While the entire world has gotten busy with innovating techniques, materials, elements, in present day India, the idea of a sustainable design appears to be ambiguous. We can find a trend of looking at the West for inspiration catching up with the architects. Historically, our country has been a pioneer of green design. From the stepwells in Gujarat and Rajasthan to preserve water, to use of elements such as chhajjas and jaalis to help regulate daylight and wind, our ancestors designed structures as an extension of one’s living. Diverse material selection in different climatological regions also helped define a unique design language.
Air and water are two essential elements for our survival. And as we look around, we realize that more and more cities across India are very soon going to be unlivable. Through careful study, the succeeding generation can find inspiration and design keeping in mind their environment, availability of resources, and minimal waste generation.
It is important to incorporate a multidisciplinary view to generate a more comprehensive outlook with regard to the Smart City concept.
The term ‘Smart Cities’ is in vogue, and everyone is using it. Yet, the very definition of a smart city is still to be comprehended to its fullest, even by experts. People from different educational and professional backgrounds would explain this concept in different ways.
To me, a Smart City is one that is high on efficiency in every way. From sustainability and low carbon footprints to the incorporation of technology, every facet of the city is geared towards complete productivity. I have always believed that a city can only be ‘Smart’ if its citizens are so. Therefore, the atom of this compound called ‘Smart City’, rests with the Smart Citizens and that cultural evolutions needs to take place amongst all of us in order to create a more livable, a more memorable, and a more sustainable city, which we can call ‘smart’.
