S 2022 +
| Portfolio
People. Places. Possibilities [ Elements of Urban Design ]
PUD21042
Anjhana M
Preface The studio is structured as an introduction to urban design representation and design of public places. The studio is based on the premise that urban design is best understood and expressed through study and representation of the built urban environment.
I
People. Places. Possibilities
Contents
01 02 03 04 05
Pallikaranai Marshlands
01
Network of Problems | Cause Proposed Eco-Park | Reflections on Studied Project
01 - 02
Beachfront Streets
06
Tel Aviv Beach Promenade, Israel Elliots Beach Promenade, Chennai
07 - 08 09 - 10
Building types Representation
11 - 12
Urban Blocks and Open Spaces
14
Lijnbaan District, Rotterdam Sultan Ahmet, Istanbul
15 - 16 17 - 18
Reimagining Drive-in Road
20
Site Context Existing Scenario Proposed Strategies Reimagined Drive-in Road | Proposed Streetscape
21 - 22 23 - 24 25 - 26 27 - 32
Learnings and Takeaways
33
What is your City talking about?
Study and Representation
Study and Representation
Analysis and Design of Streets
03 - 04
Elements of Urban Design Studio | S 2022 II
III People. Places. Possibilities
Koshastalaiyar watershed
Cooum watershed
Cooum river
Adyar river
Adyar watershed
Pallikaranai watershed
Palar-North watershed
Palar-South watershed
[RE]shaping urban environments in Chennai 48
01 AN ECOLOGICAL COVER-UP What is your City Talking About?
Project Studied : Pallikaranai EcoPark Location : Chennai, TamilNadu, IN
01 Module 01 Introduction Study The exercise is designed to bring about the current urban issues that cities are focused on - either excited or concerned about. Such urban topics that are debated by citizens or are in the media are chosen indicating evidence of interest from the city & the citizens. The goal is to bring out individual perceptions about various urban conditions and generate an interactive debate as an initiation of the studio.
Pallikaranai wetland is a freshwater marsh can also put it as the only surviving wetland ecosystem of the city and is among the few and last remaining natural wetlands of South India. It is located adjacent to the Bay of Bengal about 20 kms to the south of the city centre. Wetlands have the power to increase a region’s ability to deal with extreme weather events. It reduces the impact of waterlogging during floods and enables water storage during dry periods, both of which are a familiar story in the city of Chennai. An the Importance of the Pallikaranai wetland was forcibly brought to the notice of the residents of Chennai during the two major floods (in 2015 and 2021) which inundated the entire city.
Elements of Urban Design Studio | S 2022 IV
+ #01 6000 Ha
The dumpyard
#04
1965
2000
Infra Line
#02
Dump
2005
#03
2015
593 Ha
?
Marsh Edges
317 Ha
FUTURE
Reserve Forests 2020
Authorities Set up
01 People. Places. Possibilities
Funds allocated
+
Dump yard Marshland
What was once spread over 6000 hectares according to a 1965 survey, has shrunken to a mere 300 hectares today, due to encroachment of houses and dumping of waste. Despite its reduced area, the marsh acts as a sponge that stores the heavy monsoon rains and releases them during the dry months.
Why the issue of Pallikaranai Marshlands important? | Network of Problems The wetland is burdened by issues such as sewer overflows, reckless waste disposal, poor quality of water, degrading wetland ecosystem, reduced flood carrying capacity, etc.
Encroachments Buidling on waterbodies
Flooding
Lack of Visibility Dump yard
Disconnect of wetlands to other waterbodies
Wetlands as wastelands
Eco park Entrance
MRTS Transit Station
+
Hydrology
Road Infrastructure dissecting the wetland
Link Road to OMR
National Institute of Wind Energy
Settlements
Conceptual Section through the Marshlands
An Eco-park? | Implemented Intervention at the Wetlands
Paved walkways + Seating
Informative display boards
Access to the marshlands through paved walkways
Who are involved? | Primary Stakeholders TN Environment & Forest Department
TN Pollution Control Board
- CAPML (Conservation Authority of Pallikaranai Marshland) | Care Earth Trust (NGO)
- Rs.165.68 crores under National Adaptation Fund for Climate Change. - Rs. 20 crores - Eco-park Source: www.tnswa.org/pallikaranai-marsh
Elements of Urban Design Studio | S 2022 02
Inaugrated in December 2021, is an initiative of the TamilNadu Forest Department to begin the eco-restoration, by reinstating the wetland as a public space for the citizens.
What has it got?
What is it missing out on?
What it does to Pallikaranai? VISIBILITY
+
IDENTITY
+
SOCIAL VALUE
What it could get in the future? 2km Paved Walkway
Informative Signages
Cycling track
Interactive Modules
x Seating
Photo Zones
Access Points
Play elements
A Ramsar site is a wetland site of international importance. The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance is an international treaty for the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands. If the Union government lists it as a Ramsar site, there would be More scope for conservation and prevention of encroachments + International Identity + More awareness + More funds.
Gazebos
Grand Entrance
Bird watching Tower/ deck
Sustainable Material Choice
Possible Way Forward
Activate + Reclaim Water Edge
Activate Buffer area with local neighborhood functions at nodes
// Sources Referred Articles and blogs by Care Earth Trust. News Articles by Citizen Matters S. Surya., (2016)., Landscape Ecological Urbanism for Restoration of Pallikaranai Marsh Land, Chennai, Tamil Nadu,Procedia Technology. https://www.pallikaranaimarsh.org/pallikarnai-marshland
03 People. Places. Possibilities
Regenerate Dumpyard as a whole new park or as an extension of the current Eco-park
Representation of the issue and the intervention through a Poster
Personal Take on the Issue and Implemented Initiative Restoring and preserving natural habitat, while also allowing humans a peek into it needs a lot more thoughtfulness than we seem to accept. A mutualistic instead of parasitic development of these areas could lead to win-win situations for water, ecology and welfare of the people working and living in the areas.
Elements of Urban Design Studio | S 2022 04
People. Places. Possibilities
02.A STREETS AND BUILDING TYPES Study and Representation
Typology Studied : Beachfront Streets
02
Waterfront promenades and neighborhood parks are key destinations in many cities. Designing the streets adjacent to these areas can help extend the public space into surrounding neighborhoods and invite multiple users to enjoy them.
Module 02 Study and Representation of Streets and Building Types The exercise is designed to develop an understanding of various attributes of streets and building types and their representation. The parameters that shape the physical form of streets and are analysed to understand their relationship with the surrounding context Elements of Urban Design Studio | S 2022 06
Opera Tower
Terraced Platforms
Extened Public S
Golden Beach H
Walkwa
Edge Type Legend Opaque
Visually Physically x x x
Partially Porous Porous
Access to Street
Access to Buildings
07 People. Places. Possibilities
15 30 45
90
m
Total Street Length Total Building Edge Total No. of Entrance No. of Entrance/100m
= = = =
440m 340m 14 04
Porous 53.5% Partially Porous 46.5%
The street has a highly porous edge on the account of having collanades and archways that are create semi-public zones and plazas.
02.A INTERNATIONAL CONTEXT
Mediterranean Sea
Space Collonaded Entrances
Hotel
Cycle Track Luxury Hotel
Botique Hostel
Golden Beach Promenade, Tel Aviv 32.0748° N, 34.7654° E
Distribution of Right of Way
ay
Ground Floor Use 11.3% 11.3% 13.6% 9.3%
Commercial 100%
This part of the promenade is entirely occupied by luxury hotels and cafes with ground floor entirely being commercial of either retail, restaurants or small stores. The smaller storefronts of commercial nature enhances the walking experience.
54.5%
Cycle Track
Carriageway
Median
Parking
Footpath
Elements of Urban Design Studio | S 2022 08
Edge Type Legend Opaque
Visually Physically x x x
Partially Porous Porous
Access to Street
Access to Buildings
09 People. Places. Possibilities
15 30 45
90
m
Total Street Length Total Building Edge Total No. of Entrance No. of Entrance/100m
= = = =
440m 340m 14 04
Partially Porous 36% Porous 51%
Opaque 13%
Though being a predominantly porous built edge, the presence of high income villas and residences with gated compounds contributes to the opaqueness
02.A INDIAN CONTEXT
+ Elliots Beach Promenade, Chennai 12.9989° N, 80.2718° E
Distribution of Right of Way
Ground Floor Use Vacant 08%
Religious 08%
16%
04% 07%
60%
Residential 25% Commercial 59%
The ground floor use of the street is dominated by the commercial outlets which includes cafes, restaurants and retail, making the street more active through the evenings. The street terminates at the church complex contributing to the high footfall seasonally.
13%
Cycle Track
Carriageway
Footpath
Green
Median
Parking
Elements of Urban Design Studio | S 2022 10
Commercial Building
15
30
45
90
Commercial Building
m
15 30 45
90
m
Building Name
: Opera Tower
Building Name
: Golden Beach Complex
Ground Coverage
: 5217 sqmt
Ground Coverage
: 4641 sqmt
Total Built-up area
: 34512 sqmt
Total Built-up area
: 6086 sqmt
11 People. Places. Possibilities
02.A BUILDING TYPOLOGIES Mixed - Commercial Building
15 30 45
90
m
Residential Building
15 30 45
90
m
Building Name : Classic Rivera Flats
Building Name : Classic Rivera Flats
Ground Coverage
: 249 sqmt
Ground Coverage
: 249 sqmt
Total Built-up area
: 654 sqmt
Total Built-up area
: 654 sqmt
Elements of Urban Design Studio | S 2022 12
People. Places. Possibilities
02.B URBAN BLOCKS AND OPEN SPACES Study and Representation
Typology Studied : Shopping District Cultural & Heritage rich Open Spaces
03 Module 02.B Study and Representation of Urban Blocks and Open Spaces
Planned urban blocks in a shopping district, with pedestrianised streets are studied to understand their role in creating successful public spaces that engages people. Historic Monuments being the focal points of a ciy, create unique sceneries and compose great recreational value and potentials. Public square as an open space gives a typical identity by acting as an apreciation space for the heritage-rich structures.
This exercise further explores various techniques of representation to abstract the character to urban blocks and open spaces. Role of urban blocks as landmarks, the built open ratio, its relationship with the street, and open spaces are explored. Elements of Urban Design Studio | S 2022 14
15 People. Places. Possibilities
02.B URBAN BLOCKS
Built - Open Private Open Space 43%
Built Space 48%
Public Open Space 09%
Building Use Commercial 33%
Residential 10%
Mixed-use 57%
Street Network Blocks Nodes Primary Street Secondary Street Tertiary Street
15 30 45
90
The functions of block are distributed keeping the dwellings and offices behind as a seperate low and broad space giving a human scale to it. Arcades at various points, kiosks, display cases, plant boxes and paving together model the pedestrian precinct.
m
Block Perimeter Range
= 360m - 385m
Link-Node Ratio
= 1.4
Lijnbaan, Rotterdam Elements of Urban Design Studio | S 2022 16
Prayer Hall
Culture Centre
C
Turkish Museum
The Blue Mosque
Walled Obelisk
17 People. Places. Possibilities
02.B OPEN SPACES
Edge type Porous 23.8%
Partially Porous 76.2% Sultan Ahmet Turbesi 15 30 45
90
Access to Street Access to Buildings
m
Legend Opaque
Visually x
Physically x
Partially Porous Porous
Cami Sarnici
x
Total Building Edge
= 340m
Total No. of Entrance = 14 No. of Entrance/100m = 04
Ground Floor Building Use 0.6%
3.9%
0.9% 49.1%
45.3%
15 30 45
90
Residential
Institutional
C2 Hotel
Religious
Utilities
m
Peak Hour Activity Graph The square is aisled by historic landmark buildings, with Hagia Sophia as its backdrop. This forms a strong image & identity of the place. Pause points aided by hippodromes and street furnitures contributes to the vibrancy of the square.
COUNT
Sultan Ahmet, Istanbul
Understanding the activity throughout the week
MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT SUN MON
X axis - Days Y axis - Count
Time is Constant
Elements of Urban Design Studio | S 2022 18
People. Places. Possibilities
04 REIMAGINING DRIVE-IN ROAD Analysis and Design of Streets
Location : Drive-in Road, Ahmedabad
04 Module 02 04 Analysis and Design of Streets
Our cities are developing, and so are the transit infrastructures and there are these new mobility options that are battling over the street space that we have. This project aims to focus on a transit based street that is in dire need to be transformed into a people friendly street which has equitable space distribution of the street space to cater to all user groups and mobility systems. The transit infrastructure is taken as a trigger to initiate the design of existing vehicle dominated street into a pedestrian prioritised one.
The second module PrefaceFiciliquo et explatemodi focuses on the iditianalysis con poriae and design ommolor of streets reped molupta tusdaesequat including the detail design voloreius of elements. magniaThe inversp focusellessi of thetaectur designsiis tissim to reimagine qui comni existing qui que scenarios pa voluptus in the city int dolum with a fresh cumquatust perspective ulpa prae on the plabor oppurtunities solo et aut in ut theetpublic a nis asi domain. dolum non exerupid Elements of Urban Design Studio | S 2022 20
LOCATING THE SITE Drive-in Road, Ahmedabad. Ahmedabad has its own strong network of BRTS and the metro corridors which are designated TOD zones wherein the factor of walkability needs to be induced for it to function as a successful TOD. Why Drive-in Road ?
Drive-In Road M
Metro BRTS MAKE TRANSIT WORK
CREATE A PLACE
CONNECT TO COMMUNITY
The Drive-in road is a Sub-arterial road that connects the SG highway with the CBD Ashram road, cut across by the 132 feet ring road, and Gurukul road which is one of the most active shopping streets of the city.It has a strong network of AMTS existing and the upcoming Metro line which makes it a transit oriented zone. There is also religious and recreational context within the site with the Swaminarayan mandir and the Himalaya Mall.
21 People. Places. Possibilities
DRIVE-IN ROAD Street Characteristics | Potentials and Threats The road has a buzzling nature highly dominated by vehicular mobility but also catering to the busiest shopping streets and recreational activities thereby catering to a higher pedestrian footfall. Majority of the area is privately owned and is highly underutilised with unusable land under plot margins leaving no land for public use in the area.
Himalaya Mall
Metro
Heritage Plaza Swaminarayan Gurukul
Site character Montage
STAKEHOLDERS
ACTIVITIES Shoppers Young Adults (Mall visitors) Temple goers Shopkeepers Commuters (PT Users)
Shopping Walking Streetfood eating & Vending Commuting
Study Question : To what extent and in what ways can transit infrastructure be a trigger to transform a vehicle-dominated street into a people-friendly street?
Elements of Urban Design Studio | S 2022 22
EXISTING PLAN
te Ro Priva
Private Road
ad
450 m Stretch
Sarkari Vasahat Road
Towards Driv e-in Cinemas
2
Bahumali Bahvan
VENDOR MAPPING
GROUND FLOOR BUILDING USE
25 Vendors identified in the stretch of 450m 12 Moving Vendor Carts 13 Stationed Carts
Commercial
23 People. Places. Possibilities
Religious
Mixed use
+
Vendors
Residential
Gurukul Road
EXISTING DISTRIBUTION OF STREET SPACE
A 1
3
Towards Helmet Junction
CARRIAGEWAY MEDIAN
76% 07%
UNTARRED SPACE
17%
PARKING WALKABLE SPACE
14% 03%
+Gurukul Metro Station A’
Seedfarm ground
+ Swaminarayan Mandir
05
20
m
10
40
The stretch completely has no raised footpath and the space available is occupied illegal parking, dominated by vehicular mobility.
EXISTING SECTION A-A’ Vendors are seen grouping in clusters around the mall and the Gurukul Junction post 6pm. The street has predominantly moving vendors than the stationed ones. People are seen actively engaged with the vendors along the Mall.
The site is populated with buildings that are predominantly commercial with active ground floor interface with the street contributing to the public realm. The transit infrastructure adds on to the liveability of the neighborhood.
UNTARRED SPACE
2.4M
CARRIAGEWAY
11.6M
MEDIAN
CARRIAGEWAY
2M
12M
UNTARRED SPACE
2M
Active Retailfront
Section A-A’
30 M ROW
Elements of Urban Design Studio | S 2022 24
Identified Threats
Haphazard Parking and Underutilised Right of Way
Absence of frequent crosswalks or midblock crossings resulting in unsafe crossing
Dead compound walls on the madir side with inactive streetfront
Good amount of natural shade on the madir side of the road opening up oppurtunites to plan cycle tracks considering the comfort
Wider right of way providing oppurtunity to have designed sidewalks and multi utility zones.
Identified Potentials
Presence of transit infrastructure = Potential for placemaking and NMT
25 People. Places. Possibilities
Goals and Values Mobility
Strategies Adopted in Re-imagined Drive-in Road Regularisation of Carriageway Width
Continuous Unhindered Walkway
Organised Parking
Dedicated Cycle Track
Pedestrian Refuge Islands
Safety x Function Spatial qualities that create safe accessible streets
P
P
P
P
P
Compact Intersections
P
P P P
Public Realm
Flexible frame as an insert bringing about vibrancy to the transit pocket plaza
Multi- Utility Zones provided with tree trenches and landscape
Pocket Plaza highlighted through flooring difference
Pauses x Vibrancy Spatial qualities that enhances the quality of streets as a public space
Elements of Urban Design Studio | S 2022 26
PROPOSED PLAN 450 m Stretch
“Transforming streets from spaces to places with transit infrastructure as a trigger” CONCEPTUAL DEVELOPMENT
T ON
FR
E TIV AC
IL ETA
y wa
lk Wa ed r e d
R
hin
Un
+
27 People. Places. Possibilities
art ap as bility s e o c spa y m all yda Sm f ever o
+
m fro es ce pac t spa s lic ee pub str out vered d rve co Ca the re
PROPOSED DISTRIBUTION OF STREET SPACE
B A
Detailed 150m Stretch
46%
MEDIAN
07%
GREEN
07%
PARKING
07%
CYCLE TRACK
08%
MUZ 10% ( Seating/Vending)
B’ A’
CARRIAGEWAY
05
20
WALKWAY
m
10
07%
40
EXISTING SECTION A-A’
The proposed design provides equitable distribution of streetspace catering to all user groups. Spaces recovered regularising uniform carriageway width has been utilised for providing more walkable space considering the retailfront on one side and NMT track considering the shade factor and less pedestrian activity on the other side. The long stretch of 2 meter wide central median is perceived as a rain garden as a strategy for storm water management.
Walkway
2M
Cycle Track
2.4M
Bus Stop
2M
Carriageway
7M
Median Rain Garden
2M
Carriageway
7M
Parking MUZ Walkway
2M
2.5M
2.5M
Active Retailfront
Section A-A’
30 M ROW
Elements of Urban Design Studio | S 2022 28
DETAILED PART PLAN 150 m Stretch
A B 01 02 03
A’ B’
01
Mid-block crossings and pedestrian refuge islands ensuring safe mobility
02
Provision for NMT facilities that are to be developed in the near furute
03
Autobays integrated with Bus stops and provision of raised mid-block crossings.
The commercial node is buzzling with activities is not chaotic anymore but more organised leading to not only better efficiency but increased commerce and as a mutual benefit for both the transit facility being (utilisation of public transport) and the street being effectively interacted with.
29 People. Places. Possibilities
PART PLAN | MATERIAL PALETTE 40m Stretch
MATERIAL PALETTE COBBLE STONE PAVING CEMENT CONCRETE (Paint Finish) GRASS PAVERS INTERLOCKING PAVER BLOCKS INTERLOCKING PAVER BLOCKS TACTILE PAVING
Section B-B’
Retailfront
Transit Pocket 5M
Parking
2M
Carriageway
7M
Median Carriageway Rain Garden
2M
7M
Green Cycle Walkway Temple frontage Track 2M
2.4M
2.6M
30 M ROW
Elements of Urban Design Studio | S 2022 30
Isometric View of the Re-imagined Drive-in Road
Drive-in road, which was a wide street to speed on four wheelers and two
31 People. Places. Possibilities
Transit Pocket Plaza
Transit Street + Safe Mobility + Enhanced Public Realm
=
People Friendly Street
Walking/ cycling through the Drive-in road, is now a plesant experience with multiple shading elements and natural shade. The Metro station clubbed with the AMTS bus stop gets a plaza creating an interesting experience to the commuters. Vibrancy is brought to the street by optimal use of the recovered space and the whole experience of being in the street is enhanced.
o wheelers is tamed and returned to the people of Ahmedabad.
Elements of Urban Design Studio | S 2022 32
05 KEY LEARNINGS
Elements of Urban Design Studio
05 Key Learnings
This studio enabled us to explore the scale, form, character of key urban design elements and their relationship with the larger urban context.
The studio’s introductory module opened up oppurtunities to look at our through the lens of an urban designer, on the ongoing issues and reflect upon the same. The module 02, was a sensory urban design approach to the representation of the intangible elements of the urban environment, by conceiving representation as a crucial element for well focusing the subject, from the urban analysis to the final output, the design project. Takeaways : - Understanding the wants and needs of the people in a community, transforming existing scenarios of everyday urban spaces are to be given focus. - Communicative drawings are highly important to convey one’s vision to tranform a public space inorder to convey the idea to a common man. Elements of Urban Design Studio | S 2022 34
Cities have the capability of providing something for everybody, only because, and only when, they are created by everybody’. - Jane Jacobs
People. Places. Possibilities