Compiled and written by our MD, Mr. Nikhil Thard
I remember an episode from way back when I was just starting out. It was the briefing of my first project and little did I know that I was in for a major shock!
The meeting was for the design for this nice, cute little space. I was fresh out of Infosys and had no idea how to read a blue print. In fact, it took a lot of time for me to even understand the meanings of simple terms like sill and lintel! (These are actually really basic terms for horizontal beams used in windows that every builder should be familiar with.)
My architect sat with me and the others and started to chalk out the house on a piece of butter paper. And that’s when I received the shock. Guess what is the most important factor in the design of a home? The placement of the cars!
The basement and the homes had to be adjusted for the cars and only after that was the space to be designed for us humans. The cars were central to the overall space including the bedroom and the living area.
It’s funny and ironic
What are these cars for really??!! We just need them to get from one point to another, so what’s the big deal?Imagine spending time worrying not only about owning the cars, but also about how to park these vehicles we spend at least three months of our working life in.
Another funny thing
Today, I am building town homes and villas and again the cars are dictating the way we live. They are the basis on which the whole building orientation and layout of the project is done. Imagine if there were no driveways and garages - there would be garden spaces all around. The options are limitless.
These days, cars are getting into our homes. Literally. All the roads are getting widened around the city and eating into all that has been built and lived in. If you think about it, it’s strange how cars, that were meant for our convenience, are taking so much space and happiness away from our lives.
click here to view Mr.Nikhil’s profile 
This article was edited with help from Nidhi Raichand.
Cars are the major problem in any residential and commercial area. I remember cursing the malls in Gurgaon on the MG road due to the congestion arising from all the cars which were wrongly parked on roadside. And why were they there to begin with? because of the exhorbitant parking fees of Rs. 50 by the mall autorities. It is a vicious cycle. Today, you can pick the newspaper and every week or month, in Delhi, someone is getting shot over parking space hassles.
So anything we design should be aimed at solving the first problem that will arise. Do not resent the fact that you are designing your structures around the car. In fact, it is to be appreciated because though you are doing this under duress, it is actually showing a sensitivty towards people who would have been inconvenienced because of your cars parked on public roads, had you not made parking spaces within your premises. I wish everybody had the sense to make space for their car(s) first before making their houses. It solves many problems.
I hate it when I go to intitutions (big companies like Lanco, Monnet, etc) and group housings (especially in Mayur Vihar area)and though they have plenty of space to park within their premises, they will make us park outside on the public road or go find any random parking space. Because of our forced random parking, there are consequent jams and someone else’s areas is getting occupied. It is a shame.
Hi Mari
Thanks for going through the article.
I know we cannot do away with the parking as its a requirement which has to be taken care of.
What would be great is to plan for a villa project where the parking is kept in one area of the project and the other space is left completely open to experiment.
This unfortunately becomes a challenge while getting the sanction.
Regards
Never imagined that designing is highly correlated to car and its parking.
Great information! I’ve been looking for something like this for a while now. Thanks!
Hey! Is it okay if I go a bit off topic? I’m trying to read your domain on my iPhone but it doesn’t display properly, do you have any suggestions? Thanks for the help I hope! Jerry
Hello Mr.Nikhil ,
This article is indeed an eye opener and after being related to the Real Estate and construction industry i have realized that how these tiny details cannot be ignored.I would say you were lucky to have realized this info at the early stages of your career as a Builder.Also i noted that you have a good flair to writing.I’d suggest you consider doing this more often.
As you know i have joined a B-School and its here that i have also started writing articles for a Newsletter of a management club that i am a part of.I really enjoyed it right from the very first article i wrote and hence decided to do it more often.
@ Sandeep Good to hear from you. Do share your articles It would be great to post it here.
@ Jerry My Technical team is working on the same and will get in touch with you.
@ Vineet & @ Rezac Thanks for your comments.
keep it real, iight
I think its a pretty good idea not that there aren’t other sites out there that already do something similar but I think it might catch on here pretty well
Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us.I enjoyed well while reading your article
cant beleive i stumbled onto your post..thanks so much!!! i am going to have to sign up 2 ur RSS feed so i can keep updated with your post…thanks Again
I think its a pretty good idea not that there aren’t other sites out there that already do something similar but I think it might catch on here pretty well
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Hi Mr.Nikhil,
Let me appriciate you for your wonderful thinking about parking.It is very good to here from you that “on the basis of parking, the whole building orientation and project layout your doing.” It shows your concern about buyers and as a builder you know very well that apart from home buyers will also give importance for parking thier vehicles.
I liked your article.
Thanks
Thanks for sharing this. We’re always looking for smart resources to share with clients and my colleagues, and this article is certainly worth sharing!
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- Savanah
Took me awhile to read all the comments, but I really enjoyed the article. It proved to be very useful to me and I am sure to all the commenters here! It’s always nice when you can not only be informed, but also engaged! I’m sure you had fun writing this article.
Thank you for give very good informations.
Cars R Us!
The post is quite revealing of certain fundamental flaws in our perspectives on planning. The car is symbolic of mobility, progress and social and environmental disconnect all at the same time. Somehow, we have gotten accustomed to thinking within the box. To think out of it will require more than just a recognition of what has gone wrong. It will need a whole new vision of urban planning that is inspired by genuine human needs and not driven by short term commercial and political paradigms alone. The need for personal and green spaces in our towns and cities cannot be overestimated. We humans are designed to function most optimally in natural surroundings. While a concrete-steel-glass environment may represent development and growth, it is very likely to rob us of soul if it does not integrate the living and the natural into its folds. And a city without soul is like the sky without the sun!
When will our planners give due importance to parks, public gardens,tree- lined roads, green homes and pathways for pedestrians and cyclists with the same zeal as they do now for malls and hotels; not that these are not important. But a city that pays homage to the deep human needs of its citizens (as much as to their economic ones) is likely to tilt the balance most favorably towards individual happiness and productivity.
The rapid rise of motor car numbers upon Indian roads no doubt testifies to an emerging wealth consciousness amongst its people. But it is also a sad reflection of the innate chaos that informs Indian planning at large. Unlike the west, which developed good road systems first in order to be able to welcome and celebrate the automobile, we here in the developing world are putting the horse before the cart track quite literally. Witness space age Hyundais and Bentleys cruising upon roads barely out of the bullock cart era! The same retrofitting mind serves our urban planning initiatives as well. Unless we learn to develop holistic planning models and processes that put human wellbeing at its center, it is likely that our urban lives will be defined by congestion, pollution and space constraints that will ultimately eat into the rewards of our progress and prosperity. ><
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Very good observations. Maybe adding some pictures will make the blog post more interesting.
A place for everything, everything in its place. – Benjamin Franklin
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