Vadapalani Flyover, Chennai

Reclaiming the neglected space beneath the Vadapalani flyover in Chennai as a clean, lit and landscaped public realm, turning leftover ground into something the neighbourhood can use.

The Project

Turning leftover space under a Chennai flyover into public realm

The ground beneath Chennai's flyovers is some of the city's most wasted land. At Vadapalani the space under the bridge had become a dumping ground and informal parking: dark, unswept and effectively closed to the public despite sitting at one of the busiest junctions in the city.

Working for the Greater Chennai Corporation, VBS redesigned the under-bridge stretch as a continuous, well-lit public space. Paving, planting beds, seating, murals and clear edges separate pedestrians from traffic, while the pier bays are treated as a rhythm of usable pockets rather than dead corners. Materials were chosen to survive heavy footfall, monsoon runoff and the low light under the deck.

The design views below show the proposal as presented to the Corporation; the after photographs show the completed stretch in use. The project is part of VBS's wider work on enhancing spaces beneath bridges across Chennai, including Koyambedu and Padi.