UnDivided - Undergraduate Thesis

from Urban Designer Portfolio - Alankrita

Tendring and Colchester Borders Garden Community

Location: Bangalore

Level: BArch Architecture Thesis

The cities we live in today, usually follow a very rigid form of zoning. Thus, due to zoning and bye-law regulations regions adjacent to lakes, nalas or any other water bodies are left unplanned or as leftover spaces. Thus the ‘informal’ also considered leftover parts of our society whom the city is rarely planned for, are the first to settle near the available natural resource. Eventually these portions of land end up becoming garbage dumps adding to the filth and poor living conditions for the economically weaker.

At its very crux this thesis hypothesized using design be it, architecture or urbanism as a tool to change the mental perception of the urban poor or urban informal in our societies. Theorising that, bridging this mental gap will only help to eventually eliminate the economic gap in most developing countries. Creating spaces that are truly democratic in their essence and redefining the ‘public realm’ in present day cities.

The context consists of a population of nearly 55,000 people. A large portion of the population consists of people under the age of 35. Which is a reflection of the demography of the city of Bangalore itself.

The settlement itself consists of a diverse population. A mix of Christian, Muslim and Hindu communities. Usually the community settles around respective religious buildings.

Children go to schools and colleges around the neighbourhood, there are no institutions within the settlement.

A point of concern is the lack of any safe spaces for children and women in the settlement. The nearest playgrounds and parks are 1-2km away from the settlement.