Creating "Peri Urban Identity"

Silvassa is a town on the Daman Ganga River in western India, bordering the state of Gujarat. Formerly under Portuguese rule, it’s known for its varied tribal heritage. The city has a large number of factories and industries providing significant government revenue due to which the landscape of  Silvassa and surrounding region has altered dramatically in recent years. Due to rapid industrialization and fast paced development, public image of city Silvassa appears to be less engrossing and doesn’t stimulate its rich traditional roots even being formerly known as a tribal village. Besides this the Tribal community is recognized around the world for its art (Warli Art), dance, festivals, however Silvassa as a city misses to reflect this reality as a notable part of its culture and history.

The cultural landscape of Silvassa and the villages at the periphery of the city play a vital role in giving the city its present identity and is thus the evident connection between the rich culture of villages (tribes) and the development of city (migrants). Due to the pace of development, city's open spaces gradually form a character and represent its history. Hence taking inspiration from the overall setting of Silvassa, the design proposal is developed in two parts: (1)Designing character of public spaces, and (2) formulating design guidelines with respect to modern street scape elements that represent Silvassa and its villages. Together this shall contribute to create impressions, memories and attention of people, forming an "image of the city"