Inclusive City Design for Future Megacity: Reclaiming Streets Through Place-Making in an Inner Urban Core of Surat, India

Pressure on the urban ecosystem has multiplied due to the rapid growth of the urban population in the global south. The phenomenon of the megacity's exceptional expansion due to rapid urbanisation affects India as well. These cities’ urban cores are under intense economic strain because of the high return on investment per floor area. Along with growing traffic and congestion issues, these inner cores also endure increased usage of all public spaces and intense economic pressure. Inadequate infrastructure in these cores prevents social contact and economic activity, necessitating inclusive city planning. Cities on the verge of becoming classified as megacities are in an equally terrible crisis. Through its report, the UN has projected the population of Surat, India, to cross ten million by 2032, which will pave the way for the birth of the eighth megacity in India. This chapter, aiming to research inclusive design for the inner urban core of Surat, India, will examine the relationship between urban streets, node connections, and individuals. The approach starts with a thorough literature review to grasp the breadth of place-making research; then, it moves on to an in-person survey, zone-based analysis, and space syntax analysis to assess the area's health. The space syntax theory will be introduced in this work to quantify the spatial relationships between commercial regions and the altering urban settings. This study is significant because it looks at a systematic space syntactic assessment to show spatial processes and generate knowledge-based commercial interpretations of old Surat city zones.