Evolution India is based on the question of energy use. It generates an urban concept for the post-fossil fuel age and works with the human scale as the ultimate benchmark. Its main strategy consists of interconnecting a nested system of neighbourhood spaces with a multi-nodal networked city on a regional level by a system of greenbelts. In this manner urban heat island effects are avoided, resulting in reduced energy use and an enhanced quality of life. The concept proposes a network of greenbelts and decentred diverse towns instead of one hub, and a large green area as had been proposed by the existing master plan. Each hub relates to the local conditions such as water, infrastructure, forests, or old villages where the hub is located. The greenbelts are planned along existing rivers, lakes, and woods to generate an environment of fresh air and green space. Each of the urban nodes is endowed with a distinct identity: new eco-research, renewable energies, urban agriculture, and eco-tourism. The housing typologies integrate old and new energy-efficient technologies such as courtyards and solar systems, and they promote a sensitive social integration. Walkability and public transport serve as benchmarks of neighbourhood design. A system of community spaces (plazas cum services) forms the backbone of each neighbourhood, promoting bottom up management, local ownership, and participation.
Friedemann Jonas and Jost Gobel
