2021 ESALA Masters of Architecture Design Report - Lily Gonlag by Lily Gonlag

PARA -DISE POMEGRANATE : Walls, G ardens and Dwelling

DESIGN REPORT Lily Gonlag

T L M L S E T B L G B D Y

PA R A -di s e Po meg r a n ate: Wal l s, G arde n s an d D w e l l i n g

THESIS:

P A R A - D I S E P O M E G R A N A T E : Wal l s, G arde n s & D w e l l i n g

AGENCIES:

WALLS, GARDENS & DWELLING WALLS, WELLS & SELLING

WALLS, GARDENS & GROWING

PARA- SITUATIONS :

( D e R u i Le e ) *

PANCHKUVA DARWA JA & AMRUT VARSHINI STEPWELL MANEK BURJ & SABARMATI RIVERFRONT

AUTHOR:

L I LY G O N L AG

G R O U P (Shared T hesi s) :

RACHEL DUNNE DE RUI LEE

TUTORS:

DORIAN WISZNIEWSKI KEVIN ADAMS

( R ache l D u n n e ) *

* Pl ease se e D e si g n Re po rt s of Rachel Dunne & De Rui Lee for full outline of t hese a genc i es

PA R A -di s e Po m eg r a n ate: Wal l s, G arde n s an d D w e l l i n g

AHMEDABAD, SABARMATI RIVER Pho tog ra p h by Ro b e r t Ste p he n s

PA R A -di s e Po meg r a n ate: Wal l s, G arde n s an d D w e l l i n g

T L M L S E T B L G B D Y

PARA -DISE POMEGRANATE : Walls, Gardens and Dwel l i ng Ahmedabad’s Old City is a ruptured pomegranate. The thickness of the old city walls has been peeled back; its seeds have spilled to the periphery. Simultaneously, fruit production in India is facing challenges due to inefficient postharvest systems, poor irrigation and decentralisation. Large transport distances result in high wastage and reduced fruit quality, diminishing farmers’ profits. Paradise Pomegranate tests the potential of Ahmedabad’s old city walls as an instigator for reconfiguring Ahmedabad’s fruit-scape, and its consequential role within the larger metropolitan network. Visualising the [in-between] zone of the Old City Walls as both an inside and outside, three architectural agencies of Selling, Growing and Dwelling become the apparatus for forging fruitful interventions and creating conditions of continual wetness. The intensity of this liminal condition is transposed to the Sabarmati Riverfront Project, where vast openness offers potential for further cultivation. As the agencies emerge, so does the etymological link between culture and cultivate: tilling the land, and the acquisition of skills. Paradise Pomegranate does not aspire to utopian ideals, but gestures instead towards evocations of lushness and delight, rooted in the modest origins of the word ‘Paradise’ in Old Iranian as a ‘walled enclosure’. The Fruit-Farmer’s Dwellings create clusters of community, which focus on maintaining a strong connection between farming and community; culture and cultivation. A study into the architectural qualities of the pomegranate allows for the Fruit-Farmer’s Dwellings to take on the properties of seeds. [Un]peeling and laying the ruptured pomegranate along the path of the old wall offers a method for agitating the existing condition as the dwellings spill into gaps left along the path of the old city wall. Courtyard spaces act as thresholds between old and new; transitions between private dwellings and the street. Within each cluster of dwellings, a community hall acts both as a place for inhabitants of the Fruit-Farmers’ Dwellings to meet and spend time, and as a meeting house for members of the Fruit-Farmers’ Guild. Combining knowledge of the pomegranate with analysis of the social and environmental impact of current farming systems has driven thetic development towards a proposition that is mutually beneficial to the landscape and the city, fulfilling a duty to rebuild the old city walls and give back to the city. In Invisible Cities, Calvino writes: “‘My Empire has grown too far towards the outside. It is time’, the Khan thought, ‘for it to grow within itself,’ and he dreamed of pomegranate groves, the fruit so ripe it burst its skin…” (73) Welcome to Paradise Pomegranate.

Plea s e refe r to PAR A -dise Pom egranate web site at ht t p s : // p a ra d i se p o meg ra n a te . myp o r tfo l i o. c o m/ c u l t i va t i ng - t he - i n - b e t we e n

PA R A -di s e Po m eg r a n ate: Wal l s, G arde n s an d D w e l l i n g

‘PAR A -DISE P OMEGR ANATE : WALL S , G ARDENS AND DWELLING’ Plea se refer to film in at t ac h e d fo l d e r o r a t ht t p s : // www. yo u tu b e . c o m/ wa tc h? v= b 6 8 d A g H Z3 tc

PA R A -di s e Po meg r a n ate: Wal l s, G arde n s an d D w e l l i n g

T L M L S E T B L G B D Y

CONTENTS

S I T U A T I O N : A hme dabad’s Fr u i t - Sc a pe

P E E L I N G A N D [ U N ] P E E L I N G : Po m e g ran at e E x p l o rat i o n s

CULTIVATING THE [ IN ]-BE T WEEN

A House for a Fruit-Farmer

Auction House

Ahmedabad Institute of Pomology

P A R A - D I S E P O M E G R A N A T E : Wal l s, G arde n s & D w e l l i n g

T H E G A T E - K E E P E R ’ S F R U I T - F A R M : Re-Imagined

100

FILM AND EXHIBITION

112

GLOSSARY OF TERMS

130

BIBLIOGRAPHY

132

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

133

APPENDIX A: QUANTIFYING PRODUCE

134

APPENDIX B : A TALE OF AHMEDABAD’S WHOLESALE FRUIT TR ADE

136

THE LOVING METROPOLITAN L ANDSCAPE (TLML) Ahmedabad’s Fruit-scape

SE T OF ENZ YMATIC TERRITORIES ( SE T ) Living territories within the landscape

BUILDING (BLG) Tectonic & programmatic

BODY (BDY) Detail & pomegranate

T L M L S E T B L G B D Y

PA R A -di s e Po meg r a n ate: Wal l s, G arde n s an d D w e l l i n g

PA R A -di s e Po m eg r a n ate: Wal l s, G arde n s an d D w e l l i n g

““My empire has grown too far toward the outside. It is time,” the Khan thought, “for it to grow within itself,” and he dreamed of pomegranate groves, the fruit so ripe it burst its skin…” Invisible Cities, Italo Calvino (73)

T L M L S E T B L G B D Y

PA R A -di s e Po meg r a n ate: Wal l s, G arde n s an d D w e l l i n g

STREET FRUIT-SELLER, AHMEDABAD OLD CITY 1 0 Pho tog ra p h

by Ra c h el Du n n e

SITUATION :

Ahm e dabad’s Fr u i t -S c a pe

T L M L S E T B L G B D Y

PA R A -di s e Po meg r a n ate: Wal l s, G arde n s an d D w e l l i n g

‘THE CIT Y OF AMADABATH’ E n g rav i n g , 1 7 0 4 D i sp l aye d a t ‘Ahme da b a d Wa l l s’ Ex hi b i t i o n by Ro b e r t Ste p he n s

LLAGE NO. II

Si tuati o n : A hm e dabad’s Fr u i t - S c a pe

AHMEDABAD’S FRUITSCAPE Ahmedabad is the largest city in Gujarat, located on the banks of the Sabarmati River. Historically, the river bed was a place for farming during the dry seasons; a centre for various informal economic activities used by informal squatter settlements. Agriculture has a huge presence within India, as the primary source of livelihood for 58% of the population;1 in terms of fruit-growing, India is the third-largest producer in the world, with Gujarat being its third-highest producing state. Fruit production in Ahmedabad has faced challenges in recent years due to poor and inefficient post-harvest management systems. Expensive land prices and overcrowding in and around the cities has caused farming to become de-centralised; this results in a weakening of links between farmers, wholesalers, retailers and consumers. Poor storage and facilities for transporting fruits across large distances result in a third of all fruit harvest in India going to waste,2 consequently decreasing farmers’ profits further.

SPILLAGE NO. I [10:1]

[5:1]

SPILLAGE NO. III

SPILLAGE NO. II

1. India Brand Equity Foundation, “Indian Agriculture and Allied Industries Industry Report,” last modified January 2021, https://www.ibef.org/ indus tr y/agriculture -india. aspx

2. Aanchal Sharma, Dr. Binod K. Singh, Dr. Neeraj Anand, “Fruit Processing Industry in India: A Short Review,” in Cold Chain Logistics in Horticulture & Agriculture, (Uttarakhand, India: Winsar Publishing Company, 2016)

[10:1]

[5:1] SPILLAGE NO. I

[5:1]

PA R A -di s e Po meg r a n ate: Wal l s, G arde n s an d D w e l l i n g

T L M L S E T B L G B D Y

AHMEDABAD’S FRUITSCAPE

3. Kaushnik Himanshu, “Fruit cultivation area halves in Ahmedabad, “Times of India, last modified March 11, 2013, https:// timesofindia.indiatimes. com/city/ahmedabad/ Fruit-cultivation-areahalves-in-Ahmedabad/ articleshow/18908599.cms

4. BBC News, “Farm laws: Are India’s new reforms a ‘death warrant’ for farmers?”, last modified February 21, 2021, https:// www.bbc.co.uk/news/worldasia-india-54233080

Secondly, horticulture in Ahmedabad relies on – and consequently suffers from – unpredictable rain patterns, ranging from heavy monsoon rainfall to drought conditions. Despite high levels of rainfall during the monsoon season, there are no effective means to capture and store this water and soil quality suffers as a result; instead, Ahmedabad relies on water imports from Narmada. Irrigation struggles have caused the area of fruit cultivation within Ahmedabad to decrease by 55% between 2003 and 2013, causing productivity to fall by 66%.3 In early 2021, the introduction of three agricultural laws sparked protests and unrest amongst farmers in Delhi. The government claims that the introduction of The Farmer’s Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation), The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act will accelerate growth in the sector through private investment and increased productivity.4 The most significant change would allow farmers to sell their produce directly to private buyers such as supermarkets and online grocers rather than through governmentcontrolled wholesale markets – ‘mandis’. Protesting farmers argue that these reforms work against the interests of small-scale farmers. The ‘mandis’ are currently run by the Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) – originally established by state governments in India to ensure farmers are protected from exploitation by large retailers, by setting assured pricing. Farmers are worried that the new laws will lead to the end of ‘mandis’, hence leaving them vulnerable to the exploitation of private buyers. The introduction of these laws has been put on hold until issues can be resolved, however, protesters claim they will not settle until the laws are repealed. Each of these factors points to an opportunity to speculate a reconfiguration of Ahmedabad’s fruit-scape; to test the merits and limitations of cultivating the ‘in-between’ zone of Ahmedabad’s old city walls as an instrument for fruit production in Ahmedabad, and its role within the larger metropolitan fruit network.

Si tuati o n : A hm e dabad’s Fr u i t - S c a pe

STREET FRUIT-SELLERS, AHMEDABAD OLD CITY Pho tog ra p hs by Ra c hel D u n n e a n d D e Ru i L e e

T L M L S E T B L G B D Y

PA R A -di s e Po meg r a n ate: Wal l s, G arde n s an d D w e l l i n g

LAND USE ARABLE LAND WAT E R B O D I E S FOREST URBAN UNPRODUCTIVE LAND RIVER DEPOSITS PRIMARY FRUIT GROWING REGION

LAND USE C O A S TA L A L L U V I A L S O I L ALLUVIAL SANDY SOIL MEDIUM BL ACK SOIL SALINE SOIL DEEP BL ACK SOIL DESERT SOIL ALLUVIAL SANDY LOAM SOIL MUD

FRUIT NETWORK EXISTING FRUIT NETWORK

PROPOSED

EXISTING

PROPOSED NE T WORK E XPANSION

WHOLE SALE FRUIT MARKETS APPLE

[OCT - DEC]

CITRUS

[JUL - SEP]

GUAVA

[NOV - JAN]

MANGO

[ MAY - J U L]

P O M E G R A N AT E

[JAN - DEC]

EXPORT

Si tuati o n : A hm e dabad’s Fr u i t - S c a pe

FRUIT NETWORK

SOIL T YPES

LAND USE

AHMEDABAD’S FRUIT-SCAPE D ra w n at 1 : 1 , 0 0 0 , 0 0 0

At metropolitan scale, the membranes of the pomegranate represent a fruit growing and distribution network. Paradise pomegranate tests a reorganisation of the current fruit network, fixing Ahmedabad as the core. Bringing orchards closer to, and even within the old city of Ahmedabad, will diminish the need for intermediate transfer links between the countryside and city to close the loop between growers and sellers. Existing mass-farming on the outskirts of the city will focus on providing for their local cities and world exports.

T L M L S E T B L G B D Y

PA R A -di s e Po meg r a n ate: Wal l s, G arde n s an d D w e l l i n g

Si tuati o n : A hm e dabad’s Fr u i t - S c a pe

TESTING A FRUIT-GROWING NETWORK Dra wn at 1: 10, 000 SP

The pomegranate offers a means for understanding the architectural language of the fruit network from metropolitan to body scale. The old city of Ahmedabad can be seen as a ruptured pomegranate, its seeds spilling to the periphery. The path of Ahmedabad’s old city walls is seen not as a single line, but as a thickness that creates an in-between zone of the old city and the periphery that has spilled out from it. The in-between zone bridges the conditions on either side: it is not as chaotic as what is contained within, nor as comparatively subdued as outside, but a combination of both of these worlds. The physical presence of the city walls has disappeared at multiple points, and in these scenarios, the contents of the old city can be seen to ‘spill’ even more into the periphery. LA GE

. I I

0: 1

]

LA G

. I II

]

Paradise Pomegranate treats these spaces along the interior and exterior of the old city walls as interfaces that fluctuate in density and openness, mimicking the swelling and seeping of the fruit skin. Enzymatic territories included within each zone comprise of smaller scale fruit growing plots and processing spaces, agricultural research and teaching facilities, homes for farmworkers and their families, and markets for fruit selling. Larger areas of derelict land along the Sabarmati riverfront offer an opportunity to speculate mass-scale farming within the city; fruit growing becomes a community-led activity, addressing the issues of current de-centralised farming practices. Please refer to Appendix A for quantification of produce.

T L M L S E T B L G B D Y

PA R A -di s e Po meg r a n ate: Wal l s, G arde n s an d D w e l l i n g

AHMEDABAD’S FRUITSCAPE Fr ui t Mark et s Located in the North-East of the city, Naroda is Ahmedabad’s dedicated wholesale fruit market. An interview with Manoj can be heard in the film - A Tale of Ahmedabad’s Wholesale Fruit Trade - and the transcript can be read in Appendix B.

Si tuati o n : A hm e dabad’s Fr u i t - S c a pe

‘A TALE OF AHMEDABAD’S WHOLESALE FRUIT TR ADE’ Fi l m by R ache l D u n n e, Li l y G o n l a g an d D e R u i Le e Plea se refer to fi l m a t ht t p s : // www. yo u tu b e . c o m/ wa tc h? v= X_ d KMH 8 TO g Q

NARODA: WHOLESALE FRUIT MARKET 21

T L M L S E T B L G B D Y

PA R A -di s e Po meg r a n ate: Wal l s, G arde n s an d D w e l l i n g

QUANTIFYING PRODUCE 22

Pl e ase re fe r t o A ppe n di x B fo r f urt her det ai l s

Si tuati o n : A hm e dabad’s Fr u i t - S c a pe

CARPETING AHMEDABAD’S FRUIT-SCAPE C o l l age by D e Ru i L e e

T L M L S E T B L G B D Y

PA R A -di s e Po meg r a n ate: Wal l s, G arde n s an d D w e l l i n g

FRUIT- SELLER AT NARODA WHOLESALE FRUIT-MARKE T 2 4 Pho tog ra p h

by Ra c h el Du n n e

T L M L S E T B L G B D Y

PA R A -di s e Po meg r a n ate: Wal l s, G arde n s an d D w e l l i n g

‘P OMEGR ANATE E XPLOR ATIONS’ E XHIBITION 2 6 Sem ester Two

PEELING AND [UN]PEELING: Po me g ra n at e E xpl o rat i o n s

T L M L S E T B L G B D Y

PA R A -di s e Po meg r a n ate: Wal l s, G arde n s an d D w e l l i n g

DISSECTING ARCHITECTURE Archi t ect ural Langua ge o f t he Po me g ran at e The pomegranate holds great meaning across cultures, symbolising prosperity, faith, fertility, purity and beauty. Greek mythology tells the story of Hades – the God of the Underworld – kidnapping Persephone, the daughter of Demeter – Goddess of Fertility. Persephone is tricked into eating six pomegranate seeds, binding her to an eternity in the underworld. Hades strikes a deal with Demeter to release her after six months; one month for each seed. For these six months, Demeter mourns her daughter’s loss and the earth dries up. When she is reunited with her daughter the land becomes fertile again. This is used to tell the story of the seasons and places importance on the pomegranate in our project. A process of dissecting, photographing, drawing and modelling the pomegranate reveals a rich architectural language which holds different meaning from metropolitan and city-scale to building and body scale. The skin of the fruit becomes a method for containment, which can be burst or ruptured, allowing its contents to spill out. The membrane is a thin layer that acts as a boundary, lining or partition – a flexible containment. The flesh of the fruit represents the weightiness and substance of the architecture. Lastly, the seeds represent the ‘south-for entity’, and the term ‘sowing seeds’ may be linked to the beginning of a process or condition.

Peel i n g an d [U n ] Peel i n g : Po m e g ra n at e E x pl o rat i o n s

‘SPILLING SEEDS’ R o o f pl an dra w n at 1 : 2 0 0

T L M L S E T B L G B D Y

PA R A -di s e Po meg r a n ate: Wal l s, G arde n s an d D w e l l i n g

CULTIVATING THE IN-BE T WEEN : A Hou se fo r a Fr u i t -Far me r

T L M L S E T B L G B D Y

PA R A -di s e Po meg r a n ate: Wal l s, G arde n s an d D w e l l i n g

PARA - SITUATION ONE Am r ut varshi ni Vav and Pan chku v a D arw aja Drawing by Rac hel Dunne

The Amrutvarshini Vav - stepwell - dates from 1723, situated beside the Panchkuva Darwaja - gate - on the very East of the Old City. Amrita means ‘immortality’ or ‘nectar’; however, Amritavarshini is also the name of a raga - a song played to summon a monsoon. This stepwell sits alongside a large remaining portion of the old city walls. It is unusual due to its L-shaped plan, and is sparsely decorated compared to other stepwells. Many stepwells were built as donations by the wealthy to the city – the gift of water being one of the most precious possible. Morna Livingston, in her book Steps to Water, describes the experience of entering a stepwell:

5. Morna Livingstone, Steps to Water: The Ancient Stepwells of India, (New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 2002), 1

“The diminishing light descending the stairs conveys a sense of passage deep into the earth, moving further into darkness. Excavation is balanced with construction – one pair of opposites in a series that includes sky and water, solid and liquid, empty and full.” 5

Cul ti vati n g th e I n -B etween : A H o u se fo r a Fr u i t - Far m e r

AMRUT VARSHINI VAV

T L M L S E T B L G B D Y

PA R A -di s e Po meg r a n ate: Wal l s, G arde n s an d D w e l l i n g

AHMEDABAD’S OLD CITY V i e w f ro m ro o f t o p i n t he K he t arpal N i Po l

Cul ti vati n g th e I n -B etween : A H o u se fo r a Fr u i t - Far m e r

AHMEDABAD KITE FESTIVAL V i e w f ro m ro o f t o p i n t he D hal N i Po l

T L M L S E T B L G B D Y

PA R A -di s e Po meg r a n ate: Wal l s, G arde n s an d D w e l l i n g

PANCHKUVA DARWAJA TO KALUPUR DARWAJA Ae ri a l p ho tog ra p h by Ro b e r t Ste p he n s

Cul ti vati n g th e I n -B etween : A H o u se fo r a Fr u i t - Far m e r

A SE T OF ENZ YMATIC TERRITORIES ( SE T ) Panchkuva Da rwaja t o Kal u pu r D arw aja The path of the Old City Wall between Panchkuva Darwaja and Kalupur Darwaja has been lost, resulting in an in-between condition which offers our first site for testing community-scale fruit cultivation. Three architectural agencies of Selling, Growing and Dwelling become the apparatus for the cultivation of pomegranates responding to the issues outlined at metropolitan scale. Responding to agency requirements for amenity and factory, the introduction of the Ahmedabad Institute of Pomology will focus on education and research of year-round and seasonal fruit cultivation. Please refer to De Rui Lee’s design report for details of this agency. Responding to amenity, factory and butt, a series of buildings for the processing and selling of pomegranates will be developed. This will include an Auction House, operating to serve larger-scale fruit selling as the main collection and distribution point connecting to the wider network. Fresh fruits are delivered early each morning and auctioned daily between 9 and 12 am. A Processing and Wash House and Grading and Packing House will work to process the fruit grown within this small-scale community cultivation zone. Please refer to Rachel Dunne’s design report for details of this agency. Lastly, a series of dwelling and community buildings will respond to requirements for butt and bed. Houses for the Fruit-Farmers and their families facilitate a strong connection between farming and community; culture and cultivation. A Fruit-Farmer’s Guildhouse will provide a meeting space for the local workers to meet with members of the Agricultural Produce Market Committee, who ensure that farmers are protected from exploitation and regulate practices in wholesale fruit and vegetable trade. The traditional stepwell form is reinterpreted as a sequence of stepping concrete pools to collect water for fruit irrigation.

T L M L S E T B L G B D Y

PA R A -di s e Po meg r a n ate: Wal l s, G arde n s an d D w e l l i n g

DISSECTING ARCHITECTURE Peeling and [ U n]Peel i ng

[Un]peeling the drawings, as with a fruit, reveals a new method for organising space. The linearity of the [un]peeled drawing invites us to lay these across our measured intensities site and analyse how the existing plan can become agitated by our drawings.

CULTIVATING THE IN-BE T WEEN S E T Pl an dra w n at 1 : 5 0 0

Cul ti vati n g th e I n -B etween : A H o u se fo r a Fr u i t - Far m e r

[ UN ]PEELING THE P OMEGR ANATE D rawi ng s by Ra c hel D u n n e

T L M L S E T B L G B D Y

PA R A -di s e Po meg r a n ate: Wal l s, G arde n s an d D w e l l i n g

Cul ti vati n g th e I n -B etween : A H o u se fo r a Fr u i t - Far m e r

A HOUSE FOR A FRUIT-FARMER S i t e pl an dra wn a t 1 : 5 0 0

The Fruit-Farmer’s Dwellings are designed as a capping to existing buildings, arranged in clusters of homes for one extended family to live. [Un]peeling and laying the ruptured pomegranate along the path of the old wall offers a method for agitating the existing condition and organising the program. Courtyard spaces act as thresholds between old and new; transitions between private dwellings and the street. The community hall acts both as a place for inhabitants of the FruitFarmers’ Dwellings to meet and spend time, and as a meeting house for members of the Fruit-Farmers’ Guild. The heavy flesh of the pomegranate becomes a closed edge wall to the site, protecting the precious contents within – the seeds. Unlike the heavy outer facing of the dwellings, the courtyard façade is lightweight and permeable to invite the dwellings to breathe. The light skin of the pomegranate manifests as a series of opening roofs, allowing the buildings to be [un]peeled.

T L M L S E T B L G B D Y

PA R A -di s e Po meg r a n ate: Wal l s, G arde n s an d D w e l l i n g

GROUND PLAN Dra wn at 1: 100

An [un]peeling of the traditional pol houses of Ahmedabad’s old city informs the program of the Fruit-Farmers’ Dwellings, facilitating a gradual transition between public. The meeting hall acts as the Khadki – the semi-formal living space for meeting guests at the front of a pol house – and forms a gateway to the dwellings. A covered walkway – Otla – draws you towards and upwards through the dwellings; the most private spaces deepest within the dwellings.

Cul ti vati n g th e I n -B etween : A H o u se fo r a Fr u i t - Far m e r

T L M L S E T B L G B D Y

PA R A -di s e Po meg r a n ate: Wal l s, G arde n s an d D w e l l i n g

ROOF PLAN

Dra wn at 1:2 0 0

Cul ti vati n g th e I n -B etween : A H o u se fo r a Fr u i t - Far m e r

VIE W OF SITE FROM ATOP PANC HUK VA DARWA JA

T L M L S E T B L G B D Y

PA R A -di s e Po meg r a n ate: Wal l s, G arde n s an d D w e l l i n g

[UN]PEELING THE

RUPTURED ‘GHOST’ WALL

P OMEGR ANATE

Pa pe r de v e l o pm e n t m o de l o f u n fo l ded bri ck ski ns

Drawing by Rac hel Dunne

Cul ti vati n g th e I n -B etween : A H o u se fo r a Fr u i t - Far m e r

T L M L S E T B L G B D Y

PA R A -di s e Po meg r a n ate: Wal l s, G arde n s an d D w e l l i n g

ISOMETRIC SECTION 48

D ra wn at 1:50

Cul ti vati n g th e I n -B etween : A H o u se fo r a Fr u i t - Far m e r

FLESH [noun] the edible pulpy part of a fruit or vegetable

Lo ad-Beari ng Bri ck Wal l s / / Co n c re t e B at hs The flesh of the pomegranate is represented by a thick brick wall that wraps around the outer edge of the cluster and carries it on the ground, containing sculpted out spaces for staircases, services and solar chimneys. A series of stepping concrete baths rest on top of the wall to collect and channel water towards a storage well. Whilst the thickness of the brick wall protects from the heat, rainwater is pumped through the brickwork cavity to provide an active cooling system for the dwellings during the hotter times of the year.

SKIN [noun] the peel or outer layer of certain fruits or vegetables [ver b] rem ove th e s k i n fro m ( a n a n i m a l o r a f r u i t o r veg eta bl e)

Ti mber Ro o fs // Cano pi e s The skin of the pomegranate is a lightweight structure, encasing parts of the dwellings to become a series of peeling roofs and canopies. During the hottest parts of the day, the roof and screens are closed down completely to shade from the heat, and at night, these can be opened up completely to allow the building to breathe.

MEMBRANE [noun] a thin sheet of tissue or layer of cells acting as a boundary, lining, or partition in an organism; a th i n pl i abl e s h eet o f m ater i a l fo r m i n g a b a r r i er o r l i n i n g

Mo vabl e Ti mber Screens / / Li ght w e i g ht Ti mbe r S t r u c t u re A double layer of lightweight, moveable timber screens represents the flexible membrane of the pomegranate. Taking wisdom from photosynthesis and the leaves of plants, which “develop a body that privileges surface over volume” 6, the interior of the dwellings expands and contracts; encloses and exposes; depending on the temperature, the time of day and the season. The possibility to open and close off the interior in response to the sun’s movement protects users from heat and glare and offers a sustainable alternative to air conditioning. A timber structure spanning between the brickwork represents the lightweight structural qualities of the membrane.

6. Coccia, Emanuelle, Life of Plants: A Metaphysics of Mixture, trans. Dylan J. Montanari (Cambridge: Polity Press, 2019), 14.

T L M L S E T B L G B D Y

PA R A -di s e Po meg r a n ate: Wal l s, G arde n s an d D w e l l i n g

A A

Cul ti vati n g th e I n -B etween : A H o u se fo r a Fr u i t - Far m e r

SECTION A-A THROUGH AMRUT VARSHINI VAV D ra w n at 1: 200

T L M L S E T B L G B D Y

PA R A -di s e Po meg r a n ate: Wal l s, G arde n s an d D w e l l i n g

Cul ti vati n g th e I n -B etween : A H o u se fo r a Fr u i t - Far m e r

SECTION B-B THROUGH COURT YARD D ra w n at 1: 100

T L M L S E T B L G B D Y

PA R A -di s e Po meg r a n ate: Wal l s, G arde n s an d D w e l l i n g

C C

Cul ti vati n g th e I n -B etween : A H o u se fo r a Fr u i t - Far m e r

SECTION C-C THROUGH MEETING HALL D ra w n at 1: 50

T L M L S E T B L G B D Y

PA PAR RAA-di -dissee Po Pomeg megrraannate: ate: Wal Wallls,s, GGarde ardennss an andd DDwweelllliinnggs

D D

Cul ti vati n g th e I n -B etween : A H o u se fo r a Fr u i t - Far m e r

SECTION D-D THROUGH HOUSE D ra w n at 1: 20

PA R A -di s e Po meg r a n ate: Wal l s, G arde n s an d D w e l l i n g

T L M L S E T B L G B D Y

S K I N // P E E L I N G R O O F S

M E M B R A N E // C A N O P I E S

M E M B R A N E // S C R E E N S

M E M B R A N E // L I G H T W E I G H T S T R U C T U R E

F L E S H // C O N C R E T E B AT H S

F L E S H // M A S O N R Y

Cul ti vati n g th e I n -B etween : A H o u se fo r a Fr u i t - Far m e r

EXPLODED ISOMETRIC D ra w n at 1: 100

T L M L S E T B L G B D Y

PA R A -di s e Po meg r a n ate: Wal l s, G arde n s an d D w e l l i n g

VIEW OVER COURT YARD FROM BALCONY

Cul ti vati n g th e I n -B etween : A H o u se fo r a Fr u i t - Far m e r

VIEW FROM COURT YARD

T L M L S E T B L G B D Y

PA R A -di s e Po meg r a n ate: Wal l s, G arde n s an d D w e l l i n g

MEETING HALL

B R I C K C O N TA I N I N G WA L L

A HOUSE FOR A FRUIT-FARMER

Cul ti vati n g th e I n -B etween : A H o u se fo r a Fr u i t - Far m e r

WORM’S EYE ISOMETRIC D ra w n at 1: 100

T L M L S E T B L G B D Y

PA R A -di s e Po meg r a n ate: Wal l s, G arde n s an d D w e l l i n g

Cul ti vati n g th e I n -B etween : A H o u se fo r a Fr u i t - Far m e r

FLESH AND SKIN : BRICK WALKWAY CASTING OFF E l e v at i o n o f c o m po n e n t s dra wn at 1: 50

T L M L S E T B L G B D Y

PA R A -di s e Po meg r a n ate: Wal l s, G arde n s an d D w e l l i n g

Cul ti vati n g th e I n -B etween : A H o u se fo r a Fr u i t - Far m e r

MEMBRANE AND SKIN I so m e t ri c o f c o m po n e n t s dra wn at 1: 20

T L M L S E T B L G B D Y

PA R A -di s e Po meg r a n ate: Wal l s, G arde n s an d D w e l l i n g

Cul ti vati n g th e I n -B etween : A H o u se fo r a Fr u i t - Far m e r

CULTIVATING THE P OMEGR ANATE : PL ANT NURSERY AND DRIP IRRIG ATION I so m e t ri c dra wn at 1: 50

PA R A -di s e Po meg r a n ate: Wal l s, G arde n s an d D w e l l i n g

T L M L S E T B L G B D Y

AUTOVENT ROOF PIECES Autovent pistons allow roof pieces to open automatically to maintain a comfortable temperature within. A piston is seated in mineral wax within a tube; depending on the heat outside, the wax expands and contracts, pushing the piston up and down.

PROTECTION FROM DIRECT SUN Heavy brick wall wrapping around East, South and West sides of site helps to protect from direct sunlight.

RAINWATER COLLECTION Rainwater is collected and channelled towards a storage well. In the pump room, it is filtered and reused for drinking water and circulated through walls as an active cooling system.

RAINWATER CIRCUL ATION Recycled rainwater circulation pipes on the inner leaf of the brick walls provide an active cooling system for the interior by convection. TERTIARY SHADING Tertiary structures provide extended shading on the South facing walkways.

ACOUSTIC BUFFERING Thickness of masonry on street edge provides acoustic insulation.

THERMAL MASS Thermal mass of brick walls and concrete baths provides ‘coolth’ storage.

OPEN PLAN INTERIOR Open interior spaces with minimal partitions allow good ventilation.

SOLAR CHIMNEY Solar chimney draws hot air up and out of the building to stimulate cross ventilation. Insulation on the inner face protects interior from build up of hot air within.

VENTIL ATED TIMBER GROUND FLOOR Gaps in masonry provide ventilation to timber ground floor to avoid moisture

Cul ti vati n g th e I n -B etween : A H o u se fo r a Fr u i t - Far m e r

VENTIL ATED ROOF SPACE Double layer roof helps to cool house by expelling stale air through openings in the outer layer. Ceiling louvres allow cool air transfer into building.

HARVESTING THE MONSOON Wat e r- c o l l e c t i n g Bat h I so met ri c

TIMBER SCREENS Double layer of lightweight timber screens on both levels creates a fully openable North facade, allowing ventilation at body level and additional control over thermal comfort.

PL ANTED COURT YARD Cooling atmosphere of micro-climate through transpiration and evaporative cooling.

build up.

ENVIRONMENTAL SECTION D ra w n at 1: 20

T L M L S E T B L G B D Y

PA R A -di s e Po meg r a n ate: Wal l s, G arde n s an d D w e l l i n g

SECTION THROUGH AUCTION HOUSE 72

D rawi ng by Ra c h el Du n n e

Cul ti vati n g th e I n -B etween : A H o u se fo r a Fr u i t - Far m e r

AUCTION HOUSE E xcerpt by Rachel Dun n e Plea se refer to Rac hel Dunne’s D e si g n Re p o r t fo r fu r t he r d e t a i l s o f t hi s age n cy

Based on an architectural language derived from the pomegranate of Skins, Membranes, Mesocarps & Seeds - the Auction House mediates the worlds of old and new Ahmedabad. Simultaneously fulfilling a civic duty to mend the city walls and re-establish the functionality and sociality of the stepwells; whilst introducing the infrastructure for economic potential of a centralised fruit-network. This building is the first in a series that will emerge over a period of many years, as the pomegranate trees come to bear fruit, and the potential yield increases. An open stepwell intersects the Auction House in half, creating a separation of producer and consumer, that is crossed by a bridge. Stepwells are not only a method of water collection, but also are a space of refuge from the heat and noise of the city and were once considered amongst the greatest charitable gifts that the wealthy residents could give to the city. By creating a presence of absence in the form of the stepwell, the excavated clay earth – the absence of presence – is reused to create rammed earth grounds and walls across the rest of the site. Whilst attempting to provide the infrastructure for the Market and Auction House to function, an awareness of the idea of ‘slack space’ has always been present – creating spaces with enough ambiguity and flexibility which allows them to be appropriated by the users. Like the propagation of a seed, the Auction House roots itself in the ground, develops its own network of water transport and storage, provides shade from its canopy, and grows outward over time.

PA R A -di s e Po meg r a n ate: Wal l s, G arde n s an d D w e l l i n g

AHMEDABAD INSTITUTE OF POMOLOGY E xcerpt by De Rui Lee

T L M L S E T B L G B D Y

Plea se refer to D e Rui L ee’s D e si gn Re p o r t fo r fu r t he r d e t a i l s o f t hi s age n cy

Education in Ahmedabad, from the very beginning, was an institutional form that received great emphasis and patronage in its modern avatar. Despite having neither the climate nor the proximity to resources such as coal, Ahmedabad’s success in the textile industry in the 19th century is indicative of the spirit of its residents and their ability to adapt to rapid changes happening around them. Naturally, other ideas in modernity followed with industrial modernisation. Thus, came the birth of demand for modern institutions. Operating between the lost city walls, the Ahmedabad Institute of Pomology functions as the nodal agency for reinstating the cities’ significance of pomegranates on the macro export scene. The facility looks to continue this institutional tradition by furthering the promotion of agro-industrial education through two key drivers: Research and Education. The learning centre attracts stakeholders from all stages (growers, processors and traders) to introduce proper cultivation/processing techniques and harness fuller potential of the fruit. Research conducted is focused on introducing sustainable pomegranate cultivation in non-traditional areas through scientific management practices, high density planting, integrated disease and insect pest management etc. Over time, further satellite campuses will emerge along the periphery of the city and along the riverfront. Not unlike the cyclical process of refinements and seasonal changes of fruit cultivation, such agencies are not generated instantaneously but gradually over time. Negotiating between the interfaces of old and new, agencies within the Ahmedabad Institute of Pomology form just the beginnings of bridging the gap towards greater scale liberalisation and hope of paradise across the wider agro-industrial sector.

Cul ti vati n g th e I n -B etween : A H o u se fo r a Fr u i t - Far m e r

AHMEDABAD INSTITUTE OF POMOLOGY E x pl o de d I so met ri c D rawi ng by D e Ru i L ee

T L M L S E T B L G B D Y

PA R A -di s e Po meg r a n ate: Wal l s, G arde n s an d D w e l l i n g

PARA -DISE POMEGRANATE : Wal l s, Garde n s & D w e l l i n g

PA R A -di s e Po meg r a n ate: Wal l s, G arde n s an d D w e l l i n g

PARA - SITUATION T WO Manek Bur j and Sab ar mat i R i v e rf ro n t

T L M L S E T B L G B D Y

Drawing by D e Rui L ee

The Manek Burj - ‘ruby bastion’ - is the foundation bastion of the Bhadra Fort within the Old City of Ahmedabad, built in 1411. The Burj sits next to the Ellis Bridge – which was the first bridge built in Ahmedabad to cross the Sabarmati – and when the bridge was expanded in 1999, some of the Manek Burj was partially destroyed to allow the new concrete bridge to pass through. Superstition tells that if the Manek Burj is torn down, the whole city will collapse with it. Since 1411, the Sabarmati Riverfront has been an essential backdrop to cultural and recreational activities. Historically, the river bed was utilised for farming during the dry seasons, defining it as a centre for various informal economic activities used by informal squatter settlements. The 1998 Sabarmati Riverfront project envisioned a redevelopment of the area into a major urban asset, however, the new project arguably lacks the energy and character of the Old City.

PA R A -di s e Po m eg r a n ate: Wal l s, G arde n s an d D w e l l i n g

T L M L S E T B L G B D Y

PA R A -di s e Po meg r a n ate: Wal l s, G arde n s an d D w e l l i n g

8 0S A B A R M A T I R I V E R F R O N T P R O J E C T

PA R A -di s e Po m eg r a n ate: Wal l s, G arde n s an d D w e l l i n g

PARA -DISE POMEGRANATE : Wal l s, G ardens and Dw e l l i n g s Semester 4 has offered the opportunity to cast elements of the FruitFarmers’ Dwellings into the wider landscape. Speculatively, the dwellings have been sown like seeds across Ahmedabad, testing their reciprocal relationship with new sites. Paradise Pomegranate does not aspire to utopian ideals, but gestures instead towards evocations of lushness and delight, rooted in the modest origins of the word ‘Paradise’ in Old Iranian as a ‘walled enclosure’. The Judaic-Hellenic concept of ‘garden as Paradise’7 becomes a powerful manifestation as the Sabarmati riverfront offers an expanse of unused land in which to test the Fruit-Farmers’ Dwellings at a larger scale alongside mass-scale fruit-farming. The courtyard gardens become a blurred condition between foraging and intensive farming.

7. Pier Vittorio Aureli and Maria Giudici, “Gardener’s World,” The Architectural Review 1478 (February 2021): 7.

T L M L S E T B L G B D Y

PA R A -di s e Po meg r a n ate: Wal l s, G arde n s an d D w e l l i n g

PA R A -di s e Po m eg r a n ate: Wal l s, G arde n s an d D w e l l i n g

NEW RIVERFRONT WALL

T L M L S E T B L G B D Y

PA R A -di s e Po meg r a n ate: Wal l s, G arde n s an d D w e l l i n g

PA R A -di s e Po m eg r a n ate: Wal l s, G arde n s an d D w e l l i n g

CARRYING ‘GHOSTS’: SPILLING SEEDS Scre e n sho t f ro m f i l m - ‘ PA R A - di se Po m e g ran at e : Wal l s, G arde n s an d D w e l l i n g ’

T L M L S E T B L G B D Y

PA R A -di s e Po meg r a n ate: Wal l s, G arde n s an d D w e l l i n g

SPILLING SEEDS S abar mat i Ri v e rf ro n t ( abo v e ) ; Ri v erfro nt Pl an , dra w n at 1 : 5 0 0 ( l e f t )

As with the site at the Amrutvarshini Stepwell, the dwellings trace the path of the ‘ghost’ city wall. A second condition – the riverfront wall – is formed. The intense structure of the old city is transposed onto the riverfront site to form a territory diagram in which to organise the dwellings and farming and to soften the edge of the Sabarmati riverfront.

PA R A -di s e Po m eg r a n ate: Wal l s, G arde n s an d D w e l l i n g

T L M L S E T B L G B D Y

PA R A -di s e Po meg r a n ate: Wal l s, G arde n s an d D w e l l i n g

PA R A -di s e Po m eg r a n ate: Wal l s, G arde n s an d D w e l l i n g

OLD CIT Y SANG ATH ISOME TRIC D ra w n at 1: 500

RIVERFRONT SANG ATH ISOME TRIC D ra w n at 1: 500

T L M L S E T B L G B D Y

PA R A -di s e Po meg r a n ate: Wal l s, G arde n s an d D w e l l i n g

PA R A -di s e Po m eg r a n ate: Wal l s, G arde n s an d D w e l l i n g

RIVERFRONT SECTION D ra w n at 1: 200

T L M L S E T B L G B D Y

PA R A -di s e Po meg r a n ate: Wal l s, G arde n s an d D w e l l i n g

PA R A -di s e Po m eg r a n ate: Wal l s, G arde n s an d D w e l l i n g

VIEW OVER RIVERFRONT FROM ROOFTOP

T L M L S E T B L G B D Y

PA R A -di s e Po meg r a n ate: Wal l s, G arde n s an d D w e l l i n g

RIVERFRONT WORM’S EYE 94

Isom etric S ection, Dra w n at 1 : 2 0 0

PA R A -di s e Po m eg r a n ate: Wal l s, G arde n s an d D w e l l i n g

T L M L S E T B L G B D Y

PA R A -di s e Po meg r a n ate: Wal l s, G arde n s an d D w e l l i n g

PARA -DISE POMEGRANATE : THE POSSIBLE C arpe t c o llage s by D e Rui L ee

Paradise Pomegranate: The Possible forms a coda to the group thesis. A series of collages bring together each of our architectures at SET, city and metropolitan-scale and leave the project open to further speculation, alluding to a fruit-scape that will carpet Ahmedabad and its broader landscape.

PA R A -di s e Po m eg r a n ate: Wal l s, G arde n s an d D w e l l i n g

T L M L S E T B L G B D Y

PA R A -di s e Po meg r a n ate: Wal l s, G arde n s an d D w e l l i n g

R I V E R F R O N T P L A N ( l e f t ) , O L D C I T Y P L A N ( ri g ht ) D ra wn at 1:500 98

C o l l age by D e Ru i L e e

PA R A -di s e Po m eg r a n ate: Wal l s, G arde n s an d D w e l l i n g

T L M L S E T B L G B D Y

PA R A -di s e Po meg r a n ate: Wal l s, G arde n s an d D w e l l i n g

THE G ATE-KEEPER’S FRUIT-FARM, G ATE 1 0 Ste 0 pwe ll model, 1:200; Tur n i n g g at e mo de l 1 : 2 0

THE GATE-KEEPER’S FRUIT FARM : R e -I ma gi n e d

101

PA R A -di s e Po meg r a n ate: Wal l s, G arde n s an d D w e l l i n g

T L M L S E T B L G B D Y

THE GATE-KEEPER’S FRUIT FARM : Re-I ma gi ned The Gate-Keeper’s Fruit Farm revisits an early group proposal for a series of small, privately-owned fruit farms. It has offered an opportunity for us to work together as a group again and combine each of the architectures developed within the three separate agencies of Paradise Pomegranate at building and body scale. Our intervention attempts to curate the thresholds between chaos and calm, acting as insertions of tranquillity within the constant activity of Ahmedabad. Hence, at the gate-house sites, we create two species of garden spaces: the fruit farm, which is concerned with productivity and economics; and an urban oasis, which provides refuge from the surrounding chaos. Inspired by the city’s stepwells – and recognising the need to capture and store as much water as possible during the monsoon season – portions of the city wall become a ‘well-wall’ and stem into a series of stone step-pools which capture and move water down towards the soil. Each fruit farm appropriates space on either side of the city wall by a combination of step-pools and screens - in a sense, walling the old wall - to create microclimates tailored for productivity. As seen in the old city wall, the construction of a wall is synonymous with the insertion of gates. Our gates, as thresholds, have acquired a depth capable of becoming the farmer’s home – who now is also a [gatekeeper], and in charge of opening and closing the oasis to the city. The theatrical nature of opening/closing is conveyed through the pivoting movement of the gate, and the body-scaled door within the gate creates an opening within an opening – or conversely, a closing within a closing. Within the gate-house, the primary forms of the oasis are translated into the typology of the dwelling. The stone step-pools are carved into rooms; screens provide ventilation and privacy; pivoting gates allow the home to be opened and closed to the city. Through step-pools and gutters, water runs through the dwelling, intertwined within the wider water path across the site. From tracing the path of the old wall, the gate-houses – a duality of oases and fruit farms - re-establish a presence of the old wall in places where it has been visibly removed.

102

T h e Gate-Kee p er ’s Fr u i t Fa r m : R e - I m a g i n e d

FIRST FLOOR PLAN D ra w n at 1 : 2 0 0 G ro u p d rawi ng s c o mb i n e d a n d e d i te d by Ra c hel D u n n e

103

T L M L S E T B L G B D Y

PA R A -di s e Po meg r a n ate: Wal l s, G arde n s an d D w e l l i n g

104

T h e Gate-Kee p er ’s Fr u i t Fa r m : R e - I m a g i n e d

SECTION THROUGH AMRUT VARSHINI VAV D ra w n at 1: 100 G ro u p d rawi ng s c o mb i n e d a n d e d i te d by Ra c h el Du n n e

105

T L M L S E T B L G B D Y

PA R A -di s e Po meg r a n ate: Wal l s, G arde n s an d D w e l l i n g

106

T h e Gate-Kee p er ’s Fr u i t Fa r m : R e - I m a g i n e d

ELE VATION FACING PANC HKU VA DARWA JA D ra w n at 1: 100 G ro u p d rawi ng s c o mb i n e d a n d e d i te d by Ra c h el Du n n e

107

T L M L S E T B L G B D Y

PA R A -di s e Po meg r a n ate: Wal l s, G arde n s an d D w e l l i n g

FRUIT-FARMERS’ GUILD MEETING HALL D e t ai l s, N o t t o S c al e G ro u p d rawi ng s c o mb i n e d a n d e d i te d by Ra c hel D u n n e

PROCESSING AND WASH HOUSE D e t ai l s, N o t t o S c al e G ro u p d rawi ng s c o mb i n e d a n d e d i te d by Ra c hel D u n n e

108

T h e Gate-Kee p er ’s Fr u i t Fa r m : R e - I m a g i n e d

FARMERS’ REST HOUSE D e t ai l s, N o t t o S c al e G ro u p d rawi ng s c o mb i n e d a n d e d i te d by Ra c h el Du n n e

109

T L M L S E T B L G B D Y

PA R A -di s e Po meg r a n ate: Wal l s, G arde n s an d D w e l l i n g

110

T h e Gate-Kee p er ’s Fr u i t Fa r m : R e - I m a g i n e d

PAR A -DISE P OMEGR ANATE : THE P O S SIBLE D e t ai l s C o m bi n e d, No t t o S c al e G ro u p d rawi ng s c o mb i n e d a n d e d i te d by Ra c h el Du n n e

111

T L M L S E T B L G B D Y

PA R A -di s e Po meg r a n ate: Wal l s, G arde n s an d D w e l l i n g

THE G ATE-KEEPER’S FRUIT-FARM, G ATE 1 1 Ste 2 pwe ll model, 1:200; Tur n i n g g at e mo de l 1 : 2 0

FILM AND EXHIBITION

113

T L M L S E T B L G B D Y

PA R A -di s e Po meg r a n ate: Wal l s, G arde n s an d D w e l l i n g

114

F i l m a n d E x h i b i ti o n

‘PAR A -DISE P OMEGR ANATE : WALL S , G ARDENS AND DWELLING’ S t o r y bo ard Plea s e refer to film in at t ac hed folder or at ht t ps : // www. yo u tu b e . c o m/ wa tc h? v= b 6 8 d A g H Z3 tc

115

T L M L S E T B L G B D Y

PA R A -di s e Po meg r a n ate: Wal l s, G arde n s an d D w e l l i n g

‘TOWARDS AN URBAN OASIS’ 1 1 Sem 6 ester One Exhibition

F i l m a n d E x h i b i ti o n

117

T L M L S E T B L G B D Y

PA R A -di s e Po meg r a n ate: Wal l s, G arde n s an d D w e l l i n g

‘TOWARDS AN URBAN OASIS’ S e m e st e r O n e E x hi bi t i o n

THE G ATE-KEEPERS’ FRUIT-FARM Pe n c i l D rawi ng Se ri e s by Ra c hel D u n n e

118

F i l m a n d E x h i b i ti o n

THE G ATE-KEEPER’S FRUIT-FARM, SITE MODEL S e m e st e r O n e E x hi bi t i o n 119

T L M L S E T B L G B D Y

PA R A -di s e Po meg r a n ate: Wal l s, G arde n s an d D w e l l i n g

‘P OMEGR ANATE E XPLOR ATIONS’ Se me st e r Tw o E x hi bi t i o n

120

F i l m a n d E x h i b i ti o n

121

PA R A -di s e Po meg r a n ate: Wal l s, G arde n s an d D w e l l i n g

ARCHIVES AND DESIGN REPORTS

POMEGRANATE EXPLORATIONS

T L M L S E T B L G B D Y

THE LOVING METROPOLITAN LANDSCAPE DRAWINGS

GROWING AND RESEARCH MODEL

1 :5 0

PEELING AND [UN]PEE

122

1 :5 0 0

F i l m a n d E x h i b i ti o n

GROWING AND RESEARCH

PROCESSING AND SELLING

PROCESSING AND SELLING MODEL

1 :50 DWELLING AND COMMUNITY

DWELLING AND COMMUNITY MODEL

1: 50

UNFOLDING MEASURED INTENSITIES DRAWING

1 :5 0 0

LING MODEL

PAR A -DISE P OMEGR ANATE : THE P O S SIBLE Pl an fo r G ro u p E x hi bi t i o n , D ra wn at 1: 20

123

T L M L S E T B L G B D Y

PA R A -di s e Po meg r a n ate: Wal l s, G arde n s an d D w e l l i n g

124

DISCUSSION Analysis of the existing cultural, historical, environmental, economic and political context of Ahmedabad points towards the opportunity to speculate a reconfiguration of Ahmedabad’s fruit-scape; to test the merits and limitations of cultivating the ‘in-between’ zone of Ahmedabad’s old city walls as an instrument for fruit production in Ahmedabad, and its role within the larger metropolitan fruit network. Paradise Pomegranate has developed towards a proposition that is mutually beneficial to both landscape and the city, fulfilling a duty to rebuild the old city walls and give back to the city. Knowledge of the pomegranate has become both a poetic and architectural apparatus for developing the Fruit-Farmer’s Dwellings. Peeling and [un]peeling of the pomegranate has offered a method for agitating the existing liminal condition of the Old City Walls. Semester four sees the intensity of this liminal condition transposed to the Sabarmati Riverfront Project, where vast openness offers potential for further cultivation. Paradise Pomegranate: The Possible is not seen as a conclusion, but rather a speculative coda to the thesis; alluding to the potential for our combined agencies to carpet Ahmedabad’s Loving Metropolitan Landscape. Hence, Paradise Pomegranate remains open to further explorations and endless iteration.

FRUIT- SELLER AT NARODA WHOLESALE MARKE T Pho tog ra p h by D e Ru i L ee 1

T L M L S E T B L G B D Y

PA R A -di s e Po meg r a n ate: Wal l s, G arde n s an d D w e l l i n g

126

Ref l ec ti o n

REFLECTION Following the Integrated Pathway has offered a unique opportunity to delve deep into an ever-evolving thesis and discover a rich context and culture which I will continue to learn about and admire. I have enjoyed developing my own method for drawing architecture; the pomegranate offering both a poetic and architectural tool for design. Visiting India was an outstanding highlight. On our trip, we were privileged to meet so many kind and generous people and families. I am grateful to everyone who extended their kindness to us, invited us into their homes, shared their knowledge with us, protected us from dogs, and made our experience so much more special and genuine. I have greatly missed the studio culture since the beginning of last year; I have struggled with motivation and often felt that my creativity was stumped when I was not surrounded by the work of my course mates for inspiration. It has been an especially challenging year; however, I am still proud of the thesis that I have developed alongside Rachel and De Rui.

127

T L M L S E T B L G B D Y

PA R A -di s e Po meg r a n ate: Wal l s, G arde n s an d D w e l l i n g

128

PA R A -di s e Po m eg r a n ate: Wal l s, G arde n s an d D w e l l i n g

129

PA R A -di s e Po meg r a n ate: Wal l s, G arde n s an d D w e l l i n g

GLOSSARY OF TERMS AGENCY*

An Enzymatic Territory or any part of it.

APMC

Agricultural Produce Market Committee; established by state governments in India to ensure farmers are protected from exploitation.

T L M L S E T B L G B D Y

CHOWK**

Khadki leads to chowk, most important space in a pol house. Central open-air part of the house which holds the other spaces together, activity hub of the house. Acts as climate regulator.

CULTIVATE

‘Tilling the land, and the acquisition of skills’; etymologically linked to ‘culture’, rooted in themes of ‘fostering growth’.

[IN-BETWEEN]

The path of Ahmedabad’s old city walls is seen not as a single line, but as a thickness that creates an in-between zone of the old city and the periphery that has spilled out from it; the in-between zone bridges the conditions on either side.

ENZ YMATIC TERRITORY*

The fluctuating fecund ground on which folk, ground, sky, buildings and Ganga’s descent continuously work in parasitically productive relations.

FABB AGENCY*

Specific constituent buildings of enzymatic territories that reciprocally shape and are shaped by the ground and the relations of ground: Factory buildings, Amenity Buildings, Bed buildings and Water Butt buildings.

FLESH

The edible pulpy part of a fruit or vegetable; the thick containing wall of the Fruit-Farmers’ Dwellings.

KHADKI**

Front portion of the house, reception space or formal social space – sitting space for guests.

MEASURED INTENSITIES

Analytical drawing and documentation of situation.

MEMBRANE

A thin sheet of tissue or layer of cells acting as a boundary, lining, or partition in an organism; a thin pliable layer of lightweight, moveable timber screens.

NE W VISUALISATION* A visualisation newly conceptualised and visualised in representational techniques appropriate to its conceptual status as it breaches into reality and vice versa.

OCEANS OF WETNESS*

A (new) visualisation of the ground from the priority of wetness rather than dryness.

ORDO**

Inner most space of the house, deep inside from the street, private space used for sleeping and storage.

130

PA R A -di s e Po m eg r a n ate: Wal l s, G arde n s an d D w e l l i n g

OSRI**

Small veranda near chowk, semi-open space to accommodate spill-over activities of chowk.

OTLA**

Transition space between street and house, plinth with steps, semi-covered by balcony projecting above.

PARA-DISE

A gesture towards evocations of lushness and delight, rooted in the modest origins of the word ‘Paradise’ in Old Iranian as a ‘walled enclosure’.

PAR A - SITUATION*

An unfamiliar co-existent “other” situation that necessitates a different appreciation of a host situation.

PARSAL**

Multifunctional space deep inside the house – private space for family members, also used as dining room or extension to kitchen.

RESODU**

Adjacent to osri, chowk or parsal and near traditional water-storage system known as tanka. Domestic activities extended from resodu to osri, chowk or parsal.

SKIN

The peel or outer layer of certain fruits or vegetables; a lightweight, encasing structure.

STEPWELL

Also known as ‘vav’, the stepwell reflects the importance of the monsoon; filling and emptying with the seasons. Offering both a source of water and a refuge from the heat, many stepwells were gifts to the city.

TLML*

The Loving Metropolitan Landscape holds a non-risk-averse speculative impulse that situates enzymatic territories in a Biopolis in networks across the Metropolitan scale.

URBAN OASIS

Lush insertions of tranquillity within the constant activity of Ahmedabad, providing refuge from the surrounding chaos.

* Te r mi n o l o g y e xtrac ted from: ‘PA RA - situation [ A hmedabad] : “Past Present and Po ssi bl e” ’ M A rch bri ef. ** Te r mi n o l o g y e xtrac ted from: Lambe, Neeta Raj esh, and Dong re, A l pana R aj endra, “A nal y si ng So c i al R el e vanc e o f Spat i al O r gani sat i o n: A Case St udy o f Trad i t i o n al Pol Houses, A hmedabad, India,” As ian Social Sci en ce 1 2 , no. 9 (2 0 1 6 ): 3 8 .

131

PA R A -di s e Po meg r a n ate: Wal l s, G arde n s an d D w e l l i n g

BIBLIOGRAPHY Amdavad Municipal Corporation. Guide to Extreme Heat Planning in Ahmedabad, India. 2019. Available at: https://www.nrdc.org/sites/default/files/ ahmedabad-heat-action-plan-2018.pdf Aureli, Pier Vittorio and Giudici, Maria. “Gardener’s World.” The Architectural Review 1478 (February 2021): 7-10. Cadwell, Mike. Strange Details. Writing Architecture. Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press, 2007. Calvino, Italo. Invisible Cities. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1974. Cao, Lilly. “What are Kinetic Facades in Architecture?” ArchDaily. Last modified August 14, 2019. https://www.archdaily.com/922930/what-are-

T L M L S E T B L G B D Y

kinetic-facades-in-architecture Coccia, Emanuelle. Life of Plants: A Metaphysics of Mixture. Translated by Dylan J. Montanari. Cambridge: Polity Press, 2019. Gandhi, Vasant P., and Namboodiri, N. V. Fruit and Vegetable Marketing and its Efficiency in India: A Study of Wholesale Markets in the Ahmedabad Area. Indian Institute of Management: Ahmedabad, 2002. Gandhi, Vasant P., and Namboodiri, N. V. Marketing of Fruits and Vegetables in India: A Study Covering the Ahmedabad, Chennai and Kolkata Markets. Indian Institute of Management: Ahmedabad, 2004. Green Communities Online. “Operations, Maintenance and Resident Engagement.” Accessed December 4, 2020. https://www.greencommunitiesonline.org/operations-maintenance-resident-engagement Kaushik, Himanshu. “Fruit cultivation area halves in Ahmedabad.” Times of India. Last modified March 11, 2013. https://timesofindia.indiatimes. com/city/ahmedabad/Fruit-cultivation-area-halves-in-Ahmedabad/articleshow/18908599.cms Kingra, P. K. and Kaur, Harleen. “Microclimate Modifications to Manage Extreme Weather Vulnerability and Climatic Risks in Crop Production.” Journal of Agricultural Physics 17, no. 1 (2017): 1-15. Lambe, Neeta Rajesh, and Dongre, Alpana Rajendra. “Analysing Social Relevance of Spatial Organisation: A Case Study of Traditional Pol Houses, Ahmedabad, India.” Asian Social Science 12, no. 9 (2016): 35-43. Lambourn, Elizabeth. “Brick, Timber, and Stone: Building Materials and the Construction of Islamic Architectural History in Gujarat.” Muqarnas 23 (2006): 191-217. Lefebvre, Henri. Rhythmanalysis : Space, Time, and Everyday Life. Bloomsbury Revelations. New York: Bloomsbury, 2013. Livingston, Morna, and Milo Cleveland Beach. Steps to Water : The Ancient Stepwells of India. First ed. New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 2002. Michell, George, Snehal Shah, John Burton-Page, and Dinesh Mehta. Ahmadabad. Bombay: Marg Publications, 1988. Mollard, Manon. “Revisit: Aranya low-cost housing, Indore, Balkrishna Doshi.” Architectural Review. Last modified August 14, 2019. https://www. architectural-review.com/buildings/revisit-aranya-low-cost-housing-indore-balkrishna-doshi/10044061.article Murphy, Richard, Carlo Scarpa, and Margherita Bolla. Carlo Scarpa and Castelvecchio Revisited. Edinburgh: Breakfast Mission Publishing, 2017. Netherlands Enterprise Agency. Horticulture Sector in Gujarat State. NBSO Ahmedabad: Netherlands, 2015. Schultz, Anne-Catrin., and Carlo Scarpa. Carlo Scarpa : Layers. Stuttgart ; London: Axel Menges, 2007. Sharan, Girija and Madhavan, T. “An Operational Study of CJ Patel Vegetable and Fruit Market of Ahmedabad.” Operational Research Society of India 36, no. 2 (1999): 151-164. Sharma, Aanchal, Singh, Dr. Binod K. and Anand, Dr. Neeraj. “Fruit Processing Industry in India: A Short Review.” Cold Chain Logistics in Horticulture & Agriculture. Uttarakhand, India: Winsar Publishing Company, 2016. Shah, Amrita. Ahmedabad: A City in the World, New Dehli: Bloomsberg, 2015. Zumthor, Peter. Thinking Architecture. Third, Expanded ed. Basel: Birkhäuser, 2010.

132

PA R A -di s e Po m eg r a n ate: Wal l s, G arde n s an d D w e l l i n g

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS TUTORS Dorian Wiszniewski Kevin Adams Neil Cunning Paul Pattinson Leo Xian

GUEST CRITICS Robert Stephens Sam Barclay Findlay McFarlane David Turnbull

CONSULTANTS Andrew Leiper Jonathon Narro

133

T L M L S E T B L G B D Y

PA R A -di s e Po meg r a n ate: Wal l s, G arde n s an d D w e l l i n g

APPENDIX A: QUANTIFYING PRODUCE Feasi bi l t y o f Far m i ng Vari o u s Fr u i t s at C i t y S c al e

8. Gandhi, Vasant P. and Namboodiri, N. V., “Marketing of Fruits and Vegetables in India: A Study Covering the Ahmedabad, Chennai and Kolkata Markets,” working paper, Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad, Research and Publication Department, 2004.

134

Community and private farming and selling will take place along the path of Ahmedabad’s old city wall. Applying the orchard typology to missing sections of the wall opens a potential 57,260 m2 of land for farming. Assuming that the Naroda Wholesale Market handles equal quantities to fruit requirements for the city of Ahmedabad,8 we can calculate the extent to which our old city wall orchards can provide for the demand of Ahmedabad’s fruit market (see table 1). Appropriating the Riverfront as fruit orchards could offer an extra 182,000 m2 of land, bringing the total area of inner-city farmland to just under 240,000 m2. A new wholesale market on the Sabarmati River, provided for by riverfront farming, would further centralise the network. For guava, which is the most delicate and inappropriate for transport, our inner-city proposal provides for 55% of the requirements (see table 2). On the other hand, mango, for example, is in much higher demand across India and globally, so we will still need to rely on outer city mass-scale farming to provide for such quantities.

A ppen d i x A : Q u an t i f y i n g Pro du c e

TABL E 1: In formati on Gath ered from India’s National Hor ticulture Board MANGO

POMEGRANATE

GUAVA

MANDARIN

PAPAYA

C l i m at e Temperature: tropical to sub-tropical Soil Type: loamy, alluvial, well drained, aerated pH: 5.5-7.5

C l i m at e

Cl i m at e

Temperature: semi arid Soil Type: loamy, sandy loam, well drained pH: 5.5-7.5

Temperature: tropical to sub-tropical Soil Type: heavy clay to light sandy pH: 4.5-8.2

Temperature: tropical (frost free) Soil Type: medium/light loamy, well drained pH: 6.0-8.0

Temperature: tropical Soil Type: deep/sandy loam pH: 6.0-8.0

Pl an t i n g

Spacing: 8m x 8m Plants per Acre: 63

Spacing: 2.5m x 4.5m Plants per Acre: 360

Spacing: 6m x 6m Plants per Acre: 112

Spacing: 6m x 6m Plants per Acre: 120

Spacing: 1.2m x 1.2m Plants per Acre: 2800

I r ri gat i on :

I r ri g at i o n :

Annual Rainfall Requirements: 650-750mm Winter Frequency: 10-15 days in year 5+ Summer Frequency: not required during monsoon

Annual Rainfall Requirements: 500-800mm Winter Frequency: 14 days Summer Frequency: 7 days

Annual Rainfall Requirements: 1000-1200mm Winter Frequency: 20-25 days Summer Frequency: 10-15 days

Annual Rainfall Requirements: 900-1100mm Winter Frequency: 10-15 days Summer Frequency: 5-7 days

Annual Rainfall Requirements: 650-750mm Winter Frequency: 10 days Summer Frequency: 14 days

Har v e st i n g an d Pro c e ssi n g

H ar v est i n g an d Pro c essi n g

H ar v e st i n g an d Pro c e ssi n g

H ar v e st i n g an d Pro c e ssin g

Fruit Bearing Age: 6 years Productive Lifespan: 35+ years Harvesting: July-August Intercropping: legumes, cereals, veg, spices Storage Longevity: 4-10 days at room temp

Fruit Bearing Age: 4-5 years Productive Lifespan: 15 years Harvesting: all year Intercropping: pulses, low growing veg Storage Longevity: 8-10 weeks in cold storage

Fruit Bearing Age: 2 years (full bearing at 8 years) Productive Lifespan: 15 years Harvesting: June-July Intercropping: legumes, veg Storage Longevity: 20 days in cold storage

Fruit Bearing Age: 4 years (full at 10 years) Productive Lifespan: 20 years Harvesting: July-August Intercropping: n/a Storage Longevity: 3 weeks in cold storage

Fruit Bearing Age: 1 year Productive Lifespan: 3-4 years Harvesting: all year Intercropping: legumes, shallow rooted Storage Longevity: 1-3 weeks in cold storage

D e man d an d Yi e l d

D em an d an d Yi el d

D em an d an d Yi e l d

D e m an d an d Yi e l d

Processed at Naroda annually: 55,000 tonnes Acres required to provide this: 9250 Yield per acre: 6 tonnes Value per tonne (rs): 60,000

Processed at Naroda annually: 13,000 tonnes Acres required to provide this: 1900 Yield per acre: 8-15 tonnes Value per tonne (rs): 49,000

Processed at Naroda annually: 161 tonnes Acres required to provide this: 16.1 Yield per acre: 10 tonnes Value per tonne (rs): 65,000

Processed at Naroda annually: 1770 tonnes Acres required to provide this: 370 Yield per acre: 4.8 tonnes Value per tonne (rs): 30,000

Processed at Naroda annually: 55,500 tonnes Acres required to provide this: 9250 Yield per acre: 35 tonnes Value per tonne (rs): 40,000

TABL E 2 : Qu an ti f y i ng Prod u ce of Orchards on Old C it y Wall

Banana

Pome g ra nate

Mango

Mandarin

Pa paya

Gu ava

A rea ( m 2 )

8670

8715

24180

7195

3035

5465

A rea ( acre )

2.14

2.15

5.98

1.78

0.75

1.5

Yi eld/ye ar (tonne )

42.85

15.07

35.85

8.53

63.75

13.5

% of fr uit dem and provide d

3.61%

0.11%

0.06%

0.48%

2.82%

8.39%

TABL E 3 : Qu an ti f y i ng C omb i n ed Produce of Orchards on Old C it y Wall an d R ive r fro nt

Banana

Pome g ra nate

Mango

Mandarin

Pa paya

Gu ava

A rea ( m 2 )

38970

39015

54480

37495

33335

35765

A rea ( acre )

9.63

9.64

13.46

9.27

8.24

8.84

Yi eld/ye ar (tonne )

192.59

67.49

80.77

44.47

700.17

88.38

% of fr uit dem and provide d

16.23%

0.51%

0.15%

2.52%

30.93%

54.89%

135

PA R A -di s e Po meg r a n ate: Wal l s, G arde n s an d D w e l l i n g

APPENDIX B: A TALE OF AHMEDABAD’S INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT

WHOLESALE

FRUIT

TRADE:

... MANOJ: Because they are coming. They are unloading in the morning themselves. We are doing auction over here from nine to twelve. We are distributing in various other than customers are there from one… for one box to 100 box. All customers are coming here, they are carrying the fruit from the market. And ending the market is all empty. Fruits they are coming and keeping them in the cold store, we have a small cold store, you have seen?

T L M L S E T B L G B D Y

DE RUI: Yes, yes. We saw three. They are all different. In one store we can keep kiwi, in another store apples. We cannot keep kiwi and apple in one store. Because some problem is there. Apples are getting ripened early if we keep the kiwis and apples in one store. So does every store have their own cold storage? No. Total, eight to ten members will have cold storage… eight to ten. Why do some not have it? Because they are not needed. We are a big business over here. So how many businesses are in this fruit market? Total, we have an association over here, we have 135 members. 135? 135. They all are dealing in, now you see, I do not deal in pineapple. We do not deal in papaya. We do not deal in grapes. We mainly deal in apples, kinnows [mandarins], mangoes. We mainly deal in them. Mangoes? Yeh. The mango season is in March. After that only. We deal in foreign fruits. We deal in pomegranates. And what about the, have you heard of the APMC? Yes. What does that do? It’s agriculture product market committee. What is that actually we are a private market over here. But generally, they have APMC markets. They give them shops on lease. You can see that Jabalbar Market, it is a vegetable market and Wasta Market they all are APMC markets. They give to us on a 99 year lease. For this whole area? But this is our private market, this is all private market. So, the market goes everyday? Yes. Everyday. And you collect fresh fruits everyday? Yes. From Kashmir? Apples from Kashmir. They are all different, mangoes coming from Marastra, Saod, everywhere they are coming from. So this is… What about if you have complaints about the market? They are coming back, they are reducing the rent also. Morning 900. If the companies, there they are coming back they are calling us. We can do 850, 800, depending on what complaint. But complain about… Quality? No, no, no. There’s no complaint to APMC. Companies of.. customers have a quality problem. That’s all. Based on what you know, what does the APMC do?

136

A ppen di x B : A Tal e o f A hm e dabad’s W ho l e sal e Fr u i t Trade

APMC do what is that… the security is them. The cleaning is purposes of APMC. Any other purpose, some customer is running away with our money, we can complain to APMC. Then somebody will be there. That nobody will deal with him. If we do have a complaint of any customer no other agent can deal with him. So they protect you? There’s some rules and regulations over there. APMC is charging something about 0.5 – 1% charge. For every sale? Yes. And what is the money used for? It is for maintenance of this market, security for market. Everything for market stuff. So, they give you a 99 year lease and then, how do you, you bid for the space? Actually, they do auction over here. You auction for the shop? Yes. We went to the markets where the shops are very cheap. But this is our totally private market. There is no APMC over here. So, there’s about 100 stalls here. 135? 135 members are there. Members. But the stalls? What? The shops? Shops. Around about, including small and big, round about 250 shops. 250? Here? Yes. Big shop is there, small shop is there. Very small shop we have also. What are the main areas here? There’s the big shops, small shops… This is the main area here. Auction is going on here, rest of the programmes are over there. And offices of the small keepers. Offices for? Our wholesale, retail and customers. And so, you have packaging, you have storage? No. We have storage, we don’t pack here. The farmers pack and send here in different packing. Some crates are there, some packets are there, some boxes are there. All the red boxes are there. They come in crates also. They come in wooden boxes also. The farmers directly do that. We don’t do the packing; the farmers send us the packing. It’s a very different business, very different. Because mainly the special items you want to clear it. Is there any way you would like to see it improve? Are there any things that can get better? Things can be better by infrastructure of India. For that is poor and growers are very uneducated here. Growers are very illiterate here. Growers don’t have a proper way of thinking. What about transport? Transport is good. No problem. No problem. Bringing into the city.

137

PA R A -di s e Po meg r a n ate: Wal l s, G arde n s an d D w e l l i n g

Infrastructure means that the roads are not better, means that the villages where the farms are there… The internal roads are not better. So, what about in the market, what about the facilities here? Facilities here are ok. Everything is good. Nothing wrong.

T L M L S E T B L G B D Y

Ok, no problem. That’s good. So, when are you going back to Scotland? We are going back end of this week. We have been here for two weeks. If you are going to Delhi or Bangalore, you are going to South, you go to Bangalore to very big market. If you are going to North side you go to Delhi. Yes, we are going to Delhi for one day. You are going to see a very big market. Bigger than this? Very bigger than this. I think 20 times bigger than this. 20 times? Yes. I think 50 times bigger. Very big market. How long have you worked here for? From here? I work for? Yes. I am coming from basically 25 years. Is it a family business? Family business. This ‘H.C.’ is my grandfather’s name. Hundraj Chhangomal. So, you are this one store? Yes. We all are one. We have a business from 1952 year. My grandparents were there, my father was working there, my father is now almost retired, he is coming into his office and we are handling this. And then anyone will take this after you? We have our sons. He is going to come. Ok, thank you very much. What’s your name? De Rui. I’m Manoj.

138

A ppen di x B : A Tal e o f A hm e dabad’s W ho l e sal e Fr u i t Trade

MANOJ Pho tog ra p h by Ra c hel D u n n e

139