The new administrative state capital of Andhra Pradesh- Amaravati- is set to rise as a sustainable smart city. On a recent visit to India, Lord Foster- the owner of Foster + Partners- met the state’s chief minister- N Chandrababu Naidu and state officials to supervise the next stage of the development of the governmental complex in the city. The international firm has planned to design 217-square-kilometre city’s central governmental complex. It will also include two key structures, including high court complex and the legislative assembly, along with many secretariat buildings.
The Founder and Executive Chairmen of Foster +Partners, Norman Foster, said: “We are delighted to be working with the Chief Minister and the Government of Andhra Pradesh to help them realise their ideas for the People’s Capital and to build a clear and inspiring vision for the governmental complex at Amaravati. The design brings together our decades-long research into sustainable cities, incorporating the latest technologies that are currently being developed in India.”
According to Foster + Partners, situated on the banks of the River Krishna, the 134- square mile city is strategically positioned to get easy access to fresh water and will be one of the most sustainable in the world. Moreover, the city has been planned to the highest standards of sustainability, including the widespread use of electric vehicles and solar energy. The city has been designed by using the latest and advanced technology such as photovoltaic. Additionally, the transportation plan includes dedicated cycling routes, electric vehicles, water taxis and shaded streets that encourage people to walk through the city.
Foster +Partners’ master plan is to create the green “spine” that will be at least 60 percent covered with either water or greenery. Also, they claim that the area must be inspired by Lutyens’ Delhi and New York’s Central Park as the city has a robust urban grid.
The plan is to keep the legislative assembly building inside of a large freshwater lake at the centre of the spine, which will appear to be floating over the water’s surface. Based on Hindu principles of Vastu Shastra, its square plan has the ministers’ entry from the east and the public entrance from the North. The centre of the building is designed to be a void, close to a courtyard. Moreover, the structure noticeably spikes 820 feet towards the sky at its core. There will be a spiral ramp that will take people to a cultural museum and the viewing gallery.
The high court complex is positioned off the spine’s central axis, with its stepped, dome-shaped roof influenced by India’s ancient stupas. The deep overhangs allow natural ventilation and cooling throughout, and the programming is made up of concentric layers of rooms and circulation spaces. The public-facing parts, the lower courts and the administrative offices will be located on the outer edges of the building, while the most sensitive inner areas are reserved for the private chambers and the Chief Justice’s court.