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URBAN ACUPUNCTURE SMALL SCALE INTERVENTIONS WITH LARGE SCALE IMPACTS RELIEVING URBAN STRESS
Amruta Kiran Atre 1
BMS College of Architecture; amrutakatre@gmial.com * Correspondence: amrutakatre@gmail.com; +91-9481473612
BMS College of Architecture, Bull Temple Road, Bangalore 560019
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URBAN ACUPUNCTURE SMALL SCALE INTERVENTIONS WITH LARGE SCALE IMPACTS RELIEVING URBAN STRESS
ABSTRACT As the population in cities is rapidly increasing, as urban planners and designers we must look for ways to uplift the city life. Changes made to achieve positive transformation of a community need not be large-scale. In fact, one block, park, or a single interactive display can have an outsized effect on life in the surrounding city. Massive urban renewal projects these days are out and we favour more localised and community level approaches to urban problems instead of larger and more invasive projects that require not only thousands of acres, but investment and infrastructure that the local bodies can no longer provide. This paper will speak about revitalized or revived urban areas by small-scale interventions done to the existing urban environment. Looking at traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture is the combination of science and art of inserting fine needles into specific strategic parts of the human body with aim to treat a range of symptoms. In the same way, urban acupuncture is identifying strategic points in the urban fabric, on a small scale to treat the areas that are suffering from urban stress and decay, spaces that need rejuvenation or revival. This paper may be considered as an attempt to list benefits and challenges of urban acupuncture. That means research within this paper focuses on the underlying principles that shape the theory of urban acupuncture, taking a look at a few case studies which share similar principles and applying them in an intervention at Banashankari temple ward, Bangalore, Karnataka. We start the process by first understanding the urban fabric, the stresses that exist and try to address the urban issues through urban acupuncture. The fourth part of the paper focuses on development of a scale to determine if an urban area is under urban stress or not and suggestive interventions for the same. The dimensions of sustainability, time, public space, participation of community and new technologies play an important role in shaping these strategies. Improving the living conditions of the communities is very important for the wellbeing of people. Keywords: urban acupuncture, strategic planning, small scale interventions, community projects,urban stress.
BMS College of Architecture, Bull Temple Road, Bangalore 560019
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1. Introduction Most people understand today’s city life as stressful. A larger portion of today’s population lives in cities, and with each day the share is rising. The quality of life in cities seems to be depleting. Research has shown urban living has a significant impact on physical and mental health. One Dutch study found that city dwellers were 21 percent more likely to have anxiety with related disorders, and carried a higher risk of mood disorders [1] . People living in urban areas are exposed to more stress factors than people in rural areas, which has negative impacts on their overall health. Stress is caused, for example, by poverty, lack of infrastructure and living in confined spaces[2]. Physical parameters such as traffic noise and environmental pollution matter too. These factors give rise to stress. This stress also occurs when the pressure is greater than the resource. What stress could be for an individual is more than just a feeling or sensation of physical tension, it has a tangible impact on a person’s life and should be looked at as a symptom of urban decay.
1.1 What is urban acupuncture? Looking at traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture is the combination of science and art of inserting fine needles into specific parts of the human body with aim to treat a range of symptoms. In the same way, urban acupuncture is identifying strategic points in the urban fabric on a small scale to treat the areas that need rejuvenation or revival. An urban acupuncture project could be done with various goals in mind: 1) To attract external private and public investment in a locality by encouraging businesses to restore economic viability of a given area. 2) To reclaim ownership of the land for public use (sense of ownership and pride in their locality) and emphasizes the importance of community development where we design a space for all members of the society to participate and interact forming a strong community bond.[3] 3) To make people engage with their surroundings: create a sense of civic vitality in the cities, towns and communities we inhabit and visit.
BMS College of Architecture, Bull Temple Road, Bangalore 560019
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1.2 Approach of Urban acupuncture The term ‘urban acupuncture’ was coined by Architect and city planner Manuel de Solà and was later popularised by Finnish architect Marco Casagrande.[1] Urban acupuncture looks at the urban area as a living being. Sites of urban acupuncture need not be small. The two important features of this theory are that the interventions must be fast and quick to implement and they must have a ‘bottom-up’ approach. The larger-scale interventions can be time-consuming, take up vast land, and cost a lot. Often local residents feel that these plans are forced on them without keeping their requirements in mind.[4] Sites are selected through an integrated approach of collecting data to analyse the site, involving the local occupants. Once selected, interventions are designed and implemented to enable greater impacts on the surrounding areas and throughout the city. The opposition to the proposed garden bridge in London by Heatherwick Studios demonstrates the level of hostility a top-down approach to planning can bring.
2. Materials and Methodology The Methodology adopted should be described with sufficient details to be as clear and precise as possible. Clarity w.r.t secondary and primary data to be established in the paper. Literature review may be included as a sub section as shown below. In order to understand the urban stresses on the ward, a visual and social survey was conducted. The visual survey was conducted to understand the environmental stress factors. The socio-economic household survey was conducted to gather information about the demography, income, education, and employment of the ward. These maps were overlaid to check the overlap of urban stresses and determine the area within the ward that faces stress. 2.1. Secondary data & analysis Some examples of urban acupuncture were picked out to understand the concept, to see different scenarios and approaches. 2.1.1. Pocket parks as urban acupuncture
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Pocket parks are examples that act as a green space for a local community where they live and where they work. They help make the neighbourhood more lively. They are small-scale, help in creating focus within an area and provide a spill out area in neighbourhoods that have smaller plot sizes and smaller homes. Their locations are very important for the park to be used by its target user group. In any given instance the user must not have to walk more than 5-10 minutes to reach the intervention from their place of residence. These parks are preferably located at junctions, nodes or transport links. Easy access can be provided by road, footpaths and green ways. Other local services such as a water filtration unit, milk booth, and vegetable shops can be situated in this central area for it to be more lively. This intervention is low budget as it could be difficult for local authorities to find large green areas in dense urban fabrics. 2.1.2 Acupuncture for urban regeneration – Re-place making The greening of dilapidated spaces can have impressive results for the social and cultural well-being of residents. Researchers tell us that when vacant plots are covered in a green layer, the low income group residents in a neighbourhood experience“significant decreases'' in depression, and lower stress levels. The study even noted a significant reduction in certain types of neighbourhood crime in the area surrounding the acupuncture interventions.
3. Criticism of urban acupuncture One possible criticism of using pocket parks as urban acupuncture could be that the urban regeneration it fosters can contribute to gentrification. Gentrification is the term used to describe the displacement of low-income residents by those of higher income. With an increase in property values comes an increase in rents. This is often associated with urban regeneration, or where previously affordable, but less desirable areas become more fashionable and more expensive for the local people. This has been evidenced in areas of Manhattan facing the High Line.
BMS College of Architecture, Bull Temple Road, Bangalore 560019
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Figure 1 High line - New York City. Source- https://www.timeout.com/newyork/parks/highline
4. Results : Balancing urban acupuncture and urban regeneration Urban acupunctures are quick and cheap to implement, they can have positive effects on the health and well-being of the local residents, encourage entrepreneurship through pop-up shops and services, and have positive effects on property values. Key to their success seems to be in the careful consideration of their placement and use, and a community participatory ‘bottom-up’ approach. This is one of the tenets of good urban acupuncture. It seems successful projects are not the headline-grabbing big scale or expensive projects, but the small-scale, quick to implement, projects of low cost but high value.
BMS College of Architecture, Bull Temple Road, Bangalore 560019
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5. Discussion The aim of this paper is to understand the fabric of Banashankari and identify the urban stresses caused by physical and environmental factors that could be relieved with the help of urban acupuncture. People living in urban areas are exposed to more stress factors than people in rural areas, which has negative impacts on their overall health. Stress has a tangible impact on our lives and should be looked at as a symptom of URBAN DECAY. The objective is to design a small place for the congregation, to increase vibrancy on streets, reduce stress on resources and utilize skill-sets within the ward, providing work for idle hands. The ultimate goal is to ensure each resident of the ward has access to basic necessities such as a public tap and a green space to gather to socialize. To upgrade the life of people living in a compact urban area. To get people more involved in community based activities in order to develop pride in place and moral responsibility. 5.1 Banashankari Banashankari is bound by Girinagar and Rajarajeshwari Nagar in the west, Basavangudi in the north, Jayanagar and J.P. Nagar in the east. It comprises of areas such as Ilyas nagar, Pragithi pura, Teacher’s colony, Yarab nagar. The Banashankari temple ward is the area of study. There are 36 blocks within the ward of total area 0.76 square kilometre. The ward has a population of more than forty thousand people and a density of around two hundred and fifty people per hectare which is higher than its surrounding areas causing housing stress. The ward is lacking in public open spaces and gathering spaces. Banahankari has two metro stations present within the ward, IPT networks and TTMC that are the major providers of public transport. Majority of its residents are employed in and around the area in informal sectors such as flower vending, grill workshops, furniture workshops, timber yard, sarakki market, auto drivers and other service level jobs that are daily wage based causin The ward has major landmarks such as Banashankari temple on the Kanakpura road, Mosques Timber yard that contribute to its identity. There is a balanced mix between Hindus and Muslims within the ward and Christians are in minority. Languages spoken vary from Hindi, Telagu, Kannada and English. Multiple contested spaces cause friction between communities causing lack in community bond and sense of security. Banashankari’s large portion of urban fabric has evolved over time in an organic manner due to the sloping terrain. We see a growth in the population in Banashankari as there are multiple economic pull factors present in the area that provide employment or opportunities for people. While the terrain makes it difficult to provide people with physical infrastructure.g stress as a form of uncertainty.
BMS College of Architecture, Bull Temple Road, Bangalore 560019
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5.2 Why does Banashankari temple ward need urban acupuncture? In order to understand the urban stresses on the ward, a visual and social survey was conducted. The visual survey was conducted to understand the environmental stress factors. The socio-economic household survey was conducted to gather information about the demography, income, education, and employment of the ward. These maps were overlaid to check the overlap of urban stresses and determine the area within the ward that faces stress. The following observation was mapped to see multiple black points where stresses overlapped.
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5.3 Urban stresses in Banashankari - Environmental factors
Figure 3: Map showing the urban environmental stresses faced by the people of Banashankari
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Stress factors that are found in our surroundings are called environmental stressors. Everyday life of a person is full of environmental stressors that cause minor irritations. Extreme temperatures are also environmental stressors and can lead to discomfort. Noise pollution, air pollution and lack of vegetation are some of the factors that have an impact in Banashankari.
(a) (b) Figure 4: (a) Air quality of Banashankari - data compiled by author (b) Quality index of Banashankari 5.4 Physical factors of urban stress Urban crime is present due to the disparity in income. Water storage in large plastic drums that are stored on footpaths. Road blocks due to dumping of garbage even though separate dumping bins are provided. Provision of physical infrastructure is expensive in dense areas. Overspill of activities on roads that block footpaths and roads. Even though the infrastructure provided satisfies the basic service level, the overspill of activities causes congestion and slows down the flow of pedestrian and vehicular movement. The natural sequel of unchecked, unplanned and haphazard growth of urban areas is the growth and spread of slums and squatter settlements -There are 5 notified slums in Banashankari that lack basic amenities such as water supply, drain lines and metered electricity. Uncertainty in income and employment due to the majority of the residents working in the informal, secondary or tertiary sectors that leads to uncertainty in income. Contract or temporary jobs, seasonal jobs do not guarantee a stable income.
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Figure 5: Mapping of physical stresses in Banashankari - Compiled by author
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5.5 Detection of black points - location of urban intervention (acupuncture) While planning urban acupuncture, below listed are the steps to follow: 1) Detection of black points: We often detect points of conflict within our urban fabric. Places where public intervention strategies have overlooked problems which render them ineffective. This strategy is a useful starting-point to obtain a basic idea of these problem areas. 2) Taking into account, the existing resources: understanding the identities that neighbourhoods have. Examples such as the Banashankari temple, sarakki market, metro stations, TTMC, linear park, blend of cultures, extensive range of ages, and historic legends of the area. 3) Aesthetic redefinition of urban elements: Propose design elements with dual functions - a seating bench can double as a planter or charging station, incorporate multiple functions in one element 4) Identify functions that are needed and can be grouped : It might be interesting to combine functions in groups at sites of special interest (environmental or other) to create intense focal points which make the nature of the intervention especially visible. 5) Identify sites that can be grouped or linked : Creating a green trail or linking open spaces to create various pockets with distinct characters. important junctions being painted in different colors to be identified as important focus areas and crossroads highlighted to create ambient surroundings. 6) Redefinition of space – the actual intervention 7) Customize, reuse, and recycle can be an option : Using local materials available in and around Bangalore will not only bring the cost down but will also be inexpensive. Sourcing labour from within the ward and putting idle hands to work will benefit the residents. Value vegetation. 8) Open and adaptive design – Reversible : The design must not damage the existing fabric. Any process on site should keep in mind context and context sensitive issues and work around them. 9) Shared responsibility and management - Diversity, inclusivity and plurality: Creating a sense of responsibility and pride within people about their locality can aid the intervention for its proper implementation, design and use. It also ensures its maintenance.
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Figure 6: Urban Acupuncture proposed in Banashankari - Compiled by the author.
BMS College of Architecture, Bull Temple Road, Bangalore 560019
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6. Conclusion Changes to a locality need not be large-scale and expensive to have a transformative impact. Community involvement is just as important as they are the users of the space. Small scale projects can alter the face of any urban fabric, uplifting the lives of the community. For noise and air pollution, green cover adding local species can be a solution. Climbers and creepers to make the space more green and liveable, creating a buffer from the pollution.Community managed water system to tackle water shortage. Public taps and ground level water reserves for storage and purification. Spreading awareness to residents to reduce waste at source. Collection bins for the community - storing waste until the BBMP vehicles collect it. Recycling and segregation to be promoted. Seating, street furniture and street art will make the space more vibrant and encourage community gatherings. These streets will promote eyes on the street to reduce urban crime. Use of materials that are tactile for specially abled bodies. Provision of basic infrastructures and services with the aim of increasing employment and income generation.
7. References 1.
2. 3. 4.
Meyer-Lindenberg, P. A. (2011). City living and urban upbringing affect neural social stress processing in humans. Germany: Nature. Golchha, N. (2020, June 17). Stressed In The City? 5 Ways To Combat City Stress. Pocket Coach. Retrieved jan 21, 2021, from https://www.pocketcoach.co/blog/stressed-in-the-city-how-can-you-manage-your-stress/ FOCUS for health. (2020, Jan 12). Urban Overload: How to Manage Stress in American Cities. Focus for health. https://www.focusforhealth.org/stress-and-the-city/ Polytechnic University of Madrid (UPM) and the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH). (2021, 03 26). Urban Acupuncture. ETH Zurich. https://www.mchmaster.com/news/urban-acupuncture/
8. Supplementary material 1. 2. 3.
https://urbanage.lsecities.net/essays/urban-stress-and-mental-health (STRESS + MENTAL) https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/66/ss/ss6613a1.htm (AIR QUALITY) https://www.childrenandnature.org/research/urban-and-rural-brains-respond-differently-to-stress-2/ (URBAN VS RURAL BRAINS)
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