Global Design Jury Honours NAMO Grand Central Park With Top Architecture MasterPrize Award 

The Kalpataru-developed public park in Thane wins Best of the Best in the Public Landscape category at the 2025 edition.

NAMO Grand Central Park in Thane has received international recognition after being awarded the “Best of the Best” honour in the Public Landscape category at the Architecture MasterPrize 2025. The project was developed by Kalpataru Limited and designed by landscape architecture firm L49, earning distinction from a global jury that evaluates design quality, innovation, and long-term urban impact.
The Architecture MasterPrize is regarded as a leading international platform that recognises excellence across architecture, interior, and landscape design. Projects selected under the “Best of the Best” category represent the highest tier of achievement within their respective disciplines. For NAMO Grand Central Park, the award marks the third consecutive year in which the broader project ecosystem has received international acknowledgement, reinforcing its position on the global design stage.

Located in the heart of Thane, the park is conceived as a large-scale public landscape rather than a conventional urban green space. Its design places emphasis on accessibility, ecological balance, and everyday public use. Spread across a significant urban footprint, the park accommodates diverse plant species and bird habitats while remaining deeply integrated into the city’s social fabric.
The jury citation highlights the park’s inclusive planning approach, which prioritises people-first design without compromising environmental sensitivity. Pathways, open lawns, shaded areas, and gathering spaces are arranged to encourage interaction across age groups, transforming the site into a shared civic environment rather than a passive recreational zone.

For Kalpataru, the recognition reflects a sustained focus on contributing to public infrastructure beyond private development. The company’s involvement in NAMO Grand Central Park aligns with a broader commitment to creating urban spaces that respond to the evolving needs of growing cities. Rather than positioning the park as a landmark in isolation, the project is framed as part of Thane’s long-term urban experience.
The landscape design by L49 plays a central role in shaping this experience. The firm’s approach blends ecological planning with urban usability, allowing natural systems to coexist with active public movement. Native vegetation, open sightlines, and adaptable zones support both biodiversity and daily civic life, reinforcing the idea of the park as a living, evolving environment.

Urban planners and design professionals have increasingly pointed to the role of well-designed public landscapes in improving quality of life in dense cities. NAMO Grand Central Park’s recognition at the Architecture MasterPrize reflects this shift, placing emphasis on how large-scale public projects can shape social interaction, environmental awareness, and urban identity.
As cities across India grapple with rapid urbanisation, projects such as NAMO Grand Central Park are being viewed through an international lens. The award situates Thane within a broader global conversation on public space design, demonstrating how Indian urban landscapes are gaining recognition for thoughtful planning and long-term relevance.

The 2025 honour adds to the park’s growing profile as a civic space that balances scale, ecology, and community use. Rather than focusing solely on aesthetics, the project’s recognition underscores the value of public landscapes that are accessible, inclusive, and deeply connected to the cities they serve.

At Prittle PrattleNews, featuring you virtuously, we celebrate the commitment and innovation. Led by Editor-in-Chief Smruti Bhalerao, our platform is dedicated to sharing impactful stories that inspire change and create awareness. Follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube for more stories that matter.