Urban Collage:The Conformities and Contradictions of Kolkata

Contemporary cities are dynamic entities, with constant addition, alteration and transformation of constituent heterogeneous layers, which qualifies them as ‘collage of conglomerations’ where diverse components interact with each other to ensure its continuance and growth. But in the recent past, proliferation of discontinuity in cities has necessitated renewed urban constructs which would enable dialogue among differential paradigms in future collage cities. This research paper investigates the emergent characteristics and discourses on contemporary cities which validate the ‘Collage’ inherent in them and lists down certain key constructs which would facilitate urban cohesiveness and stability in modern conglomerations. The assemblages of Kolkata, an eastern metropolis of India are discussed to illustrate the constructs.