Andhra CM Naidu impressed with Amaravati designs, welcomes suggestions from commoners

[TampaChinnodu]

VIJAYAWADA: Foster and Partners, a British international studio for architecture and integrated design presented to the AP government on Wednesday four conceptual models for government buildings to come up in the startup area of Amaravati city.

The AP  government appointed the London-headquartered company to come up with designs for the buildings after it shot down models that Japan's Maki and Associates had presented as the company's sketches drew flak from people for its "cheap imitation of the buildings in Chandigarh".  The buildings were also accused of looking like chimneys of thermal power stations.

Foster and Partners who had a preliminary meeting with Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu recently, returned to Velagapudi with conceptual designs on Wednesday and presented them to him for scrutiny. The brief given to them was to design iconic buildings with a touch of Andhra culture, tradition and history.

In fact, Naidu had constituted a committee headed by his communications advisor Parakala Prabhakar to identify elements of Indian and Andhra tradition and culture and suggest that they be added to the London-based designers sketches. 

Naidu appeared impressed with the firm's four model designs. 

While asserting that the Assembly, court buildings and other structures should be unique, the CM called for the collation of ideas from across the globe to make Amaravati one of the five best cities in the world.

"To take people’s advice and suggestion we will use social media platform. A special web portal will be set up to take suggestions from all the Telugu people who are living abroad," he said.

Besides this, Facebook page, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube accounts will be opened for taking suggestions and advice.