Mumbai architect wins global award

MUMBAI-BASED architect P K Das has been awarded the prestigious Jacob’s First International Medal-2016 for his work in revitalising waterfronts, rehabilitating slums and making urban planning a democratic and participatory process.

A native of Odisha, Das has been involved in restoring Bandra Bandstand and the Mithi Riverfront Development in Mumbai.

Das mapped Mumbai's slums and prepared a comprehensive slums redevelopment and integration plan, which showed the city actually has nearly 50 per cent of natural assets in riverbodies, mangroves, and lakes.

He is currently engaged with integrating more than 300 km of the city’s open drains and water courses and turning them into open, public spaces so that neglected areas can come alive.

Promoted by the Rockefeller Foundation and administered by The Municipal Art Society of New York, the Jane Jacobs Medal honours the author and urbanist Jane Jacobs, who died in 2006.

The medal, and cash prize of $100,000, will be awarded at a ceremony in Quito, Ecuador, on October 17 to coincide with the UN Habitat III Conference.

Das said, “With the expansion of cities, public spaces are sharply declining .... My challenge is to integrate these fragmented and disparate backyards into unified, just and equal cities.”