1. MATTANCHERY PALACE- COCHIN
AN ANALYSIS OF AMSAR ACT ON ASI PROTECTED MONUMENTS
PRESENTATION BY URBAN DESIGN STUDIO
ANJITH AUGUSTINE SPA NEW DELHI
2. Contents
• Location
• History
• Character
1. Social Groupings
2. Cultural Setting
3. Built Character
4. Economic Profile
• RULES & Authorities
1. UNESCO world heritage site ( world heritage committee)
2. Archeological survey of India AMSAR ACT
3. Moef Coastal management Notification ( CRZ rules)
4. Kerala state Govt (KMBR)
5. Cochin city corporation (Cochin city development plan)
6. C-HED, centre for heritage environment and development
7. Airport Authority rules
8. Port trust of India
• Impact on Site
• Analysis of the impact
• Critical Appraisal & future directions
6. History
• Mattancherry palace is one of the oldest
examples of the Portuguese architecture
with oriental influence and is unique from
the historical and architectural point of
view.
• The palace was built around 1545 AD by the
Portuguese and presented to Veera Kerala
Varma in order to pacify him and to
compensate for having plundered a temple
in the vicinity of the place.
• Major repairs at the hands of Dutch and
hence the palace is also known as "Dutch
palace.“
• The palace represents the blending of the
European and indigenous styles of
architecture.
7.
8.
9. Social Groupings
• The ruling by different countries
has brought in people from
different socio-ethnic backgrounds.
• The entire area incorporates people
like Konkanies Tamil Pathans Anglo
Indians Muslims Jains Christians
Indonesian Settlements.. Etc.
• Many of these people came in as
part of Trade and settled here.
• Hence most of these communities
are associated with a particular
street of their market.
• Jews until recently used to occupy
the area around the site. Once they
moved out these buildings started
converting to commercial activites..
• But other communities are intact
with strong ethnic bonding.
10. Synagogue
Due to the different social groups the area is rich with various social institutions and their own
cultural identities which form the part of the heritage to be concerved.
11. Jew street
Most of the areas around the area are converted to commercial uses. They have shops
selling antique items as well as hotels restaurants lodging etc..
12. The Mattancherry jetty and bus stand
are behind the Palace.
Antique shops in the meandering alleys
of Jew Town, most of whose inhabitants
have since migrated to Israel.
Pazhayannur Bhagavathy
Temple, the ancestral deity
or Paradevata of the Cochin
Royal Family. The temple with
royal patronage which shares
its wall with the Jewish
synagogue tells volumes about
the religious tolerance and
inter cultural amity that existed
during the time of the Kingdom
of Cochin.
Paradesi Synagogue built in
1568.
14. Different State/national/international, Governmental/non-
governmental, autonomous bodies and their legislations which
impact the development of Mattanchery palace area
International • UNESCO world heritage site ( world heritage committee)
National • Archeological survey of India AMSAR ACT
• Moef Coastal management Notification ( CRZ rules)
• Airport authority rules
• Port trust of India
State • Kerala state Govt (KMBR)
• Cochin city corporation (Cochin city development plan)
Local Bodies • C-HED, centre for heritage environment and development
15. The Mattanchery site has been identified to be upgraded to a
world heritage site
Considering that parts of the cultural or natural heritage are of
outstanding interest and therefore need to be preserved as part of
the world heritage of mankind as a whole,
Category-monuments: architectural works, works of monumental sculpture and painting,
elements or structures of an archaeological nature, inscriptions, cave dwellings and
combinations of features, which are of outstanding universal value from the point of view of
history, art or science;
Measures to be adopted:
• A general policy which aims to give the cultural and natural heritage a function in the life of
the community and to integrate the protection of that heritage into comprehensive planning
programmes
• to set up within its territories, for the protection, conservation and presentation of heritage.
• to develop scientific and technical studies and research
• to take the appropriate legal, scientific, technical, administrative and financial measures
• Each State Party to this Convention undertakes not to take any deliberate measures which
might damage directly or indirectly the cultural and natural heritage
• Article 8: An Intergovernmental Committee for the Protection of the Cultural and Natural
Heritage of Outstanding Universal Value, called "the World Heritage Committee“
• the World Heritage Fund“ for finance
16. AMSAR ACT
300m regulated zone
100m prohibited zone
Within the Prohibited zone
No NEW CONSTRUCTION
Only REPAIR WORK
DRAINAGE.. PUBLIC WORKS ETC
NEEDS TO GET PERMISSION
For the regulated zone
Will have to follow the development plan
17. AMSAR ACT
It is important to note that the 100m radius is taken
from the built edge and not the compound as the ASI
protected monument is just the mattanchery palace.
Areas coming under the 100m zone
• The palace compound including the palace lake
and the palace ground.
• The Bhagawati temple which was an integral part
of the palace.
• The synagogue which was a jewish buildings is
now part of heritage.
• These buildings and their areas need no
redevelopment.
• But areas like part of jew street and the
commercial in fron t of the synagogue which
comes under 100 m zone will be affected badly.
Areas coming under 500 m zone.
• Entire jew street
• Water front areas
• Old Commercial establishments
• Variuos community clusters with their relgiuos
buildings
•
18. CRZ 2011
• 100 m from HTL
• 500 m influence zone from HTL
• Floor Space Index (FSI), which was restricted to between 1.25 and 1.66, has been
increased to 2.5.
CATEGORY ii
The areas that have been developed upto or close to the shoreline.
Explanation.- For the purposes of the expression “developed area” is referred to as that area
within the existing municipal limits or in other existing legally designated urban areas which are
substantially built-up and has been provided with drainage and approach roads and other
infrastructural facilities, such as water supply and sewerage mains
RULES
(i) buildings shall be permitted only on the landward side of the existing road, or on the
landward side of existing authorized structures;
(ii) buildings permitted on the landward side of the existing and proposed roads or existing
authorized structures shall be subject to the existing local town and country planning
regulations including the ‘existing’ norms of Floor Space Index or Floor Area Ratio: Provided
that no permission for construction of buildings shall be given on landward side of any new
roads which are constructed on the seaward side of an existing road:
(iii) reconstruction of authorized building to be permitted subject with the existing Floor Space
Index or Floor Area Ratio Norms and without change in present use;
20. City development plan
100m influence zone
Urban Development Guidelines and Controls for Heritage Zones and Precincts
• Restriction on development, redevelopment, repairs etc. in the listed areas to protect
natural / cultural heritage;
• Special regulations on high value areas of environmental significance and also for its
immediate surrounding region;
• Guidelines to ensure protection, preservation, maintenance and conservation of heritage
buildings and precincts; Guidelines to ensure equity & development rights;
• Guidelines and controls to ensure architectural500 m influence zone
harmony and maintaining the skyline;
21. 100m influence zone
• Regulations on infrastructure to ensure effective traffic / water / waste / energy
management;
• Regulations to avoid environmentally hazardous development in natural areas and
sensitive zones;
• Alter / modify/ relax other development rights for the protection of heritage;
• To grant transferable development rights for the protection of heritage;
• Incentives for the use reuse of heritage structures and funding for their maintenance in
case of public buildings;
• Incentives for promotion of art, craft, culture, language etc.;
• Regulations on public space design and treatment;
• Regulations and Controls for Canal and Backwater Edge Development;
• Regulations and Controls for regulating pollution levels due to port activity;
• Regulations to ensure protection of natural elements such as trees, birds life, marine
species in heritage zones;
• Regulations for effective traffic management in intensely used old parts of the heritage
zone;
• Regulation and controls on urban art such as signage, advertisement billboards, street
furniture, urban artefacts etc.
500 m influence zone
22. Policy Guidelines for Heritage Zones
100m influence zone
The City Development Plan proposes the following 5 principles as the cornerstones
of Kochi
Heritage Zone Notification and Enforcement of Guidelines and Controls.
• Integrating Conservation and Development to accommodate Changes demanded
by the growing urban development activities in the city;
• Protection of Natural Heritage of outstanding environmental significance and
natural beauty;
• Protection of coastal areas and tidal zones and disaster mitigation planning
towards possible natural hazards;
• Ensuring safety, equity and adequate infrastructure in planning; and
• Tap Reuse, Renewal and Revitalization possibilities of heritage zones facing urban
degeneration.
500 m influence zone
23. Zones identified by city development plan as heritage precincts..
500 m influence zone
24. C-hed: Centre for Heritage,
Environment and Development Issues related to Heritage
• Urban degeneration due to various factors.
• Pulling down and unauthorised
modification of valuable heritage
c-hed is an autonomous institution
structures.
which function as a Research and
• Unsympathetic developments destroying
Development wing of the city
the architectural harmony.
administration of Cochin
• Traditional streets and markets choke with
(Corporation of Cochin), in the fields
traffic jams due to overuse.
of Culture, Heritage, Environment
• Non conversion of opportunities into public
and Development. Established in
good
2002, c-hed has now become one of
• Health & sanitation issues are mostly
the most important wings of the City
related to heritage areas
administration of Cochin, looking
• Lack of pollution controls near natural
after many of its prestigious projects
heritage areas.
including the preparation of the
• Lack of water edge development guidelines.
MasterPlan for Cochin City.
25. PLAN PREPARED BY C-HED FOR CITY DEVELOPMENT PLAN
Old commercial spine to conserved.
26. AIRPORT AUTHORITY OF INDIA
• The site falls near the air base of the air
force which is the old cochin airport.
• The airport rules of the earlier times has
influenced the development of the .area as
the air funnel needed to be considered.
• This led to the absence of any tall buildings
in the island .
• Even now the airport rules apply as the
airport is still used by the air force.
• The airport fall in 1 km range and hence the
respective rules apply.
2km Wellington Island
Air base
28. PORT TRUST OF INDIA
• The water bodies around the area is
under the port trust
• This is because of the Cochin port area in
the Willington island
• Hence any construction or activity that is
on water needs to permitted by Port
trust
• Even uses like fishing, private Dock etc
needs to be send for permission.
• Port activites and projects like
vallarpadam conrtainer terminal and
port trust housing are under
construction in nearby areas.
29. Kerala municipal building rules (KMBR)
These are the development
guidelines applicable for
any normal plot available
anywhere in Kerala barring
the special zones.
30. OVERLAP OF DIFFERENT DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS
100m influence zone
500 m influence zone
31. Current allowed construction by Impact of AMSAR on Site
rules and uses (Current scenario)
• As a state decision the are is extensively • By the coming of the AMSAR act, people
promoted as a tourism destination. Hence who are majorly affected are those who
uses which are supportive are promoted in run facilities like hotels, restaurants,
the area cafes, and the entire Jew street which is a
• Specific features like Dutch architectural commercial spine.
details are to incorporated in the
construction activities. • They will fall under the prohibited zone
• Only up to 3 floors are getting permission. where they cannot be doing any
• Repair works are given permission construction activity. This can eventually
• Uses like hotels, Guest houses etc which lead to the deterioration of the already
are already in plenty is given permission for existing tourism activity also.
repair and major modifications
• Govt. projects for promoting tourism is • As the coastal rules are made easier more
given permission construction can happen within the area.
• Proposal for marina is under pipeline. But the AMSAR doesn’t allow this right
now. Hence there is a mismatch between
the idea of the two rules.
32. Comparison between allowed construction on a ordinary site and ASI site Considered
Site area- 20*10 =200 sq.m
G.C = 65%
FAR= 3
No of floors achieved 5
Site area- 20*10 =200 sq.m
G.C = 65%
FAR= 2
No of floors achieved 3
NORMAL
SITE
Residential use
The allowed FAR without extra pay is 3 whereas at the
site you are allowed only to built upto 2.
But due to different rules and regulations new
construction is impossible.
33. Comparison between allowed construction on a ordinary site and ASI site Considered
Site area- 20*10 =200 sq.m
G.C = 65%
FAR= 2.5
No of floors achieved 4
Site area- 20*10 =200 sq.m
G.C = 65%
FAR= 2
No of floors achieved 3
NORMAL
SITE
Commercial use
The allowed FAR without extra pay is 2.5 ( 4 with pay)
whereas at the site you are allowed only to built upto 2.
Due to tourism promotive attitute certain commercial
activites are promoted and hence hotels/shopping and
souvenier shops are coming up.
34. Issues related to Heritage Future prospects
• The fast transformation of the area into a hat is required is a site specific
tourism destination. development plan for the area. For a site
• Though the architectural character is tried like Mattanchery where already so many
to be retained, the socio-cultural regulations are in place it is required to
characteristics of the place is totally
analyze each rule come to a
negated by the current development
directions.
comprehensive solution in the form of a
• People who are original residents of the development guideline.
area are forced to move to other places or
change their uses to commercial purposes It shouldn’t be restrictive in nature but
due to growing pressure. only a guide to future development.
• The strict building regulations doesn’t
allow people of the place to continue there This will make sure the real cultural
with changes according to time. heritage of the place is preserved and
• Only an attempt to create a fossil of the
not just the monument.
past is achieved by this kind of a
development strategy.
• Multiple regulatory agencies acting on the
area makes it literally impossible to do
anything within these areas.
• There is no proper compensation strategy
which is implemented which covers for the
lesser FAR.
