Place Making and Public Spaces | Urban Design Portfolio | Cept University

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.