I.S.B.T. Flyover.

Turning the unused surface above a Dehradun flyover into a multi-level public space — amphitheatre, kids park, indoor games, and amenities atop a high-footfall transit zone.

Year
2025
Discipline
Spatial Design
Hypothetical client
MDDA / PWD

THE SITE

Dehradun I.S.B.T.

Connects Transport Nagar to the Shimla bypass. Foundation laid on March 2013 with a total budget of ₹50.39 Cr. Opened on December 11, 2016, after years of political and construction delays.

Length
83 ft / compartment
Width
36 ft / compartment
Nearby
Turner Rd · Majra · Clement Town

SCOPE

Defining the boundaries of intervention

INCLUDED

  • Spatial planning — seating, stage, circulation
  • Structural coordination with existing flyover
  • Material & finish selection
  • Landscape, shading, ventilation
  • Furniture & fixtures
  • Wayfinding & accessibility

EXCLUDED

  • Real construction work
  • Structural calculations / load testing
  • Cost estimation / budget
  • Electrical, plumbing, mechanical detail
  • Real client engagement (MDDA/PWD hypothetical)

RESEARCH

Understanding people, place, and potential

ON-SITE OBSERVATION

User behaviour, traffic flow, problem spotting at peak and off-peak hours.

STAKEHOLDER INTERVIEWS

Locals, students, shopkeepers, drivers, travellers, parents, bike riders, kids.

DOCUMENTATION + CLUSTERING

Extracting patterns across responses; surfacing what to prioritise.

Stakeholder Mapping

“Users perceive the under-flyover as neglected, unsafe, and uncomfortable — lacking identity and human scale.”

PROBLEMS OBSERVED

Why the space remains underused ?

Lack of Green Infrastructure

Harsh microclimate, no trees. No softscape or visual relief. Unpleasant for daily users.

Absence of Essential Amenities

No public toilets or water. No seating or shaded rest. No charging or waiting areas.

Poor Maintenance & Safety

Unhygienic and littered. Unsafe especially for women. Poor drainage, smell issues.

THE PIVOT

What if we stopped designing UNDER the flyover, and started designing OVER it?

The unused surface above the flyover is the largest underused public asset on the route. We shifted scope from underpass to overhead — a multi-level public space on and around the flyover that fosters social inclusivity and community engagement.

PROPOSED FACILITIES

What goes up. What stays out.

IMPORTANT

  • Sports facility
  • Open amphitheatre
  • Children's park
  • Amenities complex

INTEGRATED

  • Waiting area
  • Seating complex
  • Parking complex

NOT REQUIRED

  • Co-working
  • Stand
  • Study complex
  • Open gym

NOT REQUIRED

  • Art gallery
  • Open stage
  • Auditorium
  • Salons
  • Yoga studio

INITIAL ITERATIONS

Exploring the forms

Final Form

ZONING & PLANS

Activity and movement

SENSORY DESIGN

Designing beyond visual

SIGHT

Tensile canopies, glass facades, perforated shadow screens.

SOUND

Acoustic wooden interiors. Amphitheatre seating for natural focus.

SMELL

Vertical greenery. Planted railings. Garden stairwells.

TOUCH

Smooth concrete. Terracotta jali. Textured red earth walls.

FABRICATION

Lightweight, sustainable, and adaptable

The proposal utilizes lightweight and recyclable materials to minimize additional structural load while promoting long-term sustainability.

SUSTAINABILITY HIGHLIGHTS

  • Carbon-fibre reduces load on the existing flyover.
  • ETFE roof — natural light + heat reduction + fully recyclable.
  • Recyclable, low-impact materials throughout.

PROTOTYPING

Model Making

SCALING

1m : 2cm. Drafting the curves and dimensions at scale on large sheets.

MATERIAL TESTING

Starching fabric to test the canopy skin behaviour.

SVG + LASER CUTTING

Elevator booth, flyover pillars, tunnel pieces, archways.

MODEL ASSEMBLY

Team build — fitting the laser-cut pieces together.

Final Prototype

REFLECTION

Key Takeaways

The project’s biggest insight came from reframing the problem. Research revealed that the under-flyover area had limited potential, while the unused surface above offered a far greater opportunity for public use. This shift transformed the project from a simple redesign into an exploration of how infrastructure can create meaningful civic spaces. Working in a multidisciplinary team also reinforced the value of clear roles, trust, and collaboration in delivering stronger outcomes.