Portland Downtown - Urban Block
Place Making & Public Spaces
Disclaimer The information presented in this portfolio has been studied and collected by the author as a part of the “Elements of Urban Design” studio, Faculty of Planning, CEPT University. Any omissions and errors are deeply regretted.
Acknowledgement I would like to express my gratitude towards CEPT University, Ahmedabad and Faculty of Planning for conduncting Elements of Urban Design Studio over developing the basic understanding about the design elements in urban domain I am grateful to Prof. Vipuja Parmar, Prof Brijesh Bhatha and academic associate Aarzoo Samani who have constantly been active in imparting the best of their knowledge and skills to us. I would like to express my gratitude to Sangami Nagarajan for always supporting and assisting me.
Preface
Element
Studio Brief
Building Typ Streets Open Spac Urban Bloc
Content
ts of Urban Design
Design of Public Place
Learnings
pes
Urban Intervention Case of vastrapur lake road
Studio Understanding
ce cks
1
Preface
The studio was structured as an introduction to urban design representation and how it is used as a means of design thinking. The premise is that urban design is best understood and expressed through the study and representation of the built urban environment. Hence the studio will focus on the study and representation of the key urban elements in cities and will be structured in multiple modules running through the semester, each culminating with an exhibition of the outcome. These modules will significantly focus on effectively capturing and communicating the spatial qualities of the urban built environment. Module 1 involves perceiving and representation of the key elements of urban design. The premise is that building types, urban blocks, streets and public open spaces form the key elements that come together to make any functional urban space. The exercises in this module will enable students with methods to study eachelement and how they contribute to the scale, form, character and their relationship with the larger urban context. Module 2 final exercise which will involve the application of the abilities and skills developed in the first module through preparation of a framework plan for an urban intervention. This module focuses on preparing and representing site analysis, design strategies The culmination of this module will be to prepare a set of effective communication representation drawings for the design and the analysis.
2
Elements of Urban Design 2a. Building Types
Exercise is designed to develop methods for effectively capturing various attributes of building edge such as form and its relationship to ground. Exercise is to identify, categorise and represent the prevailing building types in our cities and develop skills to draw building footprint and its three-dimensional form that abstracts the architectural language along with its relations to the ground.
1. Institutional Institutional buildings are seen more spreaded on ground and low - rise. They have central open space which is semi public as compared to the frontage space which is more public in nature.
Building Name : AMA, Amedabad
Building Name : Pearl Academy, Jaipur
Building Name : Fuji Kindergarten, Tokyo
Ground Coverage : 1,260 sqmt
Ground Coverage : 11,745 sqmt
Ground Coverage : 1,304 sqmt
Total Built-up area : 2,520 sqmt
Total Built-up area : 34,425 sqmt
Total Built-up area : 1,304 sqmt
10 0
40 20
80
m
N
2. Religious Religious buildings are seen adjacent to higher order roads to accommodate the humongous population. In india context the religious building façade is of more integrated details whereas in korea it is more minimalist.
Building Name : CNI, Ahmedabad
Building Name : Saint Mary’s Cathedral,
Building Name : The Closet Church,
Madurai
South Korea
Ground Coverage : 675 sqmt
Ground Coverage : 1,130 sqmt
Ground Coverage : 2,328 sqmt
Total Built-up area : 1,047 sqmt
Total Built-up area : 1,314 sqmt
Total Built-up area : 6,984 sqmt
10 0
40 20
80
m
N
3. Independent Bungalows Independent bungalows have large ground coverage. The tall compound walls are a prominent feature of the building typology. The compound walls mainly provide a secluded personal space cuts off from the activities outside. Privacy, security and unique architectural elements are the main design elements that are considered.
Building Name : Brick Veil, New Delhi
Building Name : Binh House, Vietnam
Ground Coverage : 350 sqmt
Ground Coverage : 1,000 sqmt
Ground Coverage : 233 sqmt
Total Built-up area : 970 sqmt
Total Built-up area : 3,750 sqmt
Total Built-up area : 475 sqmt
Building Name : Villa Shodhan, Ahmedabad
10 0
40 20
80
m
N
4. Apartments In Indian context, high - rise apartments have stilt - parking and rear surface parking on ground level with separate entry and exit gates. The apartments have open space in front as a recreational space with high compound walls whereas in Singapore the property edges are more accessible and porous.
Building Name : Central Point, Ahmedabad
Building Name : Upertech avant
Building Name : Pearl Bank
garden, New Delhi
Appts, Singapore
Ground Coverage : 1,865 sqmt
Ground Coverage : 2,168 sqmt
Ground Coverage : 55,625 sqmt
Total Built-up area : 9,325 sqmt
Total Built-up area : 34,560 sqmt
Total Built-up area :12,23,750 sqmt
10 0
40 20
80
m
N
5. Civic The civic buildings are also similar to the scale of commercial buildings but the inert difference lies in its public nature hence the building edges are relatively opaque. In the case of the U.S, it is surrounded by a public plaza that is a part of the site but remains accessible and inclusive for all.
Building Name : Central Bank of India, Ahmedabad
Building Name : MCD Civic Centre,
Building Name : Church Headquaters, US
New Delhi
Ground Coverage : 2870 sqmt
Ground Coverage : 4152 sqmt
Ground Coverage : 8127 sqmt
Total Built-up area : 22,960 sqmt
Total Built-up area : 52,824 sqmt
Total Built-up area : 2,22,556 sqmt
10 0
40 20
80
m
N
6. Office The office building typology has a diverse array of scale, depending on the site dimensions as well as the urban context. In case of metropolitan cities like Berlin, the setbacks are absent, the building facade directly encloses the street envelope, as compared to Indian examples that have a considerable front setback that leads to inactive street edges sometimes.
Building Name : Palika Kendra, N.Delhi
Building Name : GSW Hochhaus, Berlin
Ground Coverage : 8,765 sqmt
Ground Coverage : 1,430 sqmt
Ground Coverage : 3214 sqmt
Total Built-up area : 1,05,180 sqmt
Total Built-up area : 21,876 sqmt
Total Built-up area : 86,708 sqmt
Building Name : Mondeal Heights, Ahmedabad
10 0
40 20
80
m
N
Elements of Urban Design 2b. Streets
Exercise is designed to develop strategic understanding of various attributes regarding streets and functional role of mobility as well as social role of being public space. Exercise requires the student to identify and represent one street with distinct characteristics and develop their skills to draw its three-dimensional form that abstract the character of the street life. Additionally, streets are analysed the parameters that make the physical envelope of the street such as porosity, building ground floor use and access.
Marina Beach Road, Chennai
Marina Beach street at Chennai acts as a city edge. Immense open space with colossal scale creates a buffer landmark buildings and institutions cradle the Indo-Saracenic form of architecture. The grandeur experience along place for the local people to escape from the summer heat. The memorials, statues and informal activities create p
r from city life. On the opposite side of the Marina several the marina road with one side long wide promenade makes pauses thus acts as social interaction and gathering space.
Edge type
Total building egde = 500 m Total No. of entrance = 8 No. of entrance / 100m = 1.6
Scale 1:2000 Access to street Acess to building
Legends Opaque Partially Porous Porous
20% Porous 80% Partially Porous
Visually Physically
Ground floor building use
40% Institutional
5% Commercial
Scale 1:2000
15% Residential 40% Open Space Commercial
Residentail
Institutional
Open Space
Walking Street, Sunday Market, Phuket old Town
Weekday
The Streets of Phuket are weaved with the built fabric, interconnected built form and spaces between them defi and pedestrian friendly. The harmony and scale of buildings with arch colonnades and high numbers of openin makes it more interactive. The weekend market where informal activities are catered makes it a destination point,
Edge type
Total building egde = 340 m Total No. of entrance = 52 No. of entrance / 100m = 34
Scale 1:2000 Access to street Acess to building
Legends Opaque Partially Porous Porous
100% Porous
Visually Physically
Ground floor building use
Weekend
fines the street. Gentrification of street makes it more porous ngs on the street enrich the experience of pedestrians and , hence mixed commercial is observed with retail and hotels.
85% Commercial (Retail) Retail
Hotel/Restaurants
15% Commercial (Hotel/Restaurants)
Scale 1:2000
5% Residential Institutional
Religious
Elements of Urban Design 2c. Open Space
Exercise is designed to develop strategic understanding of various attributes regarding public opens space such as scale, location, access and spatial configuration. Exercise requires the student to identify and represent any important Indian public space with distinct characteristics and abstract the character of the life in that public space.
Maheshwar ghat, Indore
Maheshwar is a town in Khargone district of Madhya Pradesh state, in central India. The fort walls makes it more op element in this context. The ghats are a whirl of colour and interest and the compact old quarter is a pleasure to series of steps adds to the human experience. Series of steps used as seating, yoga day celebration and music c
paque in nature and a single arch gateway is the only porous explore. Scale and proportion of the massive archway with cultural festival.
Edge type
Total building egde = 120m Total No. of entrance = 2 No. of entrance / 100m = 1.6
20% Porous 80% Opaque
Scale 1:2000 Access to street Acess to building
Legends Opaque Partially Porous Porous
Visually Physically
Ground floor building use
Scale 1:2000 100% Religious Commercial
Residentail
Institutional
Religious
Elements of Urban Design 2d. Urban Blocks
Exercise is designed to develop strategic understanding of various attributes regarding urban blocks and its components - Building types, streets and spaces between the buildings. Exercise requires us to identify and represent prevailing urban blocks in our cities and abstract the character of the same. Additionally, understanding the landuse, built vs open space ratio in a given block and understanding the block perimeter and its functionality.
Portland Downtown
High – density business, public arts and residential district, Portland’s downtown, features narrow streets and sq compact blocks i.e small blocks makes it walkable friendly.
quare,
Urban Block
Block Perimeter Smallest : 243 m Largest : 335 m The Sky Bridge
70 m
40 m
70 m
80 m
Scale 1:2000
Building Footprint
Public plaza - Director’s Park
Built v/s Open Built Space : 60% Public Open Space : 18% Private Open Space : 23%
23% 60%
18%
Public Plaza between art museum and exhibition centre.
Scale 1:2000
3
Urban Intervention near Vastrapur L Prodominant Pedestrian Street The second module of the studio. Design exercise attempts to develop the analytical, conceptual and representational abilities in preparing a frame work plan for a Vastrapur urban area. Exercise intended a real life design challenge where the site was critically studied with issues and potential and further design strategies to enhance the overall site. Designing a real life problem was the opportunity to deal with the challenges of designing public spaces in a city.
Lake Road
Vision
Connecting Series of public & private realm through central spine i.e the Predominant pedestrian street. AMC Vacant Plot
Alpha Mall
Amarpali Complex
Amphitheatre Amusement Park
Objectives/ Strategies 1.Provide safe space for pedestrians, encourage walkability.
Proposed Pedestrian Street
2.Provide thriving public space to engaging community interaction
AMC Vacant Plot Amarpali Complex
3.Strengthening neighborhood interaction and stakeholders. 4.Activating the streets for different kind of all users will improve community interaction and user safety. 5.Sustainable median helps in improving ecological wealth and human wealth. 6.Inhancing accesibilty over mobility.
Alpha Mall
Amphitheatre Amusement Park
Nehru Circle
Vastrapur Gam
Analysis
Surrounded by Commercial edges and Residentail hub
Robust street connectivity with Public transport
Support various Recreational & informal activities along the edges
Exisitng Plan
Amarpali Complex
AMC vacant Plot
Amusement Park
Amphitheatre
More mobility street Discourage Pedestrians
Underutilized open space
Commercial Front used as surface parking
On-Street Parking
Junction difficult for Pedestrians to cross
Concerns Opaque Edges Physically & Visually Disconnected with High Compound walls
Parking and Vending encroachments of Lake front Plaza
Lake Entrance
2M Pathway
12 M Carriage Way
AMC Vacant Plot
Section through Lake entrance and Amc plot
Footpath encroached by vending activities & Street Scape
Amusement Park
2M 12 M Pathway Carriage Way
Narrow Footpath – Unsafe for Pedestrians
2M Pathway
Section through Amusement park and Amarpali complex
Amarpali Building
Opportunity
Permeability and Visually connected edges (Interactive edges - enhances human experience)
Space for Pedestrian & Activity Concentration at one Place – Formal Vending Space Metro Station Distance - 1.2 Km
A
B
Diverting the traffic to “AB” road (Same ROW and extra route 550 M)
Providing One – way road leading to Alpha Mall
Cycle Track
BRTS Station Distance - 600 M
Providing continuing cycle track along the Lake edge
Conceptual Strategy Pedestrianisation – Walkable friendly street Continuity and Unobstructed Path Shaded Walkway and Seating – Social Cohesion
Permeability and Visual connection (Edges) Porous Edges Enhance Human Experience Pause Points – Seating and Active edges
Organizing - street activities Formal Vending Pause Points – Active edges
Users Safety Raised Crossings Increase Accessibility Discourage Parking
Shaded Walkway
Shaded Seating
Active Edges
Play Element
Formal vending Space
Porous Edges
Suffcient Lighting
Raised Crossings
Refernce - ITDP streets design workbook
Design Process
Porous edges of Amphitheater and lake edge – Increase visual connection
Raised junctions - walking at same level
Shaded Parklets – Cluster Seating and green shaded Walkways
Central Spine that weaves through various realm
Proposed Plan Existing Hospital
Existing Amphitheater
Raised Crossing
Art installation & Social Cohesive
My Bike Cycle Stand
Proposed Outdoor Work Space and Gatherign Space
Multipurpose Vending Space
Kids Pla (Swin
ay Area ngs)
Existing Alpha Mall
Existing Amarpali Building
Existing Amusement Park
Entrance Plaza with Metal elements
Sensory Garden
Cab Pick up Point
Parklets (Shaded Cluster seating)
Yulu Cycle Stand
Auto Stand
Proposed Sections Visually Connected VisuallyEdges Connected
3M Pathway
Amphitheatre
3M Parklets
6M Carriage Way
Section through Amphitheatre and Food Plaza
Active Edges Interactive Edges
Amusement Park
4M Pathway
Section through Amusement Park and Amarpali Complex
2.1 M Parallel Parking
6M Carriage Way
3M Cycle Track
Physically & Visually Connected
4M Cycle Track
5M Pathway
Food Park and Basement Parking
Predominant Pedestrian Street
5M Pathway
Amarpali Building
Delayering the design 1 Road and Cycle Track
One way road is demarcated with cycle track which runs all around the lake and it acts as a buffer between footpath and carriage way.
4 Multi functional Space
The food court is a multi functional space, which would accommodate flower and vegetable markets in day time and used as food vending during evenings.
2
Continous Pathway and Raised Crossing
The continuous pathway which follow creates plaza in some points which is
5
Directional Flooring and Parklets
The lake entrance is redesigned t welcoming. Parklets are provided an footpaths where it opens up as paus
ws through series of seaters which s easily accessible.
to a plaza which makes it more nd shading devices are provided in se points.
31 Porous Edges and Wide Junctions
The edges are made porous which increases the visual and physical connectivity and is designed with planters and in built seaters. Junction edges, are made wider as activity spots.
6
Natural Shade
Existing trees and new trees which makes the street more usable.
Visualization of street
Vastrapur Lake
View of Outdoor Workspace & Food Park
The Amc Vacant plot is redesigned with a food court and outdoor work space considering the vicinity of institutions. The food court is a multi functional space, which would accommodate flower and vegetable markets in day time and used as food court during evenings
Central Space as Shaded Seating
Outdoor workspace and group discussion area for students and professionals
Porous Edges &Interactive Edges with green buffer and Seating spaces
Cycle Stand near Junction for easy accesibiltyy
Wide Junctions Edges as pause points with art installation and street art
Contentious cycle track - Buffer between street and Pathway
Lake Entrance Plaza
Raised Crossovers (Street for Pedestrians
Metal Element Opposite to Lake entrance (Pause & creates an experience)
Directional Flooring (Forms a pattern at pause points & Plazas)
Redefining the entrance of Amphitheatre, Lake & Amusement Park
Parklets (Cluster seating & Kids play area - acts as small pockets connecting large plaza)
Street elements like bollards which will restrict vehicle entry and Cycle stands are provided at the junctions for easy accessibility.
Alpha Mall Junction Cycles Stand near junctions for easy accesibility
Step Entrance Can be also used as seating for group interaction
Bollards (To avoid vehicles to drive on Pathway)
Contentious cycle track Buffer between street and Pathway
Wide Junction edges (Space to gather,with activites like street art, craft installation, performance area and kioks)
Street Views
Parklet Design
Plaza Entrance
4
Learnings
Source - “People first Development - Livable & interactive spaces” - Florentina Anastasia
Key Studio Learnings
The learning outcome of the studio is to prepare qualitative illustrated drawings representing urban design elements i.e to graphically communicate the key characteristic of an urban built environment and its relation to the public realm.
Key Studio Learnings
Building Types - Building form and its relationship with the realm. - As the building footprint and scale of the building increases certain elements like plinth and arch are added to relate human scale. Streets and Open spaces - The importance of edges, edge conditions and its influence on street activities. - Multi-functional usage of open spaces makes it more active. - The relationship between open space and it’s adjacent built form. Urban Block - Efficiently planned walkable urban block with multimodal public transport services. - The intervening nature of public and private realm makes the space for all. Urban intervention - Integrating a cycle track and wider footpath and creating a plaza at certain points which could break the monotony. - Creating a small pause point which will attract the users and encourage the movement throughout the street. - Street elements like raised junctions, parklets and porous edges enhance the overall character of a public space.