Architecture students give design ideas for an inclusive Chennai

Students from Meenakshi School of Architecture work on a proposal for CMDA to promote transit-oriented development on a stretch of Anna Salai or Mout Road, Similarly, BArch students from Hindustan Institute and SRM Institute of Science and Technology suggest ways to make Chennai Metro Rail’s ongoing work on Phase 2 more friendly to commuters

Final-year students of Meenakshi School of Architecture in KK Nagar West are working on a proposal to promote “transit-oriented development” (TOD) on a three-km stretch of Anna Salai.

As per World Bank, TOD is a planning strategy that aims to concentrate jobs, housing, and services around public transport stations with the objective of reducing carbon footprint in cities.

In the first week of May, the team presented a concept study to a group of urban planners from Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) about ways to promote “node-to-node development” on the stretch between Thousand Lights Mosque and Chintadripet. They have now been assigned to work on a detailed proposal.

“We had read that the State Government was working on a proposal to increase floor space index (FSI) to six on major roads including Anna Salai, this got us to take it as a topic for “Design Studio” that we submit as part of our curriculum,” says Sai Sabari, a final year student of the college, who is supported by 24 other students from his class.

Revising FSI means giving way to vertical development and redevelopment of older plots.

“If FSI increases then population of Anna Salai will increase by three times, so through our study we have been asked to analyse what this means, will it help TOD, what type of buildings should come up; the parking solutions and the economic benefits,” says Sai Sabari.

M Uma Chakkaravarthy, head of the department, Meenakshi School of Architecture, says many structures on Anna Salai will go for an overhaul.