In recent years, India has emerged as a focal point for architects and urban designers from around the world. From the rich legacy of masters and emerging firms to smart city initiates being established across the peninsula, the acts of decolonization in architecture design to the evolution of a modernized vernacular, India has been demonstrating the power of supporting good architecture and urban design. This year, ArchDaily launched ArchDaily Building for Billions, a column that discusses the effects of population rise, urbanization, and economic growth on India’s built environment. Building for Billions was fueled by the recognition of changes and innovative projects washing over the country.
India, with its ambitious growth plans, stands as a powerful economic force on the global stage. The country boasts one of the world's fastest-growing economies, a thriving start-up ecosystem, and flourishing sectors in technology, digital services, and manufacturing. However, alongside these achievements, India deals with challenges brought about by its expanding population, including issues of density, infrastructure, social inequality, and environmental sustainability in its built environment.
With its contrasting and complex context, India presents a unique canvas for designers to create solutions that address urban challenges. The series focuses on local architects and urban designers spearheading development in India's built environment. The country serves as a case study for the future of cities, offering insights into rapid urbanization, technological innovations, economic growth, cultural dynamics, governance complexities, and the need for resilience in the face of natural disasters.
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Varanasi's Ghats: The Adaptable Riverscapes of IndiaIndia's importance to the global design community lies in the valuable lessons it offers for the rest of the world. The series seeks to understand and contextualize the design discourse in India and the multiple projects emerging from it:
Building for Billions: India's Rise to Becoming the Most Populous Nation
Building for a Growing Population: Shifting the Focus to Rural India
The Modernist Laboratory of the Future: Exploring Le Corbusier and Louis Kahn’s Architecture in India
The Transformative Power of Urbanization: How Indian Cities like Delhi Plan for Urban Growth
Design for Density: Housing in India as Social Infrastructure
Urban Sanitation in India: Past, Present, and Future
The Shift in India's Cultural Landscape: A Look at Contemporary Projects
Urban Disparities: How Caste Shapes Cities
Learnings from Collective Housing in India
Courtyards: The Heart of Multi-Generational Houses in India
Finding the Indian in Contemporary Residential Architecture
As ArchDaily continues to explore India's urban landscape, it aims to cover thought-provoking ideas related to slums, megacities, cultural preservation, and sustainable development. The column will engage with visionaries, future-builders, and thought leaders to discuss how India can achieve its goals in the next few decades. In 2024, Building for Billions will continue to contribute to the discourse on India's built environment, providing a platform to discuss and understand the evolving urban fabric of the country.
This article is part of the ArchDaily Topics: Year in Review, presented by Randers Tegl.
“When creating unique architecture, visionary ideas aren’t always enough. A unique look demands character, courage, and distinctive materials. And a format to achieve the extraordinary. At Randers Tegl, we aim to add a unique touch to exceptional brickworks by bringing premium bricks to life and into the world of architecture. Making the impossible possible. We are proud to be a part of unique architecture worldwide since 1911.”
Every month we explore a topic in-depth through articles, interviews, news, and architecture projects. We invite you to learn more about our ArchDaily Topics. And, as always, at ArchDaily we welcome the contributions of our readers; if you want to submit an article or project, contact us.
