Anagha koenigsberger

OTTO KOENIGSBERGER (1908-1999) ARCHITECT and DEVELOPMENT

PLANNER

BODAS ANAGHA

4TH YEAR B.ARCH

OTTO KOENIGSBERGER OTTO KOENIGSBERGER,

architect, planner and Egyptologist, enjoyed a long and remarkable career that began with work as a government architect in Berlin in the 1930s.  

He introduced the concept of "action planning" - community-based schemes supported by government agencies - into many parts of the Third World.

He was one of the founders of modern urban development planning in the rapidly growing cities of Africa, Asia and Latin America.

Works 1931- Diploma of Engineering (Architecture), Technical University, Berlin 1933-1937-Research and excavation in Egypt (Swiss Institute) 1935-Dr.-Ing, Technical University, Berlin, (Thesis on The Construction of

Ancient Egyptian Doors) 1939-1941-Chief Architect and Planner Mysore State, India 1948-1951-Director of Housing, Government of India. 1952-Planning Advisor, Basildon New Town 1954-1981-UN Planning and Housing Adviser to Governments of Ghana,

Nigeria, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Singapore Planning Consultant to Governments of Zambia, Brazil, and Costa Rica, Philippines, Brazil, Penang State

1966-1970-Housing Adviser to the UN Economic Commission for Africa 1957-1972- Director of the post graduate course in Tropical Architecture,

later the Department of Development and Tropical Studies at the Architectural Association, London

1973-1978 Professor of Development Planning and Head of the Development Planning Unit, University College London 

Awards 1933 Schinkel Medal and State Prize in

Architecture 1979 Hon Dr-Ing University of Stuttgart 1989 UN Habitat Scroll of Honor (awarded by the

then UN Center for Human Settlements)

Key Concepts       ARCHITECTURE AND TROPICS PLANNING IN THE The special problems in architecture and planning in the

tropics, based on Koenigsberger’s experiences as chief architect in Mysore, India. Developed from his experience as Director of Housing for India when he was faced with the task of housing an estimated number of 5 million refugees, and from the situation of migrants and squatters found in rapidly growing cities.

      HOUSING AND PLANNING POLICIES The social and economic functions of housing policies based

on his experience as a UN adviser.        ACTION PLANNING AND PLANNING EDUCATION Planning methods for rapidly growing cities, Action Planning

which were developed during his time of teaching at the Architectural Association and at the DPU University College London.

BHUBANESWAR Bhubaneswar (20

degree 15'N latitude and 85 degree 50'E longitude) is the name, which has been given to a area covering 91.9414 square

kilometers The place has evidently

derived its name from its principal deity Tri-Bhubaneswar or Bhubaneswar.

Has two distinct divisions, viz., the Old Town and the New Capital.

OLD AND NEW TOWN The Old Town is

characterized by mixed land-use which is ausual phenomenon with all ancient towns and cities of India. It contains splendid specimens of Kalinga architecture spanning some twenty-five centuries of history, depicting the grace, the joy and the rhythm of life in all its wondrous variety.

The New Capital, the foundation of which was laid in 1948, was started with a portion of a reserved forest as nucleus. It has now become a city which has been built expending crores of rupees. This part is planned administrative town with broad avenues, self-contained residential units, modern buildings and institutions. Thus Bhubaneswar offers an opportunity to behold centuries-old art and architecture, side-by-side modern massive buildings and institutions. 

The site for the New Capital was selected after careful consideration.

It has the advantage of lying on the border between the fertile delta land and the hilly forest areas of Orissa.It has the natural advantage with regard to drainage.

The ground slopes from west to east and is divided into two parts intersected by the railway line.

The western part is high land with laterite soil that permits the growth of forest and the eastern part is low with alluvial soil suitable for agriculture. 

The velocity of wind is maximum in summer.

  A plan for the New Capital was prepared in 1948 by Dr. Otto H. Koenigsberger. On his recommendation the design of the New Capital is based on the system of neighborhood units which means a group of houses, large enough to afford the major amenties of urban life like schools, dispensaries, shoping-centres, entertainment, public libraries, etc. but at the same time small enough to keep all these amenties in short distances, so that the main advantage of rural life can be preserved.

To avoid boredom and unformity the neighbourhood units are designed individually with the object of giving it a distinct character.

In contrast to the Old Town, the land under different uses are segregated from each other so that the foul smell, smoke or dust of an industry does not affect the residential areas nor the crown and noise of a commercial area affect the silence and solemnity of an administrative or educational area.

  Four categories of roads have been adopted for the city viz.

(a) Arterial Road, (b) Major Unit Road, (c) Major Housing Street and (d) Minor Housing street. The Arterial roads are 200 feet(60.9600 metres) in width

with earthen flanks or foot-path of 10 feet (3.0480 metres) on each side and provided with drains and plantations. Rajpath, Janpath, Gandhi Marga, Sachivalaya Marga, and Udyana Marga come under this category.

The Major Unit Roads are 150 feet (45.7200 metres) in width with earthen flanks, drains and plantations on each side. Ekamra Marga, Lewis Road, Gopabandhu Marga, Bhubaneswar Marga, Vivekananda Marga, Bidyt Marga and Puri Marga are under this category. The Major Housing Streets are the roads which collect the internal traffic of housing units and transmit to the major and arterial roads. The width of such roads is 100 feet (30.4800 metres) provided with earthen flanks and drains. The width of Minor Housing Streets varies between 30 feet (9.1440 metres) to 40 feet (12.1920 metres) depending upon the importance of the locality.

SCHEMATIC ROAD MAP

The Units are named after the great personalities and the royal dynasties of Orissa viz., Bapuji Nagar, Kharavela Nagar, Asoka Nagar, Kesari Nagar, Gopabandhu Nagar, Bhauma Nagar, Ganga Nagar, Goutama Nagar, Surya nagar, Bhoi Nagar, Madhusudan Nagar, Buddha Nagar,etc.

   The areas particularly allotted for the construction of private buildings are named as Labour Colony, Bapuji Nagar, Satya Nagar, Sahid Nagar, Jayadev Nagar, Acharya Vihar, etc.

   Besides, there are certain areas which have been allotted for the construction of private buildings. The institutional areas are named as the Vani Vihar, the Regional Research Laboratory, the Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology and the Regional College of Education Campus. The Gift Press and the Sainik School are situated in the Garkan mauza and the Capital Water Works in the Pandara mauza

    An area of 231 acres has been allotted for an Industrial Estat

   These water towers ofdifferent designs look like great minars in the sky line of Bhubaneswar.

Building

Few notable buildings in the New Capital are as follows-   The Raj Bhawan (Governor’s House)   The Orissa Secretariat    The Orissa Legislative Assembly    The Orissa State Museum    The Multi-storied Heads of departments    The Industrial Development and Infrastructure

Corporation Ltd.,    The Orissa State Housing Board    The Rabindra Mandap    The Orissa State Archives,    The University of Agriculture and Technology    Tribal Research Bureu, State Forensic Laboratory    Regional Research Institute (Ayurveda)   The Central Market

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