Two critical junctions in North Delhi crowdsource ideas for revamp from young designers

Delhi, 11th June 2024: Young Leaders for Active Citizenship (YLAC) and Sensing Local are proud to announce the outcomes of the Urban Revamp Design Challenge 2024. This collaboration, in conjunction with the Sustainable Mobility Network, awards young urban designers and architects for their exceptional concepts that will breathe new life into Delhi’s public spaces.

This year, the initiative aims to foster inclusive urban design to transform Banda Bahadur Marg and Chaudhary Fateh Singh Marg, two critical locations within the Timarpur constituency of New Delhi, into functional spaces that create a lasting public square and enhance local culture and community interaction.

The competition attracted over 90 registrations from individuals and teams comprising students, professionals, and experts from renowned architecture schools and firms.

Participants were guided through community-led visioning workshops to gain insights into the socio-cultural context and specific needs of the sites. Stakeholder engagement sessions facilitated dialogue with residents and relevant authorities, enabling participants to develop designs that resonate with the community’s aspirations and address pressing challenges.

After rounds of mentoring and support from the YLAC over the last three months, a jury comprising community representatives from both locations, noted urban designers and architects, and faculty from the School of Planning and Architecture, Delhi selected the best design from each site.

The winning suggestions for Banda Bahadur Marg came from Vidisha Dhar, Neelima Singh, and Kashfi Khanam from Arcadis IBI Group, where they envision Banda Bahadur Marg with a people-centric approach aimed to create a vibrant and sustainable streetscape that enhances the quality of life for all residents.

Winners of Chaudhary Fateh Singh Marg were Manna Nixon, Serene Meccartin, and Teenu J Thaikattil. Their proposal emphasises pedestrian-friendly infrastructure and smart technologies. By prioritising connectivity, well-being, and economic vitality, their design envisions resilient and thriving urban environments that cater to the needs of current and future generations.

The winning teams of the Challenge were officially facilitated by Timarpur MLA, Shri Dilip Pandey. Mr Pandey reviewed the winning proposals in-depth and provided additional feedback for successful implementation in the two locations.

Honouring the efforts, Timarpur MLA, Shri Dilip Pandey says, “It’s inspiring to see young people taking an interest in improving their roads and cities. The Urban Revamp Challenge has provided an important platform for political authorities to work hand in hand with the community through young urban designers. By involving residents in the consultation process for revamping public infrastructure, this challenge brings a fresh and valuable perspective to development. It’s heartening to know that the everyday issues faced by residents, which might otherwise be overlooked, are being brought to light and addressed effectively.”

Aparajita Bharti, Co-Founder YLAC, added, “After conducting the Urban Revamp challenge in four locations in Bengaluru, we are proud to bring the competition here to Delhi in partnership with Sensing Local. The objective of running this challenge is to involve local communities and city residents in reimagining their spaces. This is also a great way to build the capacity of young urban designers and architects by giving them live problems to work with and getting them invested in city planning early on in their careers. “

YLAC:

Founded in 2016, Young Leaders for Active Citizenship (YLAC) aims to increase the participation of young people in the policymaking process and build their capacity to lead change. Our interventions are designed to equip citizens with a better understanding of the society they live in and the challenges that it confronts. The aim is to help young people broaden their perspective, think critically about their socio-political construct, tap their leadership potential and acquire skills to create long lasting impact.