MARKET ARCHITECTURE : What lures you in apart from that shopping list!
- Nishita Chopra
- Sep 17, 2020
- 5 min read
Last week, we studied the various effects public spaces have on us, namely, hospitals and museums. This week, we hit up a somewhat more personal public space, That's right, a more personal, public space.
The Market Spaces.
The reason for a market place being called personal is because of the variety of services it has to offer which makes it very much suitable to needs of each customer. Thus, making the experience quite a personal one even if done in large commercial hub.
Looking at cities both Indian and foreign, there are broadly,four types of markets making up the city:
Our local markets,
Wholesale markets,
The fancy markets with branded shops and
The commercial markets; malls.
Each market lures or entices the customers with it's own identity.
In India, far and wide, there is one market type that has not failed to be known among people and has also become one of the most visited tourist destination - Cannaught Place.
Connaught Place (officially Rajiv Chowk) formulated as the Central Business District for the Imperial Government, is now one of the largest and most prosperous financial, business and commercial centers of India. Due to its location and connectivity by different modes as well as spatial characteristics, it acts as a hub for various facets of life in Delhi.
Lets breakdown the area and try and understand how and why it became one of the most well sought after commercial space in India.
TOUCH OF TODAY
Connaught Place is one of the poshest and most well connected markets of Delhi.
You see today with its touch of modernity, how well connected it still is with all the metros and the wide roads. It also boasts very proudly of one of the first underground air conditioned market, Palika Bazaar
For Indian commoners, it’s a shopping paradise, the ultimate hangout space and a favourite food haven. For non-Indians, it’s a must-visit destination. And for retailers, it’s the dream workplace to be at.
This market was constructed to mark the opening site of New Delhi (what was then known as Lutyen's Delhi). From being the pride of British Government’s newly constructed capital city in India, this market has sure come a long way!!
Reports have indicated that CP stands amongst the top ten expensive markets around the world. At one point, it even beat, up-market locations such as Midtown Manhattan, New York and Central London.
HISTORY OF YESTERDAY
Architect Robert Tor Russell designed Connaught Place which was named after the Duke of Connaught. The construction went on for about 4 years from 1929 to 1933. It was made to serve the elite living in Delhi, especially in areas designed by the architect Edwin Lutyens.
The architecture of CP is inspired from the Royal Crescent in Bath, with the only difference being that the latter is semi-circular and three-storied. It follows the Gregorian Style of Architecture, with its huge colonnades, the colonnaded passages which are double heighted and partially open, making it completely passenger friendly.
Initially built as a commercial hub for the elite by the British with its huge columns and white royal architecture and wide roads, (thanks to the horse driven carriages), the functionality of Cannaught Place essentially, still remains the same. Even today, it is still the commercial and shopping paradise to the elite with still ever standing colonnades, the wide roads and the addition of branded shops along with the older historic shops such Wengers and Regal Cinema, that CP began to be known for.
ARCHITECTURE AND IT'S IMPACT
The reason of focus on this particular market place is because we find, in India, it is the only market place that seems to lure in consumer base from every financial strata. From offering products of local shops to handcrafted products to globally renowned brands, be it in food or consumer products, CP is one place which is able to provide for one and all needs or wants.
Lets breakdown the various aspects as to how the architecture makes Cannaught Place what it is today.
The space offers open wide roads, thanks to the horse carriages, which have not only made the roads easier for traffic control but also a model space to study the control of high vehicular traffic volume. There are three circles forming CP. The way to each circle is defined well and crossroads made at every junction along with adequate parking spaces makes the traffic control smooth as we keep going towards the inner circle.
The lavish design of CP provided for large open spaces and have proved to be valuable public space in today’s context. The Grand Scale and architectural character of Connaught Place makes it stand out amongst the buildings which surround it.
The shops lined up on both the sides of the road with adequate crossing for pedestrians and the wide colonnaded pathway make it comfortable and safe for all pedestrians to approach the shops and eateries. It even provides a space enough for a group to hang out at one side leaving enough access to the other passer-byes.
The huge, royal arched entrance acts as a prominent approach for consumers to all the offices or commercials spaces. With the area being a historic landmark with its architecture and the connectivity, the retail prices have gone up. Hence, the shops or the commercial hubs made there are equally well looked after and well known.
The reason this market is compared to be at par with the Times Square at New York or the posh market of London, is because of its inviting architecture that generates a lot of bustling energy in it.
The addition of local underground market; Palika Bazaar, the fashion street of Delhi in close quarters from CP; Janpath market all makes CP, easy to access and point of meet for various plans.
The development of the central park in the inner circle not only makes it possible for the people to have leisure park at their close proximity but also adds another visually appealing color of green in contrast to the white impactful buildings. The central park draws in lot of interest thanks to its smart landscaping where one can easily see across the park, making it safe thus increasing the flow of customers to area. The park acts as a public interface, a visual connector, a recreational area as well as a socio-cultural platform to various users.
ARCHITECTURAL PSYCHOLOGY - The Breakdown
The white royal architecture coupled with huge arched entry to the stores inside is a combination that seems inviting to it's customer. The huge passageways that serve as a base for the hawkers and pedestrians alike, leave an impression of an ever lively market area. The pathways feel friendly and safe to the consumers, thus leaving a positive impact on them.
The easy access to local markets in the outskirts improves connectivity which in turn increases the footfall in the area. The well planned roads and pedestrian network has made sure that apart from the markets at CP, the ones outside it can also be easily approached.
COMPARISON TO SIMILAR MARKETS AROUND THE WORLD
Just as Cannaught Place in New Delhi, India,Times Square is the most visited destination in New York and the United States. Just as it seems like CP is eventually shaped by how people use it, the Times Square too seems to be more defined by its user space around it.
Some other examples of such markets, you'll find are:
The Marrackech Souks – Marrakech, Morocco - Due to its central location, Marrakech has always been a centre for trade. To this day, Morocco’s most well-known city remains a cultural and economic hub in Morocco.
The Floating Market - Bangkok, Thailand - The innovative tool of the use of boats to access the markets and eateries in the area, makes it a well visited place and also an architectural talk of the town.
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