The city would have public spaces like the Battersea Park and the Rajpath in New Delhi.

Grand plans: Associate architect of Foster + Partners Harsh Thapar giving a presentation on Amaravati at the Assembly Committee Hall in Velagapudi on Saturday.
Grand plans: Associate architect of Foster + Partners Harsh Thapar giving a presentation on Amaravati at the Assembly Committee Hall in Velagapudi on Saturday. © VIJAYA BHASKAR

Foster + Partners unveiled a grand vision of the administrative city of Amaravati, for which it planned some futuristic projects such as a cloud-connected driverless rapid transit and buildings designed to be energy-efficient and that allow free flow of natural air, in a presentation to the MLAs and MLCs of Andhra Pradesh at the Legislative Assembly Committee Hall in Velagapudi on Saturday.

History and modernity

Showcasing the opulent features of Amaravati in the presence of Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, Legislative Council Chairman A. Chakrapani and Assembly Speaker Kodela Siva Prasada Rao, F+P associate architect Harsh Thapar and noted Indian architect Hafeez Contractor said the planning was done by duly taking into account the principles of ‘Vastu’ and the design elements of heritage structures such as temples in deference to Mr. Naidu’s wish to transform Amaravati into a city that combines history with modernity.

Mr. Thapar said the F+P had also factored in the internationally acclaimed grid model of urban development, which was shaped on the basis of a detailed study of elements that confer on a city the distinct characteristics of a capital city.

The striking features of New Delhi, Washington and London had been particularly researched as their urban designs were considered global benchmarks.

Each one of the 27 townships would be blocks measuring 2 km x 2 km and 10 % of its area would be made up of water bodies. Of the 900 acres, 51% would be green spaces, 25% building footprint, 14% roads and 10% waterfronts.

Four gateways

Mr. Thapar went on to say that Amaravati would have four prominent gateways that would bear resemblance to the entrance of historic temples and have city squares designed on the lines of Trafalgar, Sloane and the Duke of York Squares.

The city would have public spaces like the Battersea Park and the Rajpath in New Delhi.

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