Located in the heart of Mumbai, Senapati Bapat Marg flyover is one of the important veins to the body of the nation’s financial capital. Being one of the busiest routes, it also generates enormous noise pollution. The aim was to transform the stretch of 1800 metres of streetscape and transportation system along the road. StudioPOD was appointed as the urban design and master planning consultant for One Green Mile. A small but impactful space of this project was the 200 metre long unused space below the flyover known as Parel Baug. The authorities invited MVRDV to collaborate for transforming the negative spaces which respond to the area’s needs for green spaces and physical amenities.
MVRV moved forward in response to StudioPOD’s initial ideas and planning for this space. Synching with StudioPOD, MVRDV worked on developed ideas and a design that had blue strips that flowed throughout the space making a unique visual comfort and synergy throughout the One Green Mile.
A sloppy and paved landscape converts the experience of 2d to 3d with its visual experience. The visual approach to the site embarks every aspect of intervention and makes it a wholesome experience. The area has been divided into various parts with multiple functions. An exhilarating green space diverges into multiple spaces further turning One Green mile into a cohesive experience. The arched green patch sparks a welcoming entry promoting a biodiversified experience and cooling the internal spaces along with reducing noise pollution.
“Perhaps one day we will see the end of noisy, unpleasant highways carving up our cities, but for now they are still unfortunately a necessary evil – one you can see in Mumbai more than most cities”, says MVRDV partner Stefan de Koning.
“One Green Mile asks the question: what if we expected highways to give something back to the places they cut through? A flyover can provide some shade in a hot city, and creates a small area of land that can’t be developed with tall buildings. It’s not such a crazy idea to make that into a public space.”
The design is a cohesive effort for pedestrians and cyclists as it makes the space user friendly and accessible. The bright themed pathways through different materials and colour scheme promotes road safety measures by incorporation of a greasy mobility network that stimulates cycling. The lighting across the space responds to the space with the urban furniture that creates an impactful space with assured safety throughout day and night.
The project portrays a circular economy approach that utilises the spaces underneath the flyover by making it accessible and elegant, adding a purpose to the spaces defined negatively. The use of high tech technology helps to store the monsoon water to irrigate the plethora of green patches within One Green Mile. With inclusivity of various features, such an approach can be proposed anywhere in the city including past programmes to the project context.
The masterplan by StudioPOD will continue to flow other urban spaces throughout the city which includes reimagining the entire stretch of 11.22 kilometer from Mahalaxmi racecourse to Dharavi Mangrove region.
