SAMPLES OF STUDENT WORK
ROOF TERRACE: INFLUENCE OF CLIMATE ON DAILY USE
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From the scorching heat of the summer to the high winds in the monsoon, owning a roof terrace does have its perks as well as its flaws. Located on the top of a nine-storey apartment building in the city of New Delhi, it acts as a personal open space away from the rush of the city. The only interaction the terrace has with the rest of the apartment is through a 2m high metal gate located on its south-east side (Figure 1). Opened at least twice a day, the creaking sound of the door alerts its inhabitants of visitors. Mostly inhabited, actually… completely inhabited by more than 60 species of plants, what first used to be an empty space now serves the purpose of a roof garden and a respite from the daily bustle of life. From the ninth floor, to access the roof, two flights of stairs can be used, which merge together into a narrow corridor just beside the roof (Figure 1). The lack of lighting fixtures and presence of only one window in the corridor creates a dramatic contrast as one enters the terrace with a burst of sunlight momentarily shocking your senses. The roof, built in the shape of a rectangle, Spans an area of 20m x 8m, with its longer side facing the north-west. Due to the various protrusions in the periphery wall and an ornamentation element present in the north corner, the actual walkable space gets reduced (Figure 1). On entering the space, what catches the eye first are the two metal canopies with bamboo roofs placed on opposite edges of the space, a set of metal-framed baroque-styled benches with wooden seats flanking a center table, and a whole lot of greenery to complement them (Figure 2). What first started as an experiment to see how the space can be better utilized, now turned into a hobby for me and my family. This hobby presented itself in the form of gardening which was put to good use as well, as besides growing just ornamental plants, plants such as tulsi and curry leaf are also grown, lending a hand in the daily cooking happening in our home downstairs. The overall roof is surrounded by a metre high cream-coloured brick parapet wall on the three sides across the gate which gradually rise to about two metres as one walks towards the north-west edge. Blue-coloured plastic panels are placed on top of these walls which cantilever towards the periphery of the roof, thus adding to the beauty of the space as well as protecting the ninth-floor balconies from the frequent showers of rain. To create this structure, two blue-coloured thin sheets are used as layers with a framework of metal rods holding it in place. Due to the use of these layers, the space inside is left hollow. Over the years, the combination 97
