The Identity Crisis
The Indian Subcontinent has attested to numerous architectural styles over history, most of which led to some iconic structures now known worldwide. History has been witness to India’s anomalous architectural style. Right from the Indus Valley to the Colonial Architecture, the influences of all these styles amalgamate to frame what is today known as the Architectural Identity of India. That statement might not be entirely true though. With the constant race of urbanisation, the Indian tapestry is not what it used to be. Skyscrapers line our sky and concrete jungles in the making, have led the country’s architectural identity to take a turn. A country’s identity is defined by its people, culture, architecture, and history, and while Vertical-urbanisation is a result of years of progress and development, does it get to redefine India’s identity?
Rise of Vertical Urbanisation
Theworld is ever-growing and with innovation comes unfamiliarity. Development is an unavoidable process that involves multiple phases that directly and indirectly affect the architectural outlook of a place. The Indian skyline is undergoing constant changes affected by Western influences. On multiple occasions, these changes take a page from the history book and try to rewrite it with a touch of modernism. Currently, there are about 1.2 billion people in India (Census 2011) and with this constant increase in population, there is a direct shortage of housing options in the country. A lot of metropolitan cities now act as socio-economic nodes based on multiple factors such as the availability of better resources, security, accessibility, and physical features. These economic nodes, due to the surplus of population are under constant renovation and development. Providing this large number of people with a limited amount of area leaves us with the easiest option of vertical urbanisation.
The Historical Context
The current major metropolitan cities were once the settlements dominated by the various invaders of India. Such as the case of Delhi, with its red fort and Humayun’s tomb, and the Qutub Minar is a city rich in culture, tradition, and historical legacies. But Delhi is also a megalopolis city with a population of over 33 million. Delhi’s current architectural context is all about commercial complexes, corporate architecture, and apartment structures comprising an average of 20 floors. The low-rise forts, highly ornamented facade structures, minarets, jaali work, courtyards, and local materials have now been overshadowed by glass facades, RCC structures, and modernist styles. This transition to vertical urbanisation is leading to the homogenization of the architectural skyline. The uniqueness of Indian architecture is now lost in the contemporary styles of the post-modernist palette. The traditional elements that were curated keeping in mind the local context, the culture, and the ecological aspects are constantly being replaced by elements that while modern, more advanced, and researched fail to resonate with the country’s culture and neighbourhood context.
Impact of Vertical Urbanization
While the historical context is definitely facing a downgrade, with the current innovative technology architectural firms are looking into a more sustainable methodology that does not look like the traditional architectural style has a plethora of ecological benefits. Research has been done in terms of site-specific planning, using materials that are locally available, utilising climate-specific strategies that have been employed for years, use of modern energy-efficient methods, and renewable energy resources that work towards reducing the carbon footprint of the settlements. The current case of rapid urbanisation creates a strain on the environment around us and architects with their urban planning models are trying to solve this very issue. Sustainable urban planning and vertical urbanisation results might not seem like they have a lot more benefits beyond just environmental aspects, they aim to force a sense of community and shelter to one and all. It plans on creating a holistic environment that has a place for everyone.
Solutions to Vertical Urbanization
There is always a middle ground for every problem. Development and innovation are the course of nature and cannot be stopped but that doesn’t mean we leave behind our roots. We need to find methods that allow for architectural growth while keeping in touch with our culture and traditions. A synthesis needs to be prepared of modern technology and local tradition. A proper understanding of urbanisation helps create a settlement that solves the problems of this high-moving world and still connects people to the true essence of the place they are at. Creating communal public spaces that still carry the reality of the city while having development in the more commercial zones of the place is one of the easiest examples of this. Overhauling the older sectors of the metropolitan cities, and planning the settlements in a manner that brings back attention to these areas would help the cause. The practice of maintaining the cultural identity of the country via architecture is key to making the architectural history be known forever. The future of the Indian architectural landscape depends on the re-adaptation of these traditional methods and the creation of a harmonious blend of it with the constant architectural advancements.
REFERENCES:
1.Baper, S.Y. (2024) ‘Can architectural identity be measured?’, Buildings, 14(5), p. 1379. doi:10.3390/buildings14051379.
2.Baper, S.Y. (2024) ‘Can architectural identity be measured?’, Buildings, 14(5), p. 1379. doi:10.3390/buildings14051379.
3.Dr. Aakuthota Srinivasulu (2024) ‘Urbanisation in India: An evaluation from environmental perspectives’, EPRA International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research (IJMR), pp. 491–494. doi:10.36713/epra16519.
4.Jian, M. (2022) ‘The impact of over-urbanization on humans and the benign interference on the architectural level’, Highlights in Science, Engineering and Technology, 28, pp. 286–291. doi:10.54097/hset.v28i.4159.
5.Curtis, W.J. (2020) Modernism and the search for Indian identity, The Architectural Review. Available at: https://www.architectural-review.com/places/india/modernism-and-the-search-for-indian-identity (Accessed: 11 August 2024).
6.Femi Oluwatoyin Omole, Oladiran Kayode Olajiga and Tosin Michael Olatunde (2024) ‘Sustainable urban design: A review of eco-friendly building practices and community impact’, Engineering Science & Technology Journal, 5(3), pp. 1020–1030. doi:10.51594/estj.v5i3.955.
