The Mumbai Esplanade is a significant civic improvement project connecting the city’s open spaces with train stations and business/cultural districts; it creates a single contiguous landscaped area that links some of the city centre’s primary places of interests such as transit employment and commercial nodes. The Mumbai Esplanade will have connected not only the 125 acres of existing parks, but will have added on 51 acres of new, open public space to Mumbai by linking the parks of the district to plazas, train stations and the central business district.

The creation of an urban plaza is the most efficient solution for creating a balance between pedestrian comfort and safety, and smooth flow of automobile traffic. The residual benefit to the citizens of Mumbai is the creation of an open landscape in a city starved of open space. Surrounding the Cooperage Ground, Azad, Cross and Oval Maidans, a part of the Mumbai Esplanade will incorporate a 1 meter raised platform which will allow unobstructed views of the grand heritage structures overlooking the maidans. Links to the Gateway of India and the Museum district will allow contiguous flow to Churchgate and C. Shivaji Terminus. The distinct historic district of Mumbai will be preserved and celebrated; making it open for Mumbaikars and tourists to enjoy this beautiful environment. Mumbai Esplanade seeks to give citizens the opportunity to reconnect with this port-city, so rich in history and significance

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Rupali Gupte

Rupali Gupte is an architect and urbanist based in Mumbai, Professor at the School of Environment and Architecture (SEA) and a partner at BARDStudio. Her work often crosses disciplinary boundaries and takes different forms – writings, drawings, mixed-media works, story telling, teaching, curation, walks and spatial interventions.

Her works include extensive research on contemporary Indian urbanism with a focus on architecture and built environment; tactical practices; housing; and urban form. In 2013, she co-founded the School of Environment and Architecture (sea.edu.in). SEA is envisaged as an experimental academic space for research and education in architecture and urbanism. She has a wide range of publications, has delivered lectures and been on juries across the world. Her works in collaboration with her partner Prasad Shetty, have been shown in several exhibitions including the 56th Venice Biennale, X Sao Paolo Architecture Biennale, Seoul Biennale of Art and Architecture, at Manifesta 7 in Bolzano, at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Barcelona and at galleries such as Project 88, Devi Art Foundation and the Mumbai Art Room. She has recently curated an exhibition involving artists and architects titled ‘When is Space? Conversations in Contemporary Architecture’ at the Jawahar Kala Kendra.

Rupali Gupte