The Refurbishment of Marine Drive

Marine Drive: The public space

Over the past 30 years, there have been enormous shifts in the socio-economic structure of urbanising India. This has impacted the way we look at our public spaces. Waterfronts have always fascinated architects, planners and urban designers amongst others, as they act as an ideal canvas to explore the ways of re-claiming the city.

Waterfronts have also attracted multiple debates at the political and economic levels.  They hugely impact the property strategies, the politics of space and dominate the real estate shift, thereby playing a catalytic role in shaping the ‘People, Planet, Profit’ debate becoming more than just a unique natural phenomenon.

Marine Drive is one such iconic promenade for Mumbaikars, synonymous with the city, its identity and transformation. Previously known as the Kennedy Sea Face footpath, one of the first efforts to formalise the seafront and to make it into a public space was a request initiated by the people in early 1885. This ambitious project was taken up in 1915 and successfully finished in a short time span of five years.

In 2004 an open competition was organised by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), a call to prepare this public space for the city’s exploding and transitioning masses. Soon after Ratan J. Batliboi Consultants Private Limited (registered under ARC-CGL) were awarded this massively challenging task of refurbishing this popular waterfront.

The Design Process: From Public Space to People’s Place

The popular saying ‘Why fix it if it ain’t broken?’, echoed as a strong guiding voice while we started the design process. In a very conscious attempt to maintain the humility that this place demanded, a set of non-negotiable parameters were devised. This enabled us to visualise and structure the priorities, constraints, environmental concerns v/s design, its impact and implication, all in a glance.

While our professional expertise and knowledge suggested that we develop a minimally invasive design, the greater challenge was capturing the peoples’ perception of their popular waterfront. For this, an extensive and exhaustive stakeholder team was devised. This included a wide range of local organisations such as the neighbourhood residents’ associations, heritage committees, Non Governmental Organisations (NGO), Non-profit Organisations (NPO), to various government authorities like The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), The Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM), ward offices, Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport Undertaking (BEST Undertaking), The Central Water and Power Research Station (CWPRS), etc. Further, the role of each of these stakeholders was formulated and every organisation had an elected representative addressing and voicing concerns of their group. This process led to developing one of the early models of an active Public-Private Participation, one that is gaining momentum.

 

Waterfronts have always fascinated architects, planners and urban designers amongst others, as they act as an ideal canvas to explore the ways of reclaiming the city

One interesting outcome of this bottom-up, citizen-driven design process was the ‘Rule of 99’, which stipulated that if the said proposition does not positively impact 99 percent of all the users, then it shall not be accommodated in the design. Thus the activities designed for the people were all created and approved by the majority. For example, a dedicated space for exercising received more votes over creating an area for dog walkers. This was one of the ways of ensuring that the design of public spaces truly reflected and addressed all Mumbaikars and was not limited to a select few making it a truly democratic practice where the decision makers are its citizen, who play a vital role in reclaiming their public space.

Thus started the journey of redefining this waterfront edge from being a Public Space to becoming a Popular People’s Place; owned by none and accessed by all, that welcomed its rich and poor alike.

Design Elements: Making of the People’s Place

Marine Drive hosts a range of activities from being a pure recreational destination to the locals, to being transformed into a popular cultural hub during the Ganesh festival or on special events like the Air Show and the Republic Day parade. The promenade, fondly referred to as ‘The Queen’s Necklace’, attracts plenty of tourists from all over the city, country and abroad. Thus the design needed to relate to this diverse range of demographics, which also fluctuates by the hour, day and month. Besides it was also important to recognise this as the true essence of the space that brought in its colour, pattern and identity.

‘Designing Nothingness’, was the underlining philosophy adopted for this project rendering it as an open waterfront with an uninterrupted view of the horizon.

While the design elements were derived keeping all this in perspective and through exhaustive research, analysis and studies, for the purpose of tangential outcomes of this 4.5 km long promenade the entire design was divided into two phases. The first phase, that was completed in 2007, aimed at creating a pragmatic infrastructural base while phase two dealt with weaving dramatic experiences along the stretch.

Infrastructure development involved paving the way for formalising the edge and establishing a connection between the user and the sea. This was done by introducing the sea wall for safety and it doubled up as seating, landscaped bus-stop areas and was an efficient, non-motorised, pedestrian-friendly edge. In order to ensure efficient crowd management during festivals, customised details were designed to accommodate bollards to construct temporary barricades.

Such place making strategies revolved around enhancing user experience by smart material choices that were weather proof, durable and keeping the colour palette to minimal and grey tones.

Phase two, presently at an approval stage, ensured developing and establishing a connection between the edge and the neighbourhood pockets. The idea was to create  various activity-conscious zones such as formal plazas, viewing balconies, amphitheatre and bhel plaza, integrating recreational parks along the beach front and creating a formal beach access. In order to ensure and propagate a pedestrian friendly zone, we proposed subways, user friendly and way finding signage, street furniture and lighting design that enhanced safety measures. With an idea to take advantage of the proximity of art deco buildings along the stretch, the art deco walk and eco walk were proposed as curated trails. In an attempt to extend the boundaries of the public realm, the proposal recommended creating a public access to the top of the prominent Air India building and creating sky decks.  To ensure maintenance and management of the promenade, educational and awareness camps were designed to be a part of the larger agenda. Also, methods of revenue generation through merchandising and branding memorabilia were envisioned.

In conclusion

This journey of refurbishment of Marine Drive entrusted to us has unveiled many new challenges: doing justice to the symbolism of the place, of living the experience of every visitor and designing for them and creating memories for future generations. One that we believe we are still learning and re-inventing each day as we continue to be the custodians to translate people’s aspirations.

All Photographs: Ratan J Batliboi