The Hindu 29.11.2009
‘Involve people in urban planning’
Special Correspondent
MYSORE: Emphasising on “bottom-up” approach and people’s involvement in urban planning and city development, Charles Campion of John Thompson & Partners, United Kingdom-based architecture firm, has said that satellite towns play an important role in dispersing growth and decongesting the core city area. He was making a presentation on urban planning at the Institution of Engineers here on Saturday.
Mr. Campion pointed out that the key to successful urban planning was public participation and not consultation. “Architects should participate and interact with the community to ascertain what it wants rather than acting as professional consultants.”
Mr. Campionsaid communicating with stakeholders was the critical element in architectural design and urban planning.Architects had forgotten how to design places for people, he said. Referring to Mysore, he said the city was at a critical stage of development and it was for the people to decide what sort of Mysore they want.
