISSUES

A. ACCESS AND LINKAGES



Zebra Crossing absent at the major junction



The spaces beneath the flyover are cut-off from public that creates an unpleasing environment under flyover.



Lacks proper Signage's.



Discouraging pedestrian activity.

B. COMFORT AND IMAGE

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

The spaces beneath the flyover are unattractive, but at some places the presence of informal activity are creating public activity which there in makes that place somewhat attractive.



The areas beneath the flyover are underutilized and adjacent the blank walls in the surrounding streets are enhancing.



The streets are quite clean and maintained compared to less public activity.



Despite of a presence of major bus stand, and rickshaw stop there is no presence of proper place to sit or public restrooms.

C. ACTIVITIES AND USES



There are a lot of opportunities in the area, with the presence of informal activity around the flyover the area is lull of potential to be developed as a public space.



To make the space lively there is a need to add activities to enliven the area and programming needs to be done for all age groups in evenings and weekends.

D. SOCIABILITY

 The presence of people in group is less due to the lack of activities in the area.

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Though the people show evidence of volunteerism and are helpful this is a positive point which can be used as an advantage.

Number of children and seniors as commuters are more.

4.7 BRIDGE UNDERSPACE DEVELOPMENT The spaces under the bridge structure are left unplanned, ending up as haphazard parking, encroachments and garbage dumps. Such disused spaces degrade the surrounding areas from improving the urban environment and aims to humanize these transport infrastructures and reclaim the underutilized spaces under bridges and flyovers to: Create well-lit, cohesive public spaces such as pocket parks, shaded seating areas, food courts, gathering spaces, plazas and play areas.

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CHAPTER 5- INFERENCE

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5.1 SOLUTION The different types of impacts that might be produced by the development of a flyover can be classified as: •PHYSICAL: includes wall or barrier effects produced by highways, increase in noise or vibrations, and shadowing effect.

•SOCIAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL: this category includes changes in population (i.e., such as redistribution of population and loss or increase in population), changes in the interactions of persons or groups, isolation or separation of certain people, changes in social values, and perceived impact on the quality of life.

•VISUAL AND ENVIRONMENT: this category includes changes in the aesthetic character of communities.

•LAND USE: includes the creation or loss of land as the result of the development of a highway, and changes in land use and density.

•ECONOMIC CONDITIONS: the introduction of a highway in an urban area may encourage new businesses to establish in the area or cause the relocation of existing ones. It also may affect the local economy in a short-term during the construction activities or produce a long-term impact by blocking the access to businesses. Other introduced changes could be the increase or reduction of visibility to the commercial area, and changes in property value.

•DISPLACEMENTS: this category includes the number residences, businesses or any institution displaced within the same neighbourhood and the changes produced in the neighbourhood‟s character due to the displacements.

•SAFETY: this category is includes the positive or negative changes in crime levels, accidents and emergency response in the area where the highway is located.

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5.2 HOW CAN THESE LEFT OVER SPACES BE PUT TO USE? Anti-space, Border Zones are usually chaotic, since they are comprised of the remnants of other uses. But these could be used to knit together the fabric of a city at a crucial border zone. Residual areas, buffer zones, vacant land do separate one zone of building from the other, but they also connect the enclaves and afford opportunities of a range of actions. These interstitial spaces can act as potential spaces for urban restructuring .They can act as public spaces which today occupy crucial components of the city, both in terms of the physical as well as social function they serve. Edges, while generally separating and isolating areas, could conversely be seen uniting space between two areas.

The space could be designed to give a sense of ownership of it to the community; it could be designed to reunify areas of the city that have been severed by urban renewal. Any flyover must not present a significant visual obstruction that effectively cut and similarly, must eliminate undesirable residual spaces. There are numerous examples that celebrate design and engineering, creating contemporary urban sculptures that add positively to sense of place, rather than detract from it.

Undeveloped spaces below elevated highways have the potential to be transformed into major corridors, gathering areas or recreational spaces that integrate the elevated highway and their surrounding environment. Generally, they shape the ground level where they are constructed. Sense of intimacy could be felt at which distance between the ground level and the roof are close where else openness and freedom could be felt when the distance are far apart. The finishes under the flyovers varies in terms of the ground covering which include interlocking block pavement, paved road, earth and natural landscape.

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5.3 EXAMPLES Under the flyovers, lies an existence of a space that might differ from the rush of the above, a loose space with uncertainties and endless possibilities. Some of the examples are stated as under:

1. Instead of parking, we propose spaces for play, for shelter, for community building, for worship and for celebration.

2. Create well-lit, cohesive public spaces such as pocket parks, shaded seating areas, food courts, gathering spaces, plazas and play areas.

3. Provide vending opportunities in dense neighbourhoods through kiosks, markets and vending zones to attract the public.

4. Improve overall pedestrian connectivity.

5. Insert public facilities such as auto rickshaw stands, public toilets and strategic parking.

6. Facilitate use of these spaces by lighting, signage and waste collection.

7. Improve linkages across the bridge under-spaces by redesigning road intersections under the bridge.

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5.4 CONCLUSION Study of examples of informal spaces emphasizes their significance in the lives of the people, as people develop strong attachments with the place. For instance, people who use the pocket highway park enjoy spending time there and do not differentiate it from a regular park. In fact, the highway parks serve as a community space where families and friends come together creating a social bond. Every social group irrespective of their economic status needs a space for socialization and so the availability of highway parks for use and appropriation compensates for the lack of open space in their neighbourhood.

This opportunity is especially crucial for the disadvantaged and deprived populations because in its absence, there can be potential unrest causing social conflicts. Similar is the case with informal vending that takes place in the all of the old overpasses in the city. These informal spaces provide an alternative to those who cannot afford to own a formal space for business where they can operate from, without a huge investment; it forms a parallel system of informal economy operating along with the formal one.

Together, the communities that have remained and grown make up a varied whole; a community which itself is rich in social, spiritual, and cultural diversity. As such, spaces under and around the elevated highways can become a snapshot of modem and multicultural cities in a time of change.

1-

Catalyst for public space community and strong local leadership is required to

encourage the importance of public space

2-

A strong vision and desire to change. Vision is very important since the

willingness to change the area to context can help in creating great neighbourhoods.

3-

Identifying the dead spaces in the area and using the full potential of that

place, using community in the process helps a lot.

4-

The key to great public spaces is people, if people are involved in creating

public spaces, we get great public spaces.

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SPACES UNDER ELEVATED TRANSIT INFRASTRUCTURE

5-Transform underused spaces into exciting laboratories that citizens can start using right away and see evidence that change can happen.

6- Leverage local partnerships that have greater involvement by a community and results in more authentic places.

7-Encourage an iterative approach and an opportunity to experiment, assess, and evolve a communityâ€&#x;s vision before launching into major construction and a long term process.

8- Employ a place-by-place strategy that, over time, can transform an entire city.

With community buy-in, the LQC approach can be implemented across multiple scales to transform under-performing spaces throughout an entire city.

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SPACES UNDER ELEVATED TRANSIT INFRASTRUCTURE

REFERENCES RAE, J. B. (1971). The road and the car in American life. Cambridge, Mass, MIT Press.

ILLOYD ALDRICH. (1953) The Economy of Freeways: City of Los Angeles, Street and Parkway Design Division.

KABIR,S. (2014). Re-thinking Overpasses: a Case Study in the Planning and Design of Flyovers in Dhaka City

ROBERTSON, S. (2007). Visions of urban mobility: the Westway, London, England. Cultural Geographies. 14, 74-91

AUGÉ, M. (1995) Non-places: Introduction to an Anthropology of Supermodernity (New York, Verso.

NAPOLITAN, F., & ZEGRAS, P. C. (2008). Shifting urban priorities: Removal of inner city freeways in the United States. Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board, pp.68-75.

MOHL, R. A. (2004). Stop the Road Freeway Revolts in American Cities. JOURNAL OF URBAN HISTORY. 30, 674-706.

MOHL R.A. (2012). The expressway teardown movement in American cities: Rethinking postwar highway policy in the post-interstate era. Journal of Planning History. 11, 89-103.

TRANCIK, R. (1986). Finding lost space: theories of urban design. New York, Van Nostrand Reinhold.

ANSARI AAMIR, (2016). Rethinking Urban Voids: Innovating Ways to Use Lost Spaces.

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SPACES UNDER ELEVATED TRANSIT INFRASTRUCTURE

BIBLIOGRAPHY ELIAS, A. C. (2006). The pre-centripetal city: the freeway and the form of West Los Angeles.

GEHL, J., & SVARRE, B. (2014). How to study public life. Johanneshov, MTM.

LYNCH, K. (1981). The Theory of Good City Form. Cambridge, Massachusetts and London: The MIT Press.

MCKEAG, A. (2014). Freeway Down! Seoul Removing 16th Freeway, CNU: http://www.cnu.org/cnu-salons/2014/04/freeway-down-seoul-removing-16th-freeway ROCHON, L. (2013). Out from the Shadows: Finding useful public space in an unlikely location, Toronto transforms a highway underpass into a lively park that glows at night. Architectural record: http://archrecord.construction.com/projects/portfolio/2013/08/1308-Underpass-ParkPFS-Studio.asp

WEINGROFF, R. F. (1996). Milestones for U.S. highway transportation and the Federal Highway Administration. Public Roads. 59.

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