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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Tiruppur, dubbed as the Manchester of South India, emerged from an agricultural town in
the 1950s and 1960s, to a global textile market leader by the 1980s. Presently, it
manufactures for major international brands, employing over six lakh individuals and
Thesis Report V-SPARC VIT
contributing significantly to India's textile exports.
Although several infrastructural improvements have been made over the years to
support the global export trade of Tiruppur, the city still lacks exhibition and convention
infrastructures that shall further aid trade. Currently, three exhibition centres exist- only
one built and two others are open grounds. The proposed smart city project- of converting
the existing Town Hall into a convention centre, faces criticism for its inadequate scale in
comparison to the on-ground needs and realities.
The thesis “The Spine: Tiruppur Trade Centre” proposes a comprehensive
exhibition and convention center in the heart of Tiruppur, aligning with the government’s
proposal, yet is also larger in scale to address the growing needs of such infrastructure in
the city, while also aligning with the requirements of other such temporary centres in the
city’s periphery. The project also aims to create an iconic structure in Tiruppur, honouring
its agricultural roots and industrial prowess while addressing present and future needs.
