MADURAI - THOONGA NAGARAM
MADURAI -THE TEMPLE CITY
INTERROGATE THE ‘TODAY’
IN THE NORTH
Madurai popularly known as the “Temple City” also called as Athens of the East,City of Junction,City Of Jasmine,City that never sleeps “THOONGA NAGARAM”. Madurai is Tamilnadu’s Third major economic, industrail and transportation Hub as that is famous for its Cultural Heritage.
SOCIO- CULTURAL INTERVENTION
The city started emerging along south, with time, the growth process took a shift towards north as it gained most of the new public services after 1900’s. Few of the existing public functions in the old city also faced relocation as a decongestion measure. The city thus engages with two varied relationships; one between Old & New, the other between South and North. The design concern should therefore be oriented along these connections and contrive our cityscape as a continuous fabric.
The public services that were trans-located from south to north also stand as introverted establishments. The catchment population of south and north were as now almost equal, an active socio-cultural node in the north is a timely need to neutralize the present and formalize the future. Vandiyur tank in the North-East is the largest water body within city limits. The tank spreads for an area of 577 acres and is the prime source of drinking water
CITY STRUCTURE - MADURAI COMPLEX
EVOLUTION OF MADURAI CITY EARLY CENTURIES
DURING 1560’s
DURING 1750’s
DURING 1850’s
DURING 1970’s
PLANNING PRINCIPLES
Meenakshi AmmanTemple acts as a cardinal points and visual landmarks
The Four Temple Towers acts as a Cardinal poinys
ELEMENTS OF PLANNING OF OLDER CORE CITY The Old city of Madurai is considered to be designed according to the Rajdhani Plan, described in Manasara,one of the Shilpasastra and has the five fold concentric rectangular formation with Meenakshi Sundareshwara Temple at a very centre point
The Temple Towers - leads to axial planning The Inner streets form a perpendicular link to the concentric planning
The Streets concentric to the temple complex formed the major streets viz., CHITHIRAI STREETS,AVANI MOOLA STREETS and MASI STREETS named from Tamil Calender
The Streets gets wider towards the periphery Masi,s street dimension is based on temple’s car dimension
In Madurai Meenakshi Amman Temple is at the centre. Royal palaces,Brahmins, and Priests at the ďŹ rst concentric rectangle. Traders,Kishatriyas and Vaishnavaites on the second rectangle. The lower caste Sudras and immigrants zoarazshitrains in the third rectangle.
LAND-USE PATTERN
URBAN GRAIN OF THE CITY City’s fabric is defined by its distinct urban grains. Coarser grains can be seen in areas where there is high economic and socio-cultural opportunities.
CITY’S PERFORMANCE Sense – The city’s concentric planning with the temple towers providing cardinal direction, streets in the name of Tamil months, Meenakshi amman temple, tirumalai nayak palace and other historical monuments, gives a sense of place and legibility. The core city with its design elements in human scale and the traditional planning of homes with thinnai provides natural surveillance.
Fit – The fit of Madurai city is good with its spatial and temporal pattern matching the different behaviour of people. Access – The city’s planning and the well connected network of transportation and communication allows access and exchange with minimum time and efforts.
PUBLIC OPEN SPACES AND GATHERINGS
Vitality – Madurai with its different zones i.e. Historical core zone satisfying the socio-cultural needs of the people, yet the complete contrast of the Northern city maintaining the equilibrium from the effects of urbanisation, supports the vital functions of the city.
GLIMPSE OF DIFFERENT PUBLIC AND OPEN SPACES
CHITHIRAI FESTIVAL
MOVEMENT NETWORK
Efficiency & Justice – The Northern city maintains the equilibrium from the effects of urbanisation since the core city has development regulations.
Based on the Kevin Lynch’s five dimensions of performance, Madurai city form helps the city and its people perform well. Yet the urbanization effects post a threat to the natural resources i.e. River Vaigai and its network of lakes, declining forest cover and agricultural sector
CONTEMPORARY GLIMPSES OF THE CITY
MULTIPLE FACETS OF THE LIFE OF THE CITY
AERIAL VIEW OF THE CITY
THERR PLACED IN THE STREETS NEAR THE TEMPLE
CHITHIRAI FESTIVAL
