Mapping the Pulse of Urban Life

About the Project

This project delves into the intricate dynamics of a bustling municipal market square situated adjacent to one of Ahmedabad's busiest streets. Through meticulous observation and analysis, the project seeks to unravel the multifaceted layers of activity and engagement within the square.

From the morning rush of students to the afternoon influx of office-goers and the vibrant evening atmosphere, the square serves as a focal point for diverse communities throughout the day. By mapping both tangible features and intangible experiences, the project aims to shed light on the pivotal role of public squares in shaping urban life and fostering community interaction.

A collaborative work by Chitra Ahuja, Pooja Mewada, Pooja Nagaraj, Rinal Mistry, Saloni Shah, and Zalak Patel.

Shop Layout & Ambiance

The underlying layout of the municipal market depicts the various types of shops and the overall ambiance of the place during periods of moderate crowd activity; the foundation on which all other maps are built.

Measuring the Square

A precise spatial metric of the market square; documenting dimensions, surface materials, and the physical proportions of the space that govern how people move through and inhabit it.

Movement Patterns

The market accommodates a variety of shops offering different types of goods; but not all experience the same level of customer activity. This map visualizes how people move through the square between 10am and 11pm, revealing which routes are most trafficked and which shops draw the most footfall.

Traffic & Access

Adjacent to one of Ahmedabad's busiest streets, the square constantly negotiates with vehicular traffic. This map traces the routes, frequencies, and types of vehicles that pass through or park within the market area throughout the day.

Crowd Distribution

From the morning rush of students to the afternoon influx of office-goers and the vibrant evening atmosphere, the square serves as a focal point for diverse communities. This map captures how density shifts across time; which pockets fill first, which remain quiet, and how the space breathes throughout the day.

Scent Distribution

One of the more unusual maps in the set; documenting the enticing aroma of food and its distribution across the square by morning and evening. Scent is invisible but powerful; it draws people, signals activity, and shapes the character of different corners of the space in ways no floor plan can capture.

Emotional Atmosphere

Urban surveys rarely attempt to document feeling. This map records the observed moods of people within the market square on a weekday; mapping where energy concentrates, where people linger in conversation, where the pace quickens, and where the square invites rest.

Non-Human Inhabitants

The market is not only a human space. Pigeons, crows, squirrels, and dogs move through it on their own terms; following food, shade, and familiar routes. This map traces the movement patterns of the square's non-human occupants, making visible a layer of urban life that is always present but almost never acknowledged.

Identification of Sellers

The final map identifies and categorizes the sellers operating within the square, formal shop owners, informal vendors, and itinerant traders, mapping the economic ecosystem of the market and revealing how different types of commerce coexist and compete within a single public space.