Study Architecture 
ProPEL 
Author(s): Kenneth Mccown
In August 1999, the Uttar Pradesh Directorate of Tourism and Indian Consulate in Chicago approached the Department of Landscape Architecture at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign to develop a master plan for a proposed Taj National Park. This design would critically assess and expand upon ideas originally conceived by the United States National Park Service in concert with Indian governmental agencies. A team of seven students and five faculty members from the Department of Landscape Architecture at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign visited Agra, India to study issues involved with the cultural heritage, landscapes and tourism in Agra. From this, a short design charette produced ideas for review by Indian officials. Their comments would provide direction to the design team for the next six months. The new master plan contains three key elements: 1. A master plan for expanding tourist visits beyond just the Taj Mahal to include other monuments and resources, along with recommendations for sensitive circulation systems connecting these sites. This master plan would create opportunities to understand the rich cultural history of Agra, while allowing the city to grow and accommodate 21st century needs. 2. The design of a park to conserve land on the Yamuna riverbank opposite the Taj Mahal. This park would preserve and restore an historic landscape garden named Mehtab Bagh. 3. A riverfront promenade connecting key monuments and providing opportunities for a cohesive interpretation of the Indian culture and history in Agra that presently does not exist. In addition, this promenade will alleviate pressure on existing circulation infrastructure. This paper will describe the cross-cultural encounter that created the award-winning Taj National Park and Cultural Heritage District Plan.
Volume Editors
David Covo & Gabriel Mérigo Basurto
ISBN
0-935502-57-2
