International architecture firm UNStudio has developed a concept for Karle Town Centre, a neighbourhood in Bangalore that combines community, sustainability, smart technology and a defining visual aesthetic.
Dubbed the Silicon Valley of India, Bangalore is home to a veritable abundance of technology companies. Its status as a tech hub means more demand for residences where company employees can live. Additionally, the city occupies a unique position where it can serve as an example for Indian urban destinations of the future.
Karle Town Centre, which is currently under construction next to Manyata Tech Park overlooking Nagavara Lake, puts the focus firmly on the residents through including a number of community spaces such as a grand central theatre, event square plazas, and retail stores. The neighbourhood's road layout also promotes pedestrian movement while traffic is limited to certain areas, granting inhabitants a respite from the buzz of the city.
Bangalore's existing lush greenery—a characteristic that has slowly been eroded in recent years—will also be preserved and leveraged. Gardens and sky gardens designed by Dutch firm Baljon Landscape Architects will promote residents' wellbeing while serving as a thermal buffer against heat gain, reducing wind, and filtering the air.
UNStudio's architecture technology company UNSense has partnered with Indian urban infrastructure company Karle Infra to develop sensors that will be placed through the neighbourhood that will collect data, which can then be used to determine how the environment can be improved to promote wellbeing even more.
Visually, the neighbourhood is characterised by a distinctive look: contemporary curved forms set to define the skyline, street furniture to match, and paint called The Coolest White developed by UNStudio and Monopol Colors to reflect heat, reducing the need for air conditioning.
Images courtesy of UNStudio
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