This document provides information about Ranganathan Street in Chennai, India. It describes the history and location of the street, which has been a major commercial area since the 1920s. The street is home to many small shops and vendors selling goods like clothing, jewelry, produce, and electronics. It is very crowded throughout the year, but especially during festivals like Deepavali. The document includes maps and diagrams showing land use, building heights, connectivity, street cross-sections, and more. It also discusses issues like lack of parking, sidewalk encroachment, and improper infrastructure that contribute to the street's congestion.

2. Introduction to
the study area
Design
criteria
Landuse
Activity
patterns of
street
Nature of street
Cross section of
Ranganathan st
Connectivity
Pattern
Building usage and
plan
Bill boards/
signage
Activity pattern of
the day
Activities on
Edges
Methodology 2
Building
Characte-ristics
Pedestrian flow

3. Chennai
History of Ranganathan Street
Ranganathan Street was named after the Rangaswamy Iyengar Street, since there was this
usual tradition to name the streets after the resident who has its first house at the street,
irrespective of the contribution, caste or class. He constructed his house in the early 20s.
The Street is one the best options to shop around to purchase comparatively cheap household goods,
vessels, electronics and merchandise.
Location of Ranganathan Street
Ranganathan Street
Tamil Nadu
INDIA
Ranganathan Street is a major commercial street in the neighborhood of T. Nagar, located
in Chennai. The street houses several commercial establishments, primarily those involved in
the clothing and jewelry industry. It has often been referred to as the most crowded street in
Chennai
Ranganathan
Street at
present
context
Ranganathan
Street
surrounding
area at 1960’s
Usman Road is on one end of the street. At the other end is the Mambalam train station. On the
street can be found many commercial establishments ranging from street hawkers selling to big
stores selling . Many vegetable vendors also sell their wares on Ranganathan Street.
3

4. Ice cream shop Fancy items
Vegetable/ fruit market
Informal shops
Footwear shop
Snacks items
Fancy items
Bag shops
Activity patterns of street 4

5. Total area =30,204.75 Sq.m
Total stretch of street = 0.3km
Total built-up area= 2423,67 Sq.ft
FSI = 2.5
Majority of the building are commercial in nature.
Important Landmark of the street is called saravana store which is G+7(textile shop)
In study area (G) have 33% is maximum; (G+2) and (G+3) have 14%
Built-up map
Building height map
Nature of street - Building heights 5

6. Commercial96%
Mixed residential2.50%
heritage0.50%
public and semi public1%
Land use map
Throughout the year the street is FULL of people. Traditionally, it is busiest during Deepavali by
nature of this street offering consumers the opportunity to purchase a variety of commodities.
Morning peak = 10.30 to 12 pm
Afternoon Peak =
2 to 4 pm
Evening peak = 6 to 8.30 pm
Landuse Pattern And Peak hour 6

7. Mambalam
Railway
station
Commercial area
`
Bus
stop
Bus
stop
Connectivity Pattern 7
Mambalam
railway
station which
connects
Chennai
Central
terminal in
north and
Guindy in
south.
North Usman
road and
ranganathan
street
intersection
point.
Study area
ranganathan
street one of
the crowdest
place in
Chennai.
T Nagar bus
terminal

8. 7m
Encroachment – informal shops
Drainage line/manhole
Sidewalk
Street lights
3 1 2
Pedestrian only
Ranganathan street cross section
8
4
1 2 3 4
Cross Section – Ranganathan Street
max. G+4 (15m)
40°

9. 9
3m 2m 7m 1m 7m 2m 3m
Usman Road cross section – approach road of ranganathan street
Different
types
Informal
Activities
On the
Edges
1
1
1
Informal activities near Edges

10. Fruit shop
near the
sidewalk
Various informal activities
near the sidewalk
People use steps for waiting and sitting purpose
Building design at
Ranganathan St.
Usage of edges 10

11. G+5
G+4
G+3
G+2
G+1
G
Storage place/ Godown
Food court
Electronic and furniture
Kids section/toys
Jewellery shop
Entrance/ textile
Basement Basement
Floor Usage
Steps Staircase pattern Building - Side view
Building usage 11

12. It attracts many people from different parts of the city and its suburbs, owing to its location
and transportation links. T.Nagar has the highest commercial catchment population when
compared with other commercial centers of the city like Adyar, Nungambakkam,
Purusawakkam, etc.
Commercial activity has spread over the years on all the major roads, in a linear pattern. Now
it is slowly encroaching on the by lanes of the major commercial streets. Single storey shops
have given way to multi storey shopping malls, but with little change in the infrastructure.
This sketch uses the same graphical representation for Ranganathan Street, employing the
personal space bubble and the moving space bubble. There are no sidewalks. Vehicular
movement is restricted so the entire stretch is used by pedestrians.
The entire sidewalk is taken up by
hawkers. Unauthorized parking of two
wheelers and auto rickshaws also push
the pedestrian farther out into the
vehicular carriageway.
Typical pedestrian spacing Waiting at curbs at an intersection
Gazing at the wares displayed by street vendors
Pedestrian flow and activity 12

13. Building
Signage
Portico
Cross section of street
Bill boards/ signage design 13

14. Garbage thrown on the street Broken drainage pipes Congested place
• Lack of parking facilities.
• Sidewalk is occupied by informal activities.
• Lack of proper footpath.
• Illegal rise of buildings.
Issues 14

15. • Urban Design addresses the character and quality of the built environment in
relation to the human scale.
• Human scale can be defined as the proportional relationship of the physical
environment (buildings, trees, parking lots, streets, etc.) to human
dimensions.
• As the study of intentions of making people communicate with a place of
interest .
• To understand the urban design process of an extension to a ranganathan St.
as CBD
• The pattern of the street network is part of what defines a city and what
makes city unique.
Urban Design definition as per my case study 15