Place Making Project at Sambhaji Garden, Pune

Located in the heart of Pune, Maharashtra, the Sambhaji Garden site in Shivajinagar presents a remarkable opportunity for urban design and architecture to reshape a passive landscape into an engaging public realm. Just 150 km from Mumbai, Pune is renowned for its educational institutions and cultural vibrancy. The chosen site is surrounded by a mix of colonial heritage structures and contemporary developments, making it ideal for a project that reimagines placemaking for the young, dynamic crowd of the city. This project "Place Making Project at Sambhaji Garden in India, Maharashtra, Pune", also highlighting the work of architect Ashish Kelkar, proposes a sustainable and flexible public shopping plaza that encourages community interaction.

Site Context

Shivajinagar is a historically rich and socially active area with schools, offices, hospitals, museums, temples, and theatres within walking distance. Despite this vibrant ecosystem, the site—currently functioning as a public garden—is underutilized. A large compound wall separates it from JM Road, restricting access and engagement. Around the site, unorganized street markets and heavy pedestrian movement add to urban congestion and safety concerns. The project aims to re-channelize this energy into a designed public space that accommodates shopping, leisure, and cultural exchange.

Planning Issues

Several challenges define the current site:

• Underutilization of the garden: The passive landscape remains largely inaccessible and lacks dynamic programming.
• Street congestion: Pedestrian spillover onto busy roads due to unorganized vendors.
• Need for community space: Students, families, and visitors require a safe, engaging, and multifunctional public plaza.

Planning Proposal

The proposed design removes the restrictive compound wall and aligns the garden with the footpath, creating a seamless transition between city and plaza. The design features:

• Public Plaza: A vibrant open space with retail, food courts, and shaded seating areas.
• Street Furniture: Modular benches, planter-seating units, and lighting to enhance user comfort.
• Jogging Track: Alongside the Mutha river, promoting wellness and leisure.
• Flexible Design: A repeatable modular pattern allows adaptability and future expansion.

The plaza faces JM Road with tropical tree canopies overhead, creating harmony between modern urban architecture and the natural landscape. Shops and seating areas remain tucked within the plaza, preserving the skyline and providing a pedestrian-friendly atmosphere.

Architectural Features

• Landscape Integration: Trees are preserved with cut-outs in the plaza decking, blending built and natural environments.
• Street Furniture Design: Built with recycled perforated powder-coated steel and exposed brickwork, the furniture emphasizes sustainability and functionality.
• Shopping Corridors: Modern commercial spaces align with pedestrian pathways, ensuring safety and accessibility.
• Bird’s-Eye Design: Elevated views highlight the plaza’s fluidity and interactive nature.

Urban Design Significance

This project embodies the principles of placemaking in architecture, transforming an overlooked site into a landmark of community engagement. By addressing urban challenges and embracing sustainability, it sets a precedent for cities across India seeking to balance tradition, ecology, and modernization.

The Sambhaji Garden transformation in Pune is more than a physical redevelopment—it is an architectural vision that fosters inclusivity, social interaction, and sustainable growth. By creating a multifunctional plaza, the project redefines public space for the city’s evolving needs while celebrating its heritage and landscape.

Mentioned Project By: Ashish Kelkar