PLAY+GROUND Leisure City | Divolka Sawlani | UA2317
BOPAL THE SITUATION
Life in Bopal is increasingly getting concentrated inside self-sufficient residential societies leading towards intense fragmentation and polarization in the region.
With the growing trend of self-sufficiency, WHERE IS THE FUTURE OF BOPAL HEADED?
The gated residential ‘socities’ in Bopal
The accessibility to leisure in Bopal is closely affiliated with one’s economic status
Besides the provision of daily necessities such as grocery shopping, these residential societies accomadate leisure facilities like gardens, playgrounds, sports facilities, clubhouses etc., the future developments in Bopal are on their way of accomadating amenities such as schools within them.
BOPAL The Situation The issue of self-sufficiency in Bopal has risen to such an extent that even the scantly provided public spaces are not used to their capacities.
What makes Bopal different from other Indian cities? There’s a dearth of Public spaces all across India. Hence, the provision of public spaces has led to their efficient use but the public spaces that have been provided in Bopal are not used to their potential.
ARE THESE ATTEMPTS BY THE GOVERNMENT FUTILE? IS THERE NO ROOM FOR A PUBLIC REALM IN BOPAL?
Private Amenities Public Spaces
The public spaces provided cannot compete with the private facilities
SoBo Park
Bopal Lake
“If there are good facilities available in my residential society itself, why should I leave the place in all that heat to go a place that offers the same facilities?” -Anushka Reddi , Resident of Bopal
The city life of Bopal is at stake With the growing trend of self-sufficiency, people have started living in bubbles leaving no room for social interaction, conflict-acceptance or urbanism. In a place of an existing economic divide, the boundaries of societies become new markers of segregation. It seems like the Bopal community co-exists rather than co-living
BOPAL The Situation The problem idntified is systemic due to the constant copying of certain ways of living to increase builder profits
While the societies with amenities ensure self-sufficiency by the provision of facilities, the other ones have retrofitted facilities as an attempt to copy the lifestyle that the prior ones provide.
Residential Societies with amenities
Residential Societies with amenities Residential Societies without amenities
Residential Societies without amenities
Hence, the problem faced in bopal is a systemic one and has to be tackled by the proposal of a prototype that can be replicated.
PROPOSAL Play is used as a strategy to bring the city together Why? -It enables the stakeholders to have a common ground. The stakeholders would be kids and parents and the common ground can relinquish the other divides, even if it is momentary -The idea of play cuts across class, its something everyone can enjoy
SITE The Proposal
The proposal comprises of 2 sets of playgrounds- (i) Neighbourhood Playgrounds (ii) Urban Playgrounds
A network of macro and micro scaled interventions has been proposed all over Bopal. Amongst the 22 sites identified (16 micro and 6 macro), one of each scale has been selected to detail out
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(i) Neighborhood Playgrounds 4
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The neighbourhood playgrounds are shared playgrounds constructed between two or more residendential societies and are created by rethinking their edge conditions/ boundary walls
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Scale: Small
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The neighbourhood playgrounds deal with the core problem of self-sufficiency
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(ii) Urban Playgrounds The urban playgrounds are large scale inclusive playgrounds constructed for the city. The six playgrounds situated on North and South Bopal main Roads form a network. The positions of these playgrounds has been derived from their vicinity to kindergartens. The urban playgrounds aim to tackle the problem of the dying city life of Bopal Scale: Large
1. Kendriya Vihar
2. Aarohi villa
There is a need for the introduction of two scales in opposition to one as the mere introduction of neighborhood playgrounds may add to the problem of self sufficiency instead of solving it.
STUDY OF PLAYGROUNDS
Parameters of Study
Timeline The study of evolution of Playgrounds revealed that playgrounds have evolved from being inclusive to exclusive. Moreover, the notion of play has been associated with children and not adults.Though there were certain attempts to get children and adults to play together, it was the adults that discouraged the development of those playgrounds.
Moments of the timeline
Great Depression and World War Two
Post War Era
STUDY OF PLAYGROUNDS Case Study
Making of the overall geometry using pure forms
Use of an added threshold
Organisational Logic
Playmound
Playmound
Radial - Levy Memorial Playground
Sumatraplantsoen Playground
Jacob Thijsseplein Playground
Grid - Jacob Thijsseplein Playground
The core entity of the playground is constituted by pure forms
The exaggerated threshold seperates the core entity from the outside
The organisational logic is informed by the use of artificially placed natural elements
The study of Playgrounds revealed lessons with regards to the use of strong geometrical orders and organisational logics. These logics have been put forth by the use of artificially placed natural elements like trees (Aldo Van Eyck’s playgrounds) or landscape (Noguchi’s playgrounds)
Playmound
Ground has been selected as an element to put these logics forth in the playgrounds designed
PLAY + GROUND
The existing play infrastructure in Bopal
Transformation A close look at the existing play infrastructure in Bopal reveals the limited association of play to standardized, temporary plastic play equipment. Hence, the transformation of the playground changes this perception to a permanent structure, sculpted out of the ground it is placed on.
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Transformation Strategy Existing
Proposed
1. Ratnam Panorama
Embedded
Infill
2. South Bopal Park
Simply placed on ground
Interacts with ground
3. Kiddie Land Fun Park
Uses plastic as the material
Utilises the materials of the city
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11 Private Play Infrastructure Public Play Infrastructure
The existing play infrastructure in Bopal is standardized, embedded within societies, exists on a small scale, is temporary and utilizes a certain material palette of limiting its use to kids
The transformation strategy applied is to contrast with the existing
Neighbourhood PLAY+GROUND Site Plan Located on the edge of Kendriya Vihar and Aarohi Villa, the neighbourhood playground becomes an extension of the garden in Aarohi villa. Using pure geometry with the help of ground modulation, the two circles face the direction of public access. For this semester, the neighbourhood playground was not detailed to much extent
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Neighbourhood PLAY+GROUND Transformation The compound wall between the socities is punctured, curved and tapered. A play in the ground has been added with the introduction of mounds and circulation devices placed adjacently act as the added threshold. The result is a shared playspace. For this semester, the neighbourhood playground was not detailed to much extent
Compound Wall
Add Punctures
Curve and taper the wall
Add level differences using Mounds
Circulation devices along the edges of the pure form
Playspace
Motion as Playing?
Urban PLAY+GROUND The urban playgrounds are large scale inclusive playgrounds constructed to tackle the problem of the dying city life of Bopal
Playing Sports
What does it mean for a playground to be inclusive? Instead of reducing the diverse population to their commonalities, an inclusive playground embraces the diversity it holds. Walking as Playing?
This is done by recognizing the differences and providing users with a CHOICE Playing with equipment
Table top games as Playing
The definition of play includes but is not limited to activities like walking, skating, skateboarding, sitting, climbing, playing sports, engaging in table top games, congregating, playing with water etc.
Urban PLAY+GROUND
SCULPTURES OF MOTION
Isometric It is in the spirit of embracing the provision of choice, that the Urban PLAY+GROUND offers four distinct experiencesTheatre of play (Theatrical experience of engaging with equipment), Sculptures of Motion (A skate park), Water Court (Play as Congregation), Garden (Playing in a free space)
WATER COURT
THEATRE OF PLAY THE GARDEN
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Urban PLAY+GROUND Plan at +1.5M A
Located on the edge of the South Bopal main road, the site chosen is a triangular plot surrounded by roads on all three sides
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Owing to the triangular geometry of the site, the three corners of the site carve out three zones brought together by the Water Court.
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Since the site is surrounded by roads on all three sides, the playground uses two thresholds- one created by trees and the other created by a parapet wall that convexes and concaves and houses seatings and play equipment.
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Urban PLAY+GROUND Plan at -2.5M The space below the pedestrian ramp used to bring people from the road into theatre is used to enter the theatre from the underground parking. Hence, one is forced to interact with the play equipment before getting to the ground level.
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Urban PLAY+GROUND Section AA The section cuts through the pyramidal structure housing the AMUL Parlour, the Garden and the depression of the Theatre of Play
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Urban PLAY+GROUND Section BB The section is cut through the water channel, through the theatre into the water body.
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Urban PLAY+GROUND Section CC The section is cut through the theatre and the giant sculpture housing the parking ramp and an underground garden. The space below the pedestrian ramp used to bring people from the road into theatre is used to enter the theatre from the underground parking.
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Urban PLAY+GROUND Section DD The section is cut through the theatre and the giant sculpture housing the parking ramp and an underground garden, the skatepark, the water body and the AMUL Parlour.
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Theatre of Play Employing the strategy of ‘To see and be seen’, the space creates a theatrical experience where the user becomes the performer and the performance is the engagement with play equipment
Urban PLAY+GROUND Detailing The four zones constitute the experience of the playground. A fragment of each of these zones has been identified to detail out.
Theatre of Play The climbing wall on the corner of the playground acts as an alternative entrance into the Theatre of Play (LVL -4.5M) from the road level Brown pigmented concrete has been used to serve as an anecdote to the earth scooped out of the playground. The retaining wall in elevation has been scooped to create a vertical maze-like structure.
Urban PLAY+GROUND Detailing Water Court The kiosk of the Water Court serves as a shaded sidewalk, attracting pedestrians and directing them towards the water body and inside the playground. The shallow water body serves as place for respite and interaction. The flooring of the sidewalk comprises of two different pigments- the browncoloured pigment is placed at random intervals so as to create a play while moving on the sidewalk.
Urban PLAY+GROUND Detailing Sculptures of Motion The large sculpture houses the parking ramp. On the outside, the wall is scooped to serve as a climbing wall. On the below ground level, lies a small garden like space. The playground utilises the principle of NonDirective Play. Hence, the playground structures the idea of play rather than explicitly prescribing it. This strategy is put forth by masking the play elements as services.
Urban PLAY+GROUND Detailing The Garden The AMUL parlour located on the edge of the garden is a pyramid-like structure. The steps on one side serve as an extension of the ground and on the pther side lies a very large slide. The strategy of masking is used to induce play in the ptherwise solemn neighbourhood.
Let’s stray away from defined notions
Let’s enable possibility
Let’s create room for imagination, acceptance and simply leisure
Let’s get the city to play together!