How do you read a city beyond its monuments?

Hidden within the bustle of contemporary Chennai lies Chintadripet, originally Chinna Thari Pettai—the “little weavers’ settlement.” Established in the early 18th century as one of the earliest planned settlements of Madras by the East India Company, it was designed for weavers and artisans central to the city’s textile economy. Today, it remains a vibrant, layered urban fabric where colonial-era institutional buildings, vernacular streets, and active commercial life coexist. Chintadripet remains largely unexplored, making it a unique opportunity to experience a living urban landscape where history continues to unfold through everyday life.

Through a guided heritage walk, participants are invited to rediscover Chintadripet as a living archive of Madras, engaging with its evolving morphology and architectural character.
Participants will develop analytical tools to interpret historic urban environments, providing a foundation for conservation, adaptive reuse, and context-sensitive urban interventions.

Come rediscover Chintadripet!

On 25 July, Arcause Spotlight: Chennai Edition brought together 27 enthusiastic participants for an immersive exploration of Chintadripet under the theme City as a Classroom. The walk saw a vibrant mix of faculty members, students, young architects, and Arcause Club coordinators representing institutions including SAP, AMS, Sathak, MEASI, Sathyabama, Hindustan, CEPT University, TKM College of Engineering, ArchitectureRED, and even a student from PSG College of Technology who expressed interest in bringing Spotlight to Coimbatore. Through stories of the neighbourhood’s layered history, observations of its urban fabric, and conversations on everyday public spaces, participants experienced the city from a fresh perspective. The session concluded with an engaging mapping exercise and an urban treasure hunt, encouraging participants to reflect, collaborate, and observe their surroundings more closely. The overwhelming participation, enthusiastic discussions, and positive feedback made the Chennai Spotlight a memorable and inspiring learning experience for everyone involved.

Ar. Ashmitha Athreya is a passionate architect, researcher and storyteller whose work has brought Chennai’s layered heritage closer to the hearts of its citizens. She leads Madras Inherited, an initiative focused on promoting awareness, appreciation, and preservation of heritage through meaningful engagement. Madras Inherited is a platform committed to fostering awareness, appreciation, and conservation of Chennai’s rich architectural and cultural heritage.

With an academic foundation in architecture and a postgraduate degree in Heritage Studies from INTACH, New Delhi, Ashmitha brings together academic rigour and grassroots communication. Her role encompasses research, content curation, social media strategy, and public engagement—all tailored to make heritage more accessible and relatable. A unique aspect of her work is the creation and leadership of bilingual heritage walks, thoughtfully researched and delivered to bring out the hidden stories embedded in Chennai’s streets and buildings. With over 300 walking tours to her credit, Ashmitha blends scholarship with storytelling to connect people emotionally to the spaces around them, fostering a deeper sense of belonging and responsibility.

Introduction & Context Setting (15–30 mins) :
Overview of Chintadripet as one of the earliest planned settlements of Madras, its origin as Chinna Thari Pettai, its weaving-based economy, and its evolution into a layered urban fabric shaped by colonial planning and local craft communities, introducing the concept of living heritage.

Neighbourhood Walk & Observation (90 mins) :
Guided walk through selected streets, historic nodes, institutional buildings, religious structures, and commercial stretches within Chintadripet. Participants will observe urban morphology, architectural typologies, public spaces, community activities, and ongoing transformations within the precinct.

Discussion & Knowledge Sharing (20–30 mins) :
Reflection on observations, identification of key heritage elements and challenges, and facilitated discussion on conservation, urban regeneration, and the future of the neighbourhood as a living urban archive.

Interactive Participant Activity + Reflection (30 mins) :
Participants will work in small groups to select one observed element, such as a building, street edge, junction, or public space for the activity.

Activity   :         Walking Through the Hidden Threads of Madras: Rediscovering Chintadripet

Focus      :         Bodh  (Building On Design Histories)

Duration     :     3 hours

Venue      :        Chintadripet, Chennai

Time        :        8:00 A.M