Urban Design Portfolio : Transit Village in Shela

Urban Design Portfolio

Transit Village

Envisioning a healthy public life for Shela

Ayushi Singh | PG180199 | Spring Semester | Urban Design Portfolio

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Studio Brief Instructors: Brijesh Bhatha, Purvi Chhadva, Rajiv Kadam, Vipuja Parmar Teaching Fellow: Mariana Paisana Teaching Assistant: Pranav Meghani The studio is aimed atlearning the key aspects involved in preparing a large-scale urban design master plan. The emphasis of the studio will be on exploring the design process through variousconcepts and approaches, achieving a detailed design resolution, evolving an appropriate development modeland to prepare a persuasive communication and representation strategy for the master plan.The studio uses the Township Policy as the basis for initiating the development.

Through the studio the students will prepare a three – dimensional urban design proposal for this area with proposed massing, height, densities, orientations, grids and blocks, movement routes both for pedestrians and vehicles and the location and role of public open spaces in the plan. The studio will have underlying concerns focused on creation of liveable neighbourhoods, imageability of a place along with the issues of land economics and development mechanisms.

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The process would involve the following stages: • Site and context appraisal • Existing policy review • Preparing a vision statement • Preparing the development model • Opportunities and constraints • Design concepts and strategies • Three-dimensional urban design proposal – Master Plan • Detail design of various aspects of the master plan • Urban design guidelines • Phasing strategy The learning outcome of the studio will be able to : 1. Prepare a large-scale urban design master plan integrating the concepts of urban blocks with consideration to the overall urban form, building types, legibility, identity, street and public place designs.

2. Prepare detailed urban design guidelinesand other form control mechanisms 3. Prepare an appropriate development model 4. Prepare adequate graphic material to communicate the master plan to the stakeholders – illustrative master plans, detailed public realm design along with photo real renderings of the proposal capturing the overall character and some key areas of the plan.

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Contents

1. The Site ............................................................................... 6 2. The Vision.............................................................................12 3. A study in Duality.................................................................18 4. The BRTS Node ....................................................................26 5. The Resiential Village .........................................................36

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1. The Site The site is located in Shela, abutting the Sanand Sarkhej highway on one of its sides, connected Shela to Ahmedabad through the expressway.

The adjacent transit connections are an important opportunity and if strengthened, or added value to, will put the residential township at the center of an ideal live-work-play triad.

This section tries to analyze the existing site conditions and opportunities created by the urban landscape around it.

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“ Shela lies in the immediate impact zone of Ahmedabad’s fringe area and has the potential to undergo urban transformation in the next 20 years.”

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Understanding the city level connections The site is strategically located in the center of quadrangle of satellite settlements, which includes cosmopolitan suburb Bopal and industrial belts like Sanand and Godhavi.

The highlighted highway has immense potential to be included as a Transit oriented Development corridor fifty years down the line. Since the Site lies adjacent to this highway, its market value and viability as a magnet for the area increases ten fold.

Map showing important growth centres around Shela

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Map showing the site in context with the larger city network, important landmarks and growth centres.

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Geographical and ecological context The site has several ecologically important hot spots and water-bodies. Which are important to create a community that responds to the eventual urbanization pattern without losing it rich ecological heritage.

Site potential and opportunity analysis

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A diagrammatic study of the immediate physical context of the site.

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2. The Vision The site analysis and delayering led to few conclusions and opportunities the site could respond to. The vision is to create a primarily residential neighborhood, rich in public open spaces and versatile streetscapes, that has a transit node at its heart.

The density and diversity created by this transit oriented development will form a magnet for the entire township, never overpowering the peaceful quality of the residential core.

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“ To create a transit village, with 2 distinct cores that are stitched together through versatile public open spaces�

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Why TOD? Shela as part of the larger system

Looking at the existing BRTS network, Shela is an opportunity to extend Ghuma end line to create a magnet at the heart of the township.

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Map showing the site imagined with an extension of the existing BRTS network through it

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Transit Vilage in Shela “A Transit Village is a typology of TOD which aims to create a predominantly residential suburban center which is centered around a transit station, reinforced by mixed use affordable neighborhoods around.”

Bernick, Michael; Cervero, Robert (1997). Transit Villages in the 21st Century. New York

The residential part of the township hinges on the core created by the transit node, which is complemented by a mix of opportunities, mixed use commerce and institutions that are held together by a system of multi modal mobility.

Case Study Google has proposed a transit village at San Jose, centered around its new headquarters.

This transit village consists of two residential mixed use neighborhoods, that are integrated with various public open spaces and public amenities.

The entire village is planned around the San Jose BART Station.

Avalos, George. “‘Downtown West’ Plan: Google Submits Proposal for San Jose Transit Village.” The Mercury News, The Mercury News, 14 Oct. 2019.

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Concept Delayered

The site is strategically connected to Bopal and Sanand hence the proposal of a BRTS station in the right core creates an important magnet in the site.

Thus the idea of two distinct characters in the transit village, an active core commercial and multi modal integrated infrastructure and an inactive residential core thriving on the transit node.

The building uses respond to the opportunities created by the BRTS node, creating a dense commercial and mixed use oriented urban fabric.

The open spaces are integrated along the transit axes, as well as congregational spaces in both the cores.

Objectives and Vision The objectives at the conclusion of the site contextualization was to create opportunities for Shela for the imminent urban transformation when the city of Ahmedabad expands.

But the residential township that would evolve at the site had to be a desirable neighborhood to call home. The two major requirements of Shela had to manifest as a dual cored entity that was stitched together through the transit lines.

Hence the Vision was to create the right conditions to bring about two distinct qualities of urban development. And this achieved by integrating both the cores through emphasis on public transport, enhanced pedestrian life and diverse place-makers.

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3. A study in Duality Creating a cohesive urban pattern for this dual core township entailed the employment of different strategies for the design and development of the master plan.

The open spaces, networks and urban forms respond distinctly in both the cores to create a township that has uniformly distributed and accessible urban spaces with a transition in character, from the residential to the active core.

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“ Two distinct cores with contrasting characters unite in the central public open spaces.�

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Open Space Strategy Hierarchy of Open Spaces 1. Block Level Semi Private Open Spaces

The open spaces are distributed over the entire area to create intimate public spaces for the residential blocks, all of them eventually flowing towards the canal front.

2. Neighborhood Level Open Spaces The central link for both the cores, with distinct characters is the public space with a mix of activity generators, becoming a crossover infrastructure for MICA and the future developments.

3. Township Level Open Spaces

The density in the active core is catered to through the central open space, which is a public park at the city level as well as an integrated multi modal transit node.

Public Open Space = 16% Private Open Space = 5%

Diagram illustrating open space strategy

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The above masterplan highlights the various hierarchies of open spaces in the township along with the important landmarks (red) in and around them.

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Transit Network Strategy The proposed DP roads (Red) divide the site in several isolated parcels.

The retained roads (black) are the ones that directly link the active core to Sanand and Bopal.

Map showing proposed and retained DP Roads

Primary roads establish crossover infrastructure and major mobility axes. Secondary and tertiary connections intend to create smaller more walkable blocks in the “active” core.

Heirarchy of roads in the masterplan

On the other hand, the “residential” core has larger parcels with perforations in the blocks, to create movement for the residents, but discouraging vehicular movement inside.

The entire network is completed with the parallel networks of public transport. The three networks are BRTS, a feeder bus network and bicycle network.

All the three trails are integrated with each other, public open spaces, institutions and major landmarks. This gives pedestrians and commuters several options to interchange modes and have an engaging walking experience.

Percentage of Site area under Roads = 18% 0

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Diagrammatic representation of Multi modal transit network

Building Use Strategy The building uses respond to the opportunities created by the BRTS node, creating a dense commercial and mixed use oriented urban fabric.

Single Family Residential Multi Family Residential Mixed Use Residential Mixed Use Commercial Private Institutions Public Institutions Commercial Retail Commercial Office Public Infrastructure Public Open Space Private Open Space

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The building heights are a reflection of the density that is desired in the respective neighborhoods.

Built Percentage = 30%

The BRTS node is surrounded by high rise residential mixed use buildings and offices whereas the residential core consist of housing typologies ranging from two storey bungalows to high rise luxurious residential towers.

0-2 storeys

3-5 storeys

6-9 storeys

above 9 storeys

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Illustrative Residential Township Masterplan The masterplan evolved as a scheme to create cohesion between the two aforementioned cores. As the inter-modal transit lines and green spaces evolved, the cores started responding distinctly as neighborhoods.

The design detail of the different urban blocks in the forthcoming sections aimed to achieve few specific atmospheric qualities for each of the cores.

What exactly is the “active” core?

In case of the “active core” , the aim was to create a neighborhood that exudes life, vitality and diversity. The urban blocks are smaller, walkable with an active storefront.

The public open spaces aim to create places of opportunities and encounters. The residential complexes consist of affordable units and mixed use residential high rises that make it extremely viable for the weaker socio- economic groups to commute via the BRTS.

What is the “quiet” core?

However the residential neighborhood has a more tranquil and calm quality. With larger urban blocks that are perforated with pedestrian pathways, this neighborhood consists of residential complexes looking into central parks that come alive with children and families.

The core is envisioned as the “ideal” first homes for young families and older one alike. The open spaces are designed to become a peaceful haven at the end of the day for the residents.

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4. The BRTS Node The BRTS stop is the epicenter of this transit village, making way for a host of public activities and high density residential movement in and around it.

It is visualized as an origin/destination station that makes it viable for people to travel for work to the city, and come back to create a life of opportunities in the township.

At the same time the immediate impact zones around the transit node respond to the conditions created due to it, and accommodate affordable housing, commercial and retail activities and public open spaces to off set the pressure of density.

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“ The BRTS node is the strategic heart of the township, reinforced by public open spaces creating opportunities for a lively and inclusive public life.�

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Isometric detail of the BRTS Node

Key Plan

Urban Block Strategy The low rise single family units have been designed to maintain a quiet core with a crossover green park cutting through the parcel to create a green trail for pedestrians.

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Public Park adjoining the BRTS Node

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Pedestrian Street connecting to the BRTS

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Urban Design Guidelines

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Edges

Porosity

Volume

Mixed Use Buildings with no front setback create a more defined street enclosure.

To create a vibrant and active precinct, buildings abutting the road should have a more active frontage by providing • usage of glass to create visibility • retail or public uses • public activity on the podiums

The buildings should have meters and a max. of 36 density, diverse town cent

e a minimum height of 24 6 meters to create a high ter.

Places

The buildings located at the corners, shall be treated as “place-makers� i.e. should have a edge and building use that responds to the public realm and generates activity.

Public Life

To create a vibrant and active public life, include a diverse mixture of activities around public spaces to extend the duration of activity in these spaces.

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5. The Residential Core The transit village is hinged at the BRTS node, but the residential core with its diverse housing typologies, hierarchy of open spaces and public amenities is the soul of the township.

The scale of the transit station does not overpower the tranquility of living in the neighborhood, because the urban form and green open spaces make sure that each smaller unit of the neighborhood has a peaceful anchor point, in the form of a public park or small retail amenity.

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“ The residential core hinges on the transit node, integrated with the entire township through the public greens.�

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Isometric detail of the residential urban block Key Plan

Urban Block Strategy The high rises have central axial public greens that establish a direct connect to the canal front on the other side.

The urban form for MIG neighborhoods consists of housing complexes with central neighborhood level parks that have small amenities that act as magnets.

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Neighbourhood Park

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Public Life around the Canal Front

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Phasing Strategy Phase I

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Phase II

Area = 65 Hectares

Area = 98 hectares (33 hectares added)

Strategy : The first phase focuses on development of infrastructure from Ghuma BRTS stop to Shela along with the feeder bus station. Consequently the BRTS stop is connected to a residential parcel consisting of a mix of different typologies.

Strategy : The second phases develops important commercial retail complexes, affordable housing and public spaces along the axis linking the BRTS core to the residential neighbourhood.

Highlights : The important nodes will be the BRTS stop, one neighborhood park and a part of the canal front developed in tandem with the neighborhood open spaces.

Highlights : The public plaza and park adjoining the BRTS node along with a part of the canal front in both the parts of the site.

Phase III

Phase IV

Strategy : This phase utilizes the opportunities created by the BRTS stop and public open spaces to construct commercial retail, offices and residential mixed use buildings.

Strategy : The final phase is mostly construction of additional residential neighborhoods and the canal front in both the cores.

Highlights : The canal front is close to completion in this phase, forming an identity for the township along with the central shopping complex near MICA.

Highlights : The high rise complex is an important sale-able component of the township that will eventually finance the public amenities as well as sell the idea of a luxurious lifestyle while utilizing the opportunities created by a bustling city core.

Area = 134 hectares (36 hectares added)

Area = 229 hectares (95 hectares added)

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TOD for a healthy public Life Transit Oriented Development encourages the modern day four wheeler user to reclaim the experience of the public urban space by adopting ways of transportation that are environment and pedestrian friendly.

The transit village is a typological variation of this system, which values the suburban serenity over the commotion of the town center. So with a controlled growth precedent, the transit node adds strategic and socio economic value to the township without destroying the neighborhood’s tranquility.

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“ In the cities of today, as we grapple with issues like climate change, lack of public open spaces and disparate urban environments, transit oriented development offers an opportunity to create more equitable cities. �

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Ayushi Singh | PG180199 | Spring Semester | Urban Design Portfolio

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