Assemblies Of Cities

Urban Form -Determinants

URBAN FORM - DETERMINANTS

INTERNATIONAL TRADE FAIR, PRAGATI MAIDAN, DELHI
Any urban space defines an urban form in itself but its determinacy at most of the
time has a linkage with the various aspects/ determinants of urban form.
An urban form of a space can be categorised based on its urban determinant
which is rather complex.
As a matter of understanding, one example of urban space which can describe
the inter-relationship of urban form can be of India International Trade Fair, which
has evolved as a major event ever since its inception in 1980. This is held every
year at Pragati Maidan, Delhi from 14 Nov- 27 Nov.
Instead of being a secluded space it is a space which defines urban economy,
politics, form, society and culture as a whole or partly, however, urban economy
is the major determinant governing it.
Before going into the urban economy it is important to notice that this urban
space (pragati maidan) has a character in itself i.e., its urban form which has
been designed considering the major role that the space can play, which is
organising fairs.
This urban space generates economy in the form of trade and commerce to the
business class merchants and to the other stakeholders involved in the business.
Various agencies are benefitted in the whole mechanism whether it is the
ticketing or the revenue on parking or the revenue that is generated through the
merchandizing. The Urban economy is not mutually exclusive; politics also
governs the economy as one of the determinants. Politics is basically the role
government plays. The fair can not be called as a true public space as it is
restricted in some way or the other. It has a time frame and for the initial 2-3 days
it is restricted to a particular class of people and the other thing to note is the
circulation and movement pattern inside the pavilions are governed by the
respective agencies or department under which the fair falls. So here the
governance comes into play.
This urban space caters to two types of people, one the business class and the
rest are the local and foreign visitors from all sections of the society.
Sobia Ahsan
M.Arch (U.R)

F/o Arch. & Ekistics

Jamia Millia Islamia

Assemblies Of Cities

Urban Form -Determinants

For the business class, it is the economy which prevails over the trade fair while
for the local and foreign visitors the society or culture that describes the space
and in turn this urban culture is depicted in its form.
Each and every state of India puts up pavilions and stalls being it a retail
manufacturing stall or a food stall in a form or morphology that best describes
their state. Delhi has its own metropolitan character, Rajasthan having its own
traditional setup etc. Similar is the case with the International pavilions. The
products and the people describe the culture. This cultural determinant is again
linked with the economy because culture is generating economy in this case.
International trade fair brings up different people of society at one place. In this
regard the space becomes public.
So with this example of urban space one can say that all the determinants of
urban form are linked together with one or two major determinants that govern
the space.

Sobia Ahsan
M.Arch (U.R)

F/o Arch. & Ekistics

Jamia Millia Islamia