Urban Planning & Public Spaces
Available across Thane
We turn neglected city spaces into accessible, green public areas by working directly with local communities and making sure everyone can use and enjoy them.
Pricing Guide
Civic Placemaking & Community Space Design
Strategic Vision & Analysis
- Contextual Study: Analysis of neighborhood fabric, footfall patterns, and demographics to ensure design relevance.
- Tactical Urbanism: Planning for quick-win interventions using paint, temporary furniture, and planters to test concepts before heavy construction.
- Stakeholder Engagement: Strategy for defining program requirements based on user needs (e.g., play areas vs. seating).
Hardscape & Accessibility
- Universal Design: Grading plans incorporating 1:12 slope ramps for wheelchairs and prams, integrated into steps or seating.
- Material Selection: Specification of durable, locally sourced materials like rough-cut Basalt, Shahabad stone, or cobblestones for anti-skid safety.
- Biophilic Integration: Planting plans using native, low-maintenance species to provide shade and improve air quality.
Activation Features
- Integrated Furniture: Detailing of concrete or wooden slat seating that doubles as social stairs or amphitheaters.
- Lighting Strategy: Design of warm LED ambient and step lighting to ensure safety and usability post-sunset.
- Art Nodes: Designation of zones for murals, installations, or festive decorations.
Documentation
- Visuals: High-quality 3D renders for design visualization.
- GFC Drawings: Comprehensive layouts, sections, and details for civil execution.
Campus & Township Master Planning
Urban Design Framework
- Pedestrian-First Circulation: Strategy to push vehicular traffic and parking to peripheries or underground to reclaim ground level for walking and cycling.
- Massing Studies: Analysis of built-form versus open space to ensure adequate light, ventilation, and spacing between structures.
- Zoning: Allocation of specific zones for active recreation, quiet contemplation, and community gathering based on noise mapping.
Sustainability & Resilience
- Water Management: Design of bioswales, rain gardens, and permeable paving to manage monsoons and prevent urban flooding.
- Micro-climate Control: Placement of tree canopies and green buffers to reduce urban heat island effects.
Streetscape Guidelines
- Furniture Standards: Specifications for aesthetic, heavy-duty benches, bollards, signage, and dustbins.
- Passive Security: Design focused on visual connectivity from buildings to open spaces to enhance safety without aggressive fencing.
Deliverables
- Master Plan Report: Booklet outlining vision, development phases, and sustainability goals.
- Digital Walkthrough: Visualization of the pedestrian experience through the proposed master plan.
About Urban Planning & Public Spaces
Why We Do What We Do
For us, Mumbai isn’t just a city - it’s our home, and we’re passionate about making its public spaces feel like home for everyone. There’s so much potential hidden in neglected spots and busy streets. We’re here to unlock that, so every Mumbaikar gets to breathe, play, and connect.
How We Approach Urban Spaces
- People first: universal access, no one left out.
- Community-led public space activation - we get locals involved, not just on paper but on the ground.
- We fight for more green - think open parks, tree-lined walks, not just “concrete jungle”.
- Public art isn’t just decoration, it’s what gives a space Mumbai ka swag (Mumbai’s personality).
Projects That Speak
- The Steps, Bandra: turned a dump into an amphitheatre where everyone’s welcome, events and all.
- Kala Ghoda: pushing for a pedestrian-friendly urban space, reclaiming streets from parked cars.
- Coastal Road: we challenged the plans to get an accessible waterfront promenade, swapping roads for sea views.
What Drives Us
We dream big - like the Bombay Greenway, a green path across railway lines from Bandra to Churchgate. Over 1000 acres of new space, for walking, cycling, chilling. But honestly, nothing happens solo. We work with locals, BMC, other architects. Sabka Mumbai, sabka effort (Mumbai belongs to everyone, everyone’s effort counts).
Meet your Expert
Abraham John Architects
222 connects in last 3 months
My Story
Hey, we’re Alan and Anca, running Abraham John Architects, the firm my dad kicked off way back in ’67. I grew up dodging giant drawing boards and started out designing septic tanks underground—yeah, not glamorous, but it taught me grit. Anca, my partner, came from Romania, and we met in France. Now, she’s more Mumbai than me! Our kids are ‘Karmatte’—a wild mix of Konkani and Romanian. We’re all about making the city better, not just buildings. Chalta hai? Nah, we’d rather fix it.
My Work
All-in-one design studio - We do architecture, interior, master planning, landscaping, and product design for luxury resorts, homes, and institutions.
Designing with nature, not against it - Love tropical modern architecture, always try to keep nature at the heart—think villas around coconut trees, open rooms, eco-friendly vibes.
You’re the chief collaborator - We spend time understanding your life before sketching anything. Your energy shapes the space.
Urban spaces for all - We’re into transforming public spaces—Bombay Greenway, The Steps Bandra—making the city open, artful, and connected.
Details from stitch to skyline - Minimal interior design, seamless indoor-outdoor flow, warm, clean, and always obsessed with the tiny stuff and big ideas.