PUL - AGAM

pul-agam!

BIRD HOUSE

The decline and problems faced by wildlife around the world is a popular issue. The time before human interference both flora and fauna grew in abundance. The evolution of humans in agriculture and industry causing widespread settlements and exploitation of products led to endanger and extinction of several wildlife.

With recent awareness on the dangers faced by wild animals there is good knowledge and a concern towards the animals.

The major focus in India is on Tigers and Elephants, conservation and protection of birds take a backseat. Humans have had a profound effect on many bird species. Over 1200 species are said to be facing extinction over the next century.

WHY BIRDS ?

PALLIKARANAI MARSHLAND

- The survey on the birds on February 2016 shows the amount of Migratory and Resident birds living and visiting the Marshland.

- The Pallikaranai Marsh is a popular bird-watching destination in Chennai. The diversity of habitats makes it suitable for a wide range of terrestrial and wetland birds, many of which breed here.

- Some days, not less than 15,000 birds can be spotted in the marsh. The marsh is usually called the ‘Birders Paradise’

- The Pallikaranai Marsh is home to 178 species of birds, most of which reside and breed in the Marsh.

- All species are divided into four major categoriesRaptors, Ducks, Waders, Ground Birds of which waders are the most common.

PERUNGUDI DUMPYARD

- One of two garbage landfills in the city - Kondaiyur and Perungudi

- Home to unique flora and fauna, migratory birds even came from North America.

- But the current state of the land with all types of waste - Electronic waste, vegetable waste, construction debris, biomedical waste and other effluents has had a major impact on the marshland reducing it to a mere 10% of the originally available 7000 hectares of marshland.

- Adding to it waste water from restaurants and shopping malls, grey water from nearby temporary shelters disturb the water here.

WHY DO WE SEE FEWER MIGRATORY BIRDS ?

- Pallikaranai marsh is home to nearly 115 species of birds. Some migratory birds here include White ibis, cormorants, herons, and coots.

- “It has a bird biodiversity of about four times that of Vedanthangal,” says Devan T, an activist.

- But now the population of the birds has come down in the last 25 years. It is on a alarming low point creating an imbalance in the ecosystem.

MAP OF PALLIKARANAI

Residencial Institutional

Pallikaranai marshland’s has Clayey Natured Soil which can hold the water for a longer period of time and releases it during the dry periods.

The profile reveals that the top zero to two meters are clayey-sand, followed by a sandy clay (2-8m), a greenish clayey layer with calcareous orange streaks (8-11m), the weathered chamokite (11-13m) and on the bottom the charnokite, as bedrock.

SITE PRECINCT STUDY

EVOLUTION

5500 hectares to 500 hectares. Only 10% of the original size of the Marshland remains. The shrinkage is because of the encroachment on all sides and the rapid growth of the area as an IT Hub.

SITE

Source - https://spiritofchennai.com/city/pallikaranai-marsh/ - 2015

HYDROLOGY

Hydrology is the primary challenge of Pallikarnai Marshland. The critical point is in the Highway that divides the marshland into two. So, the water flows from the North to the South causing the insufficiency in the months of peak monsoon. Ideally the highway should be elevated. SITE

Source - https://spiritofchennai.com/city/pallikaranai-marsh/ - 2015

DUMPYARD

Over 2300 tonnes from the 5000 tonnes produced in the Chennai city are being dumped here. Over the years the lack of administration and awareness has lead to the depletion of the land.

SITE

Source - https://spiritofchennai.com/city/pallikaranai-marsh/ - 2015

WATER HOLDING CAPACITY

The other major impact due to the shrinkage of the marshland is the reduction of the capacity to hold onto water by the Marshland. From 2001 to 2016 the water holding capacity as dropped down to 70%.

SITE

Source - https://spiritofchennai.com/city/pallikaranai-marsh/ - 2015

BIRD HOTSPOT

Due to the division of the Pallikaranai marshland by the 200 Feet radial road connecting Thorapakkam and Pallavaram the bird hostspot now is mostly in the southern part and the Northen part is now been looked at as an dumpyard on the whole.

Birds Residing Areas

SITE

PROPOSAL FOR ECO - TOURISM

There is an ongoing proposal by the forest department to promote the marshland for the betterment of the Bio - Diversity and eco-tourism. Restriction of humans inside the marshland gives the birds safety and the bird diversity doesn’t get affected. The proposal is currently being worked by Care Trust Earth a NGO organization.

Proposal on the Southern Side

SITE

Source - https://www.dtnext.in/News/ City/2018/06/12231102/1075858/

Three-years-on-government-approval-delays-ecotourism-.vpf

INSTITUTIONS

The surrounding has a strong presence of Institutions with 6 universities in the vicinity. The Railway station is built on the marshland which is a local commute electric train. Two notable hospitals namely Apollo and Chettinad is in proximal distance.

COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES

RAILWAY STATIONVELACHERRY HOSPITALS

SITE

TRANSPORT BUS STOPS LOCAL TRAIN SMART CYCLERENTAL CYCLES IN CHENNAI

The area has a good city wide connection as the Local Electric Train Station is neraby. The Road connecting the highway is called Old Mahabalipuram Road, OMR, which is well connected and an IT corridor.

SITE

GROUND BIRDS

These birds fill the Landscapes in the marshland. They come as water is available in the summer. They breed on Land.

- Greater Flamingos - White-browed Wagtail - Painted Stork

STUDY OF BIRDS PALLIKARANAI

OF BIRDS IN

RAPTORS

Visits the marshland mostly in the Migratory Season as a lot of Prey birds are available in the marshland.

- Greater Spotted Eagle - Brahminy Kite - Peregrine Falcon

WADERS

Low water levels and the slushy marshland attracts small birds. They have long legs and are able to walk on water.

- Jacobin Cuckoo

- Yellow Wag Tail - Red-Whiskered Bulbul

DUCKS

Often called as “Waterfowls”, ducks prefer to stay in water and even mate as they are more naturally built and found in water.

- Jacobin Cuckoo - Yellow Wag Tail - Red-Whiskered Bulbul

DEEP SHALLOW LAND

BUILT AND UNBUILT

WATER BODIES

CONTOURS

STRENGTH

- The site offers people to look at birds closely.

- Since the original site’s condition is a wetland the ecosystem of this place can be brought back.

- The location of the site in the edge of the Marshland minimises the disturbance caused to the birds. Also the surrounding land to the marshland is dry and buildable.

OPPORTUNITIES

S W O T

- The project can be a way to create awareness about the pallikaranai marshland’s importance to the people.

- The site provides an oppurtunity for people to experience the birds in their own natural habitat.

- The Eco-tourism proposed in the site can help protect the marshland in different ways.

- Site is in a marshland and hence the soil is loose - Aluvium and Granite gneiss

- Only two types of foundation can be used, Pile and Raft. Of which Pile foundation has the minimum effect on the Land.

WEAKNESS THREATS

- Building on a site like this does bring a negative impact to the marshland and its ecosystem.

- Flooding of water in peak monsoons could be a problem.

CORNELL

INSTITUTE ITHACA, NEW YORK

STATUS Opened on 2009 DESIGN RMJM Architects

BUILTUP AREA 7400 m2

TYPE Laboratory, Animal Shelter

MINIMISING THE MASS

- The architects have perpetually reduced its scale and its visual impact on its surroundings.

- The building tapers to a narrow point in the entrance of the visitors centre. Also the planning of the Storage and other laboratories are hidden behind trees to reduce the mass visually.

- To limit it even more the second floor of the building is made smaller than the first making it step back and limiting the walls of the first floor.

USER EXPERIENCE

- Even before arriving to the Institute the tourists are taken through a series of Bridges and paths along the wetlands which gives them a wholesome experience of the naturalised environment.

BLENDING IN WITH NATURE

- The curving and sloping walls, the roof forms all help the building to naturally blend in with the nature surrounding it.

- Also the use of materials like cedar wood and locally quarried Llenroc stone blends it with nature evenmore.

- The buildings height is restricted to two floors to stay below the neighbouring trees.

MINIMISING DISTURBANCE

- The plan of the whole institution looks abstract but it tends to follow the form of the marshland itself.

- This helps in decreasing the negative impact a building has in an ecosystem like this.

STUDY OF SETTLEMENTS IN WATER SOUTH EAST ASIA

Floating villages are located at lakes, bays and estuaries and even off-shore areas in many regions of East Asia and South East Asia. Many of these communities have already been existing for hundreds or even thousands of years, and are often developed based on the village location and livelihood source which more often but not limited to fishing related activities.

Foundation -

- Structures are usually built with wooden planks rising up above the water level.

- Wooden stilts are used to rise the building above the water level.

- The depth is determined with the height of the wooden log as two logs cannot be joined together.

Wooden Stilts

- Villages in Vietnam are built out of Bamboo and various other woods.

- The houses remain permanently buoyant and are inhabited throughout the whole year.

- The house float on empty air drums attached to the underside of a wood frame that creates the foundation.

METHODS TO FOLLOW

ON MARSHLAND

LOOSE SOIL - To address the loose soil in the site Pile Foundation is used for the structure. Laying a normal Pile foundation in a environment like this causes a lot of vibration and disturbance in the surrounding so using Screw Pile Foundation reduces the pollution and keeps the environment intact. Floating slab is used to reduce moisture and to not disturb the ground as no footer trenches are laid.

NEGATIVE IMPACT ON THE MARSH - To reduce the impact on the marshland the materials are kept to be light. A combination of Timber, Glass and Concrete can be used. Concrete is used minimum as possible.

FLOODING OF WATER - The flooding in these regions are very common and the issue has to be addressed. The height of the plinth can be raised and water can be let to flow below it. The water drains to the nearby Buckingham Canal but the recently done Highway clogs the water disturbing the waterflow. A safety height of 1.5m is risen from ground.

MATERIAL PALETTE

BIRD MUSEUM + OBSERVATORY - 5300 sqm

ORNITHOLOGY INSTITUTE - 1850 sqm

ECO TOURISM -340 SQM

CIRCULATION - 2592sqm SERVICES - 220 sqm

To create a space where birds and humans Co - Exist. This project is designed in a way where humans are drawn into the birds natural habitat and experience the environment.

The visitor develops a consciousness when visiting the museum about the changing world and the importance of birds in the world.

DESIGN

Building alligned to create maximum views of the pond and the marshland

Building alligned to the water flow in the Marsh so as to not disturb it.

POTENTIAL ENTRIES VIEWS WATER FLOW

The two key axis in the site, North-South opens to view of birds and marshland, East-West opens to the pond and the marshland.

AXIS AND EDGES

RIGID FLUID

CO - EXIST

- The basic idea is to not destroy the Marshland Ecosystem in place and to embrace the nature in the site.

- It also helps in hiding the building within the woods and also reduce the visual impact of the surrounding.

- Designing according to the Marshlands topography opens up views.

JOURNEY

- Large Openings to views of the surrounding keeps the users connected with nature around. The boundary between the built and the nature is blurred.

- Buildings, Museum and the nature remain interconnected through out making the landscape in the site a live exhibition to experience.

OUTDOOR CUM INDOOR SPACE - The museum can open to trees like a courtyard where visitors are able to see live birds flying in and out.

Marshland

Existing road on the edge of the site

Existing marshland (city side)

FORM DEVELOPMENT

The programs categorized into Public and Private functions and were divided into two.

The Blocks divided into smaller fragments to reduce visual mass and also in accordance to the structural system in place. This creates a axis

Circulation added along both the views so that it can serve a double purpose of viewing deck and corridor.

Aligned to the existing trees in the site and also to maximise views of the marshland on both sides.

Institution Block

Museum Block

MUSEUMRAPTORS

MUSEUMWADERS

LIBRARY RESTAURANT

INTRODUCTION MUSEUM N

SCIENTISTROOMS RECEPTION MUSEUM-DUCKS MUSEUM-BIRDSGROUND LOUNGE INFODESK WORKSHOP GROUND FLOOR PLAN

N

KEY PLAN

CLIMATEMUSEUMCHANGE

CLASSROOMS

CLASSROOMS

LABS N

N

KEY PLAN

VIEW OF THE CORRIDOR

VIEW OF THE MUSEUM BLOCK

VIEW OF LAKE SIDE FROM THE MUSEUM CORRIDOR

N

KEY PLAN

RESEARCH CENTRE LIBRARY

INSTITUTION

CLASSROOM CLASSROOM

VIEW OF THE INSTITUTION BLOCK

VIEW OF THE INSTITUTION BLOCK

PLAN OF COTTAGE EXPLODED VIEW OF COTTAGE

2m

3m 1m 0.9m 0.75m 0.9m 1m

PLAN OF TENT HUT

EXPLODED VIEW OF TENT HUT

VIEW OF THE TENT HUTS

DESIGN OF THE OBSERVATORY TOWER

POSTCARD VIEW

BALCONY VIEW

PASSENGER LIFT

BIRD NEST VIEW CABIN VIEW

OPEN VIEW IN THE ROOF 5TH FLOOR WITH CLEAR GLASS

STAINED GLASS

PODS PROJECTING FROM THE CORE

Metallic Roof with Insulation Slope - 9.5º

Rafter Battens 30x30mm Lintel Beam

Metal Frame for Timber Screens

Concrete Gutter

Timber Screen 40x40mm with 100mm c/c

Timber Railing with 50x50mm cross sction

Concrete Walls - 180mm

+ 6100mm

Brick Jaali Wall

Steel Column Cased with wood 3cm on each side

Bird Feeder

+ 2500mm

WALL SECTION OF THE MUSEUM BLOCK

Floating Slab Pile Cap

Screw Pile

BIRD FEEDER