DEVIKA CHANDEGRA Landscape Architecture + Urban Planning Portfolio 2015
DEVIKA CHANDEGRA A CONFIDENT, CREATIVE AND PASSIONATE GRADUATE SEEKING A PLACEMENT OPPORTUNITY IN LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE
T h e Sheffi el d School of L and s ca pe Ar chi tectur e de v ik ac ha nd egr a @hotma i l .com
Over the years in the field of design, I have been learning what defines Landscape Architecture. These experiences have guided me in developing a unique design ethos and understanding how vital it is today in the cities of concrete jungles and rural spaces all over the world. Landscape Architecture to me, are the spaces that resonate all around us, the moment we step outside. Landscape belongs to and affects everyone. The spatial qualities in which these spaces elude, impact our everyday sensory experiences, and this is something that I want to help develop for a positive balance between our urban environments and our connection to nature.
CONTENTS 1 . 0 CASTLEGATE
The Re-emergence of People, River Don & River Sheaf and The Historic Heart of Sheffield.
2 . 0 RIVERSIDE
UPPER DON WALK
3 . 0 CULTURAL
INDUSTRIES QUARTER
Enhancing The Pedestrian Experience. Strategic Urban Planning Project.
Urban exploration and intervention. Regenerating the heart of Sheffield’s artistic hub.
4 . 0 COMPUTER
AIDED DRAFTING
5 . 0 FREEHAND
SKETCHES
Drawings completed using AutoCAD and SketchUP from Cultural Industries Quarter Project
A series of hand drawings and sketches
6 . 0 PHOTOGRAPHY
A collection of photographs taken by myself
UNDERGRADUATE WORK
1.0
CASTLEGATE The Re-emergence of People, River Don & River Sheaf and The Historic Heart of Sheffield.
CONCEPT
The concept for Castlegate revolves around the union of the River Don and the River Sheaf. The strong geometric forms designed have been created to unify the marriage of the space between the built surfaces and water, drawing the visitor towards the fusion of the rivers, which is the focal point of the design ethos. The design aims to celebrate the merging of two contrasting forms of the built environment and water as well as the coming together of people (from the HS2, from the city centre, hotels and business districts) towards the historical hub of what was once the city centre, using the green infrastructure as a compass towards the confluence. The central idea pushes the need for this type of setting in the city centre as it is a distinctive local character of the confluence of two pivotal rivers that circulate throughout the city. The dominant rivers should be celebrated instead of being hidden.
STRATEGY The public park aims to inform the natural element of play, enclosed and open spaces, points of reflection where people can enjoy a sense of prospect and refuge from raised platforms, or down below closer to the river. The point where the two rivers meet, which is the focal point, is where the performance space will be implemented. The market space will be lined around the outskirts of the site, defining the boundaries.
The accessibility of Castlegate had been designed to create a strong series of parallel roads that are connected by the complex fabric of pedestrianised pathways. The design allows Castlegate to weave into the surrounding urban complexities, interlinking itself to the HS2, city centre, hotels and business districts. This will further merge the people. Built environment and the water towards the historical hub of what was once the city.
Landform has been used to create a natural amphitheatre around the performance space through the raised plinths. Species will be selected to create certain atmospheres such as dense canopy trees for intimate gateways.
Floral plateaus with gabion and timber seating on both sides, warming tones of cherry trees and recycled building debris blocks edging
Riverside Promenade
Urban pathway sloping topography
Perennial plinth floral plateaus with gabion and timber seating circulating the plinth. Several entrances woven into plinth Weeping and gentle tones of trees, long grasses and recycled building debris blocks edging.
Urban pathway overlooking green gabion wall and Perennial plinth
Vegetated gabion and open urban grass
The Promenade marks the dominance of the two rivers meeting by providing a powerful pathway for pedestrians, mirroring the dominance of the large roads at opposite ends. A steel grate floor has also been designed to create opacity of the rivers running underneath. Strengthening the connection between built form and water.
MASTERPLAN
MASTERPLAN SECTION
Riverside Promenade
Multifunctional performance space with seating
Naturalising play wetland with boulders
View point with Seating
Tall grass, shady trees and floral plateaus with gabion and timber seating
Tall grass, shady dense trees and floral plateaus with gabion and timber seating
Urban green
Raised urban plinth. Hierarchy to space for residents. Entrance Long grasses from sides. creating Creating bounddominance. ary Urban path
Market space
Private residence for the ageing community with underground car park
Open space
City apartments and commerce
DETAIL DESIGN
LEGEND
HARD MATERIALS
GRADUATED PATTERN OF PAVING
1. DARK MIX PAVING
In context with the concept of merging, the Moments for pausing concrete paving has been designed to fuse, and reflecting - occuhighlight and blend spaces together within pation. Contrast the public park - creating continuity. with adjaA simple 3 tier system has been used to cent green navigated the placement of the paving pat- spaces and defines tern. Using the same material but different boundary with sharp shades. colour
2. MIXED GREY PAVING
Moments for walking though the site, downwards direction to the River Don and River Sheaf. Mix of colours represent the ebbs and flows of the rivers
3. LIGHT GREY MIX PAVING
Moments for walking towards green spaces. Reflecting slowing down the pace and moving towards a place to rest.
VEGETATION
STEEL GRATE BRIDGE
AMELANCHIER LAMARCKII
GABION SEATING WITH TIMBER TOP
PRUNUS CERASIFERA
LARGE GABION WALL
HERBACEOUS PERENNIALS AND GRASSY MIXES
RECYCLED BUILDING DEBRIS BLOCKS EDGING
BETULA JACQUEMONTII + BETULA PENDULA
GABION SEATING WITH TIMBER TOP AND GABION
CALAMAGROSTIS X ACUTIFLORA, MISCANTHUS SINENSIS - TALL GRASSY MIX
MOWN GRASS
The detail design demonstrates the merging of the concrete paving slabs and how they highlight and create continuity amongst the spaces; a confluence of materials that embody the rivers movement. Vegetation has been used as a tool to bring vivacity and differentiations between the irregular pockets of landscape as well as softening the edges, creating variations in size with its flowing elevations and counterbalancing structure as a language of defence against the harsh rigid forms of open space. Tall grass species such as Miscanthus define the boundaries and emphasize thresholds. These are accompanied by herbaceous perennials that add ornamental values and respond to visual and ephemeral changes. Tree species such as Prunus have been placed in an avenue format as a pleasurable journey into the space that will influence visitors to walk through and explore, especially during spring.
The use of gabions are prominent throughout the site and are used as retaining walls for the planted vegetation and seating accompanied with dark timber wood. This material was chosen to show the linkage between hard and soft materials. The retaining wall will embody a growth of vegetation, showing a merging of materials that encapsulate hard and soft structures and also mirror the wildlife of the raised plinth that embodies a series of small perennials, grasses and thick tree canopy. The seating is also linked with this by using timber to mirror the bark of the trees, connecting to the surroundings of the space. A similar transparent metal effect of steel grating has been used for the promenade. This links with the two rivers as it enabled the visitor to see through the surface, creating a transparent connection with water.
RIVERSIDE UPPER DON WALK
2.0
The Re-emergence of People, River Don & River Sheaf and The Historic Heart of Sheffield. rngreave Bu
d an
Kel
mI ha sl
The Upp er D
on W alk > >
>
River Don > > >
+ The Wicker > >
< University Quarter
+ St Vincent’s Quarter
S
tre
d City C en ffiel e h
+ Cathedral Quarter
+ Castlegate + Victoria Quays
+ Park Hill
CONCEPT ‘BREAKING DOWN THE DIVISION OF FORMS ALONG THE EDGES OF THE ROUTE. THE FUSION OF THE RIVER DON, PEOPLE AND THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT.’ Urban regeneration is playing an increasingly important part in enhancing environmental quality and quality of life in cities around the world. This project addresses the patterns and processes that currently influence urban design, examining theories and typologies of urban form, the drivers of urban change and urban regeneration. It investigates the relationship between urban form and urban greenspace and the human experience of these as part of the urban landscape.
This map illustrates the selected area of the Upper Don Walk along the River.
Sheffield has grown from its largely industrial roots to encompass a strong local identity. In many ways, the Upper Don Walk and surrounding area is a highly unique and complex urban landscape, characterised by an integration of: historical influences and features; new residential and commercial development; river and canal-side settings; variety in vehicle and pedestrian communication infrastructure; green infrastructure including planned and unplanned vegetation. The redevelopment of this route enables us to closely identify how to restore vivacity to a vital part of the city, that once was the heart of Sheffield.
PEDESTRIAN PERSECTIVE VISION
AIMS
The Riverside is meant to be an exciting place filled with people and vivacity. The Lady Bridge weir is not celebrated and offers very little for potential and existing users. There are a wide variety of uses that the route has potential to accommodate for.
1. To create a strong cohesive connection between built structures, surfaces and the River Don.
The 3 key elements of the River, people and the buildings need to work together and merge in order to achieve a purposeful and cohesive design ethos. This area of the route in particular is special because of the River Don, and needs to be celebrated through the route and infiltrate through the surrounding vernacular and urban landscape rather than disappear into the complexities of the built environment.
2. Reveal the Lady Bridge weir along the walk as an anchor directly to Castlegate and the city centre.
1 2 3
3. Lead existing and potential users to the walk to be immersed in, not just to pass by.
4 5 6
4. Bring life to the riverside by implementing interventions linking the 3 key elements of people, the river and surrounding vernacular.
7 8
9
10
5. Create a balance between built structures, green-space and the River Don. 6. Accommodate for the various users as well as seasonal and timely changes.
These 10 pedestrian perspective sketches have been designed to demonstrate key explorative ideas in how to achieve the key vision of restoring life to such a vital part of Sheffield City. These proposals have been driven by the result of theory and case study analysis.
1.
2.
Spatial hierarchy is key in the informing of the route. The trees implemented gives the residents a sense of ownership as it partially screens the views of the apartments.
The riverside barrier has been designed ergonomically to create transparency so that the user feels connected to the River Don rather than a separate element detached. The long tall grasses mirror the height of the riverside barrier to create symmetry in relation with the avenue of trees.
3.
4.
The user is given a variety of choices that promotes robustness of this particular area. The freedom of choice leaves the user to interpret the space how they choose. The faรงades of the buildings have been enhanced with wall art to respond to the ephemeral qualities of the user. The buildings look more attractive and it also stamps a mark along the journey of the route.
The grassy and floral planting behind the benches allows visual screening from the working building, and also gives a sense of privacy to the employees. Separation of users inside and outside the building. The trees anchor the space between the buildings and creates boundaries/ checkpoints along the route.
5.
The edge of the building and the steps are resting/pausing points, which are separated by the pathways which is constantly flowing. Active and passive recreation spaces have been implemented here. The area is open with active frontages to attract users for purpose along the route. The trees are used to edge the openness of this area of the journey.
7.
This part of the journey provides 4 key routes; two leading into Castlegate (the Lady Bridge weir one pedestrian and one cycle route), one leading towards the River and back away from the city. These are then supported by secondary routes through the spaces between the buildings. The user has opportunity to decide in which direction they want to go with clearly defined and marked routes.
9.
A responsive environment/route is created as the weir acts as a landmark feature that marks a dominance. Thus providing a legible route that is people friendly along the Riverside in Sheffield.
6.
The paving patterns have been purposefully designed in a vertical or horizontal pattern to push the direction forwards to the city centre or towards the River Don. This area is the most dense in variety of uses. With a wide selection of shops, restaurants and cafĂŠs that spill out onto the front of the buildings, merging the gap between the surrounding vernacular and the spaces outside.
8.
The bridge has been implemented here to complement the surrounding wider city context as many bridges follow through Sheffield. As a pedestrian experience, this provides a closer connection to the weir and celebrates its distinctive presence rather than being forgotten.
10.
The route ends at the bridge, where a zebra crossing is provided to create an easy pedestrian link into Castlegate.
3.0
CULTURAL INDUSTRIES QUARTER Urban exploration and intervention. Regenerating the heart of Sheffieldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s artistic hub.
SHORTLISTED FOR THE ROSIE REYNOLDS PRIZE FOR EXCELLENCE IN DESIGN AND URBAN PLANNING The Cultural Industries Quarter (CIQ) project was an introduction to the practice of urban planning and regeneration. The CIQ was seen as an unsuccessful Urban Conservation area in which a series of explorative exercises were carried out to understand the levels of complexity that comprised the unique local identity, as well as looking at the various challenges that threaten the contemporary urban landscape. During the primary stage of the project, the aim was to investigate the role of the CIQ in relation with the surrounding quarters and its relationship with the city. Using this information a conceptualized strategy was put forward to resonate and unlock the potential of what could be done to spark vivacity back to the CIQ. The strategy involved around the notion of a series of words: Provoke, Share, Make and Consume. These represented the function of the CIQâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s key buildings, pulling together our proposals for the areas new functional, social, ecological and urban purposes.
Sidney Street
Niche - Interactive art streetscape
The inspiration for the regeneration of CIQ revolved around the notions of people coming together and being a pedestrian orientated quarter of the city of Sheffield. Having areas where the public can relax and enjoy the spaces created. An exploration of scale and type of interventions were key in developing a multifunctionally successful area. Using active frontages as a forefront of the concept strategy, our group were able to demonstrate the key importance of linking the buildings and the spaces in between to create a unique spatial quality experience that differentiates it from other areas of Sheffield. Sylvester Gardens
Porter Park
4.0
COMPUTER AIDED DRAFTING Drawings completed using AutoCAD and SketchUP from CIQ Project
5.0
FREEHAND SKETCHES A series of hand drawings and sketches
PHOTOGRAPHY
6.0
i nstagram. c om/oasis1 4 2 5 /
A collection of photographs taken by myself
oas i s 1 4 2 5 . t um b l r . com
THANK YOU