LEARNING FROM CITIES
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COMMEMORATE YOUR PAST. EMBRACE YOUR FUTURE.
Sustainable urban development requires a balance between progressive development and the conservation of the existing heritage, especially for a city layered with centuries of such legacy. It is a challenge to maintain the delicate balance within the urban fabric, such that the social and cultural realm are not disturbed. An over view of the Hyderabadi urban landscape shows you a dense urban fabric of the old city to the east, which is a synthesis of Neo Classical, Indo-Saracenic, and the occasional Kakatiyan architecture. As you move towards the west, you see the gradual shift in architectural styles, reflecting the time and period that they were conceived in. The eastern skyline is of intricate domes and tall minarets while the western skyline is a more
contemporary and minimal outline of housing colonies and industries. Today the western region of the city is undergoing the most development, with the commercial and industrial development at its centre. This is also an attempt to keep the old city untouched by urban pressures and prevents further congestion within the precarious area. This further allows the convenience of executing preservation projects in a planned manner for the historic structures. This sense of balance is reflected among the citizens as well, as they take urban development in its stride, and yet retain that sense of honour for the heritage.
A view of the old city skyline from the Charminar. On the left is the Nizamia General Hospital, and the building on the right is the Makka Masjid, one of the oldest mosques in Hyderabad, built in the 17th century. Image credit http://elevation.maplogs. com/poi/pratap_nagar_kothapet_hyderabad_telangana_india.168.html
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CITY OBSERVER | June 2016