A waterfront open museum

At the request of Ahmedabad Urban Development Authority, Atelier dada developed a bold and poetic lighting master plan for the Sabarmati riverfront. The ambition was to renew the city’s nighttime experience while resonating with local culture and collective life. Although the project was never realized due to budgetary and scheduling constraints, it left a lasting impression on architects and city officials, opening the way for future reflections and collaborations.

The core idea was to conceive each lighting element as modular and adaptable. Light was imagined not only as infrastructure, but as a platform for artistic expression, capable of supporting temporary art installations, performances and live events. The riverfront was envisioned as a sequence of open-air galleries and stages, offering free and inclusive access to culture.

Designed to respond to both daytime and nighttime uses, the lighting system relied on low-energy, easy-to-maintain solutions. By playing with shadow, reflection and depth, the installations aimed to create a new spatial perception along the water’s edge, enriching the experience of walking, pausing and gathering.

This vision proposed a riverfront where architectural lighting becomes an artistic medium in its own right. A space for experimentation and imagination, where the boundaries between infrastructure, art and landscape dissolve. Though unrealized, the project has remained a reference in the evolution of lighting thinking for the city, carrying the promise of a riverfront transformed by light and creativity.