Over the past month and a half, the team has been scouring the streets of Fergusson College Road, M G Road, Laxmi Road and the city’s malls and megastores. Explains Matthew Hill, a third year student: “We also wanted to see how the malls work in the city especially when they are not typically a part of the city’s character. What works here on the streets is different than what works inside the air conditioned confines of a mall.’’

Gustavo Bonet, a fourth year student adds, “We will apply these designs — right from the traditional Parsi or typically Maharashtrian ones to the modern-day malls — in our architectural designs.’’ Taking the point further Matt Demers, who is working on a PhD in urbanism says, “We are also trying to compare the drastic change in architecture on the IT-centric Senapti Bapat Road to that of the traditional M G Road or Fergusson College Road. These changes in the areas designs and architecture have been quite profound.’’ In order to document these changes and draw a comparison between two different cities in India, the students will also come out with a book that will serve like a complete travelogue with positive solutions and analysis on what could be done to have the architecture of a place better.

As for the “mall experience’’ and the roadside adventure, the students found a striking difference. Says Justin Smith, “Pune roads and galis provide an experience that is completely removed from the malls. Then when you visit M G Road, there is a fluid boundary, the environment is so internalised here. You need to go within the flow to experience the difference.’’ Little wonder then that the group is fascinated by the city’s street life that goes on, unhindered by the construction of a mall next door.

... contd.