JAIPUR CITY PLANNINGHOUSING SPA / UD / 590

The site with the natural east west ridge and the surrounding forts as defense feature

The site selected for

establishing the new capital of

Jaipur was a valley located

south of Amber and the plains

beyond, a terrain that was the

bed of a dried lake.

The physical constraints that

informed the building of

Jaipur city included the hills

on the north that housed the

fort of Jaigarh and the Amber

palace beyond, and the hills

on the east, which contained

the sacred spot of Galtaji.

• Planned according to the Prastara type of layout, which gives prominence to the cardinal directions.

• Thus plan of jaipur is a grid of 3x3 with gridlines being the city’s main streets.

CONCEPTUAL PRASTARA PLAN

PLANNING

Based on ancient Indian planning principles, the city is grid iron in plan with wide straight streets intersecting at right angles. The primary streets form the sector which are subdivided into smaller blocks by secondary and tertiary streets.

PLANNING

The main artery of the city runs east to west and is intersected by three primary streets running south to north. Each intersection is made prominent by the formation of a Chaupar, a cross.

Most of the important functions are located on main artery called Tripolia Bazaar and the three primary streets called Krishan Pol Bazzar, Chaura Rasta and the Jauhari Bazaar.

The organization of street pattern aimed at providing continuous commercial activities along the main street keeping the Palace complex at the focal point.

PLANNING

The nature of sectors is closely related to the pattern of its routes. Sectors may be with clear edges or they may be merging into one another. At times sectors are simple, following a uniform building and space relationship and at times they are complex.

Within a sector some parts of the called Muhallas can be recognized as definite units for the difference that can be found in one Muhalla from the other.

These Muhallas usually take their name from the predominant caste group, founder’s name, bazaar name, name of the gate etc. The population of a Muhalla may be several thousand or a few hundred only. The difference lies, essentially in the visual character of one Muhalla from the other and at times in the plan also.

SECTORS

There is a kind generic clustering inhabited by a caste or caste group, yet it is not specific to that particular group only.

These sectors are highly porous masses of built form. Every house has court. The streets are narrow and at times winding.

SECTORS

There are three categories the streets. Each category makes a context within the sector. There is a sense of hierarchy both functional and visual.

Primary streets are major links, major commercial streets or both.

Secondary streets, also serve as links and also cater to commercial functions. But commerce tends to become more of specialized nature. The difference, as compared to primary streets, lies in the specialized use in trade and related landuse generated thereby. It gives a sense of continuity to the city because of continued shopping activity.

Linkages as well as commerce gets localized on tertiary streets. These streets mostly serve the local population.

STREETS

STREETS

STREETS

CLUSTER

A group of houses make a ‘street-cluster’. The in-between elements, between house and the street, become quite important and generate fair amount of activity. These streets can be considered as micro-neighbourhoods and they usually contain one community group.

HOUSE FORM

HOUSE FORM

HOUSE FORM