1. KOCHI-JEW TOWN STREET &
SYNAGOGUE
-TAIYABA RASHID
B.ARCH (DAY) III YEAR 2013-14
JAMIA MILLIA ISLAMIA
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2. FORT KOCHI
Fort Kochi is a region in Kochi which is part of a handful
of water-bound regions toward SW of mainland Kochi, &
collectively known as Old Kochi or West Kochi. Adjacent
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to this is Mattancherry.
3. DEMOGRAPHY & SETTLEMENT HISTORY
• Kochi was a fishing village in Kingdom of Kochi in pre-colonial Kerala.
• The territory was granted to Portuguese in 1503 by Rajah of Kochi, after forces
of Afonso de Albuquerque helped him fighting forces of Saamoothiri of
Kozhikode.
• Rajah also gave them permission to build Fort Emmanuel near waterfront to
protect commercial interests. “Fort” in Fort Kochi comes from this fort.
• Portuguese built their settlement behind the fort, including a wooden church,
which was rebuilt in 1516 as a permanent structure, today known as St Francis
Church.
• Fort Kochi remained in Portuguese possession for 160 years.
• In 1683 the Dutch captured territory from Portuguese, destroyed many
Portuguese institutions.
• The Dutch held Fort Kochi in their possession for 112 years until 1795, when the
British took control by defeating the Dutch.
• Foreign control of Fort Kochi ended in 1947 with the Indian independence. 3
4. AREAS OF STUDY
• Paradesi / Mattancherry Synagogue.
• Mattancherry / Dutch Palace.
• Street Market.
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5. PARADESI SYNAGOGUE
• Has the Torah, several
gold crowns received as
gifts,
many
Belgian
glass chandeliers, 10th
century Cu plates and a
brass-railed pulpit.
• Floor is composed of
hundreds of Chinese,
18th-century,
handpainted porcelain tiles,
each of which is unique.
• Has an 18th-century
clock tower.
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7. MATTANCHERRY PALACE / DUTCH PALACE
• Portuguese palace featuring Kerala murals depicting Hindu temple art, portraits &
exhibits of the Rajas of Kochi.
• Quadrangular structure built in traditional Kerala Nālukettu style, with a courtyard in
middle.
• Courtyard enshrines a small temple dedicated to protective goddess of Kochi royal
family.
• Nature of arches & proportion of chambers are indicative of European influence in basic
Nāluketttu style.
• Dining Hall has carved wooden ornate ceiling decorated with a series of brass cups.
• Ceiling of Coronation Hall is decorated with floral designs in wood craft.
• Rare examples of traditional Kerala flooring, which looks like polished black marble but
is actually a mixture of burned coconut shells, charcoal, lime, plant juices & egg whites.
• An architectural masterpiece showcasing blend between colonial & Kerala architecture.
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14. ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTERISTICS
• Paradesi Synagogue is located in bottle-street.
• Streets leading to Synagogue are all market selling souvenirs chiefly.
• Typical Kerala-style pitched roofs, covered with brick tiles & shingles. Mansard roof also
used.
• Wide windows for light & ventilation. Venetian windows also used.
• Windows at top of storey are as wide & high as those at bottom for escape of hot air.
• Brackets & pitched-roof to shield sunlight.
• Typical Kerala-style wooden screens.
• Fringes for ornamentation.
• Double-storied brightly painted brick structures.
• Buildings resemble Kerala-type in external appearance with different plan concept with
continuous frontage of buildings in pattern of row houses.
• A mix of old houses built by Portuguese, Dutch & British in these colonial periods line
streets of Fort Kochi.
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21. ISSUES
• Traffic congestion.
• Uncontrolled traffic movement.
• Not so well-defined parking areas.
• No shaded areas to walk under in market.
• No provision of seating.
• Ugly bunches of wires criss-crossing above street itself.
• No green spaces at all in the whole stretch of study area.
• No uniform identity of spaces, built & unbuilt, within the area.
• Absolutely no hierarchy of shops.
• Rain water pipes running on façade.
PLACE IS IN DIRE NEED OF REDEVELOPMENT!!
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22. RECOMMENDATIONS
• Parking can be provided as mentioned.
• Vehicles can be restricted up to this point
only since distance is walkable.
• Shaded platforms along rows of shops can
be provided.
• Benches can dot the area, can even be
placed under shaded platform.
• Wires can be bunched underground.
• Green patches will do wonders to
accentuate the feel of the street.
• Structures can be united by merely treating
surfaces uniformly.
• Shops can be categorised according to
products & services.
PARKING
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