Vitalization of planned sector by developing a third space network: a case of sector-23, Dwarka, Delhi

Abstract

The realm of urban design and planning is incomplete without understanding the sociological transformations going around in the urban environment. There is always a quest to understand the reason behind the success of certain kinds of spaces and failure of others. This question is the vey basis of this thesis inquiry wherein there is an attempt to delve deep into the spatial qualities of space which makes the area robust and vibrant in nature. The answer to this question is south through the sociological concept of third spaces. The spaces which actively engage with the people and communities living in the immediate vicinity and bring in a feeling of homeliness by regular usage are sought after in this thesis. Basically, third spaces are a home away from home. This concept is explored by going through the different resources related to third space theories, which would enable clear understanding of the core concept. Thereafter, certain case studies related to decoding of third spaces in the urban fabric is deeply delved into. Though there is a lack of Indian context in these cases, they present a template to us and help us in forming a clear strategy to read the urban fabric and identify third spaces within. This template is then applied to studying contemporary Indian neighbourhood wherein we have a planned sector juxtaposed with an urban village. The lack of vitality in these planned sectors due to rigid planning approach is what forms the hypothesis of this inquiry. For this, the planned sector 23 of the sub district of Dwarka in New Delhi has been selected because of the availability of complexity with respect to the juxtaposition of settlements of contrasting characters. This complexity would present to us the different typologies of open spaces, their spatial attributes and their positive and negative impacts on the urban fabric and people in the immediate vicinity. As we investigate the different aspects of third spaces, we also must realise that these spaces are a result of a complex process of social, spatial, and economic changes. The idea is to extract the elements of third spaces which attract people and aid in community bonding, active and passive recreation, provide opportunities for local economy and thereby we can seek to change the popular belief regarding the public spaces in Indian cities through creative placemaking which seeks to improve the usability of a space by utilising the elements of third spaces and at the same time catering to the aspirational needs of the burgeoning middle class. The intent is to start a process of spatial transformation by examining the existing situations in a planned Indian neighbourhood with an aim to enhance neighbourhood vitality by creating a third space network. This would not only bring about a character change in the local neighbourhood but also act as a template for other neighbourhoods in the vicinity, thereby we can comfortably assume that this could act as a worthy contribution to the future of urbanism in Indian cities.