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CASE STUDIES

RECLAIMING THE EXISTING: A TOOL FOR

URBAN RENEWAL

MS. MAITHILY G. The paper focuses on reclamation countries creating unlivable
urban environment. Cities
of existing natural systems and
VELANGI infrastructural layers of city have condensed down to mere
cores to give some relief and places of stay for everyday
bring in some breathable open earning and commuting
spaces which can not only be rather than places for living a
recreational entities but can healthy life. Citizens of urban
also be looked at as connected areas often need to travel
series of open spaces forming outside the city limits for
networks for movement. While recreation, relaxation or even
looking at two case studies, the to breathe comfortably. As the
paper brings in initial ideas of focus is on built environment,
“Core city areas are the ones identifying potential networks the unbuilt environment is
which are more vulnerable in city of Belagavi, Karnataka. neglected and does not fulfill
to dereliction, neglect and With .growing urban population the need for quality open
and migration, the demand of
spaces for the people. A city
there is a need to carve out habitable spaces has increased. should be a place for living –
some breathing spaces into While extensions of cities are a healthy life and not merely
the dense fabric. To initiate still able to provide livable a place for accommodation.
urban renewal in such areas, conditions, the city cores/ old Indian civilization lays
as it is seen through case areas of cities suffer degradation emphasis on public spaces
studies, the existing natural due to deterioration of built within the city fabric that
systems should be revived.” spaces and pressure on available are closely knitted to ensure
land. Within this framework, welfare and well-being of
providing essential open spaces Indian culture and economics,
to the people is important. This and impart social character to
paper discusses the importance Indian cities. These spaces,
of identifying existing networks positioned themselves as
which can play multiple roles main anchors of the cities and
and fulfill the most needed villages, be it a village square
Keywords: reclamation, natural quality open spaces. to a community well, from
systems, urban renewal, infrastructure maidans to the small, shaded
corridor INTRODUCTION streets in dense urban fabrics.
Today, cities are expanding More often the presence of
Ms. Maithily G. Velangi (Maithily.v@ exorbitantly at a faster pace, natural systems within the
bmsca.org) is Assistant Professor, BMS city gave opportunities for the
College of Architecture, Bengaluru especially in the developing

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HUDCO-HSMI Publication