Reclaiming Urban Space Beneath Elevated Infrastructure

The areas beneath elevated structures such as flyovers, metro lines, and railway viaducts are often overlooked, existing as shaded, undefined spaces that lack intentional planning. According to an Arup report, these undercroft regions frequently interrupt pedestrian flow and fall outside established planning regulations. Recent academic evaluations emphasize that environments beneath flyovers are seldom included in urban design frameworks. This results in a unique situation: spaces that are physically existent and structurally defined yet lack a clear purpose. Research indicates these zones are residual, arising when transportation systems are designed without considering the ground they traverse. Each instance of elevated infrastructure creates this secondary condition, altering the distribution of value and visibility within the city. An example of efforts to reclaim these areas is the Bentway Staging Grounds project by Agency-Agency + SHEEEP.