Reimagining
Trichy’s Teppakulam Precinct
A National level open ideas urban design competition
National design competition
Background & Purpose of the Competition
The Teppakulam precinct, anchored by the historic temple tank and framed by the Rockfort, sits at the heart of Tiruchirappalli’s urban and cultural identity. Over time, however, this space has experienced fragmentation – between movement and pause, commerce and culture, water and land.
Recent regulatory shifts, including the declaration of no-vending zones and ongoing civic interventions, have opened up a rare window not just to “fix” a place, but to reimagine its role in the life of the city.
This competition is conceived as a national call to:
- Reposition Teppakulam as climate infrastructure, cultural landscape, and public commons
- Bridge the gap between heritage value and everyday use
- Generate implementable, context-sensitive design strategies
How can Teppakulam evolve from a symbolic landmark into a living, inclusive, climate-responsive public realm?
Registration
professional category
- Open for professionals, design firms, and multi-disciplinary teams.
- The team should be headed by an architect / urban designer.
- At least one team member must be a resident of Trichy. Alternatively, a collaborating office based in Trichy may be part of the core team. This is essential to ensure immediate accessibility of the team in further stages of the project development if chosen as a winning entry.
- No restrictions on the team sizes.
- Multi-disciplinary team composition is encouraged.
Student category
- Open to undergraduate and postgraduate students in architecture, urban design and planning.
- Teams must be entirely composed of students who are currently in enrolment only.
- Students can participate as individuals or as teams.
- All team members need not be from a single educational institution.
- No restrictions on the team sizes.
About the precinct
Trichy’s teppakulam precinct
Teppakulam is not merely a water body- it is a ritual landscape embedded in the cultural memory of Tiruchirappalli. It hosts the annual float festival (Theppam Thiruvizha), anchors religious processions, and forms a powerful visual and symbolic axis with the Rockfort. More than a landmark, it is a stage where the sacred and the everyday have historically intersected.
Traditionally, Teppakulam performed multiple roles within the life of the city – as a water storage and groundwater recharge system and as a civic gathering space. Perhaps most importantly, it acted as a connector, weaving together ritual practices with daily urban life, allowing the precinct to remain active beyond moments of celebration.
urban context
Located within the commercial core of Tiruchirappalli, the Teppakulam precinct sits within a dense and highly active urban fabric. The tank and its bunds are framed by a constellation of significant landmarks, including the Rockfort, and several buildings of historical significance from various timelines, cultures, and architectural styles, along with several institutional and commercial establishments.
This convergence of religious, commercial, and civic functions results in a layered and high-footfall environment, where multiple rhythms of the city overlap- pilgrimage and commute, commerce and congregation, transit and pause.
key dates
15 April 2026 – Registrations open + Competition Brief released
23 April 2026 – Last date to receive queries via email
01 May 2026 – Registration closes. Registered teams will receive their Unique ID and Design Kit
31 May 2026 – Submission deadline
14 June 2026 – Jury results
End of June 2026 – Public exhibition & Awards ceremony
End of July 2026 – DPR development phase concludes