Buckingham Theru

Buckingham Theru reclaims Chennai’s historic Buckingham Canal as a resilient neighborhood street by transforming a degraded, encroached stormwater drain into a multifunctional ecological and social spine. Stretching across a 10 km corridor, the project addresses flooding, poor connectivity, and lack of open space by integrating stormwater detention, bioswales, and green buffers with active mobility and recreation. The canal edges are reimagined as shaded pedestrian and cycling loops, with linear urban forests mitigating heat and pollution while supporting biodiversity. Neighborhood nodes introduce kids’ streets, sports courts, community markets, and cultural zones, turning neglected thresholds into vibrant civic spaces. Technical interventions include dedicated stormwater drains, elevated walkways, and modular ecological buffers that adapt to seasonal flows. Community participation anchors the design, enabling flexible use of spaces and local stewardship. By temporarily reframing the canal as “theru” (street), the proposal transforms a contested blue-green infrastructure into a urban commons fostering ownership, resilience, equity, and everyday livability.