Urban Water Commons: Liquid Cartographies by Maria Arquero de Alarcon

THE URBAN WATER COMMONS Ahmedabad and the Sabarmati River RESEARCH: LIQUID CARTOGRAPHIES

CONTENTS

THE URBAN WATER COMMONS AHMEDABAD AND THE SABARMATI RIVER PROPOSITIONS STUDIO ARCH 562/UD 722 W2019 Graduate Students: Andrea Marquez, M.Arch. Anhong Li, M.Arch. Austin Kronig, M.Arch. Gwen Gell, M.U.D. + M.U.R.P. Jessica Yelk, M.Arch. + M.UR.P. Yixin Miao, M.U.D. Shourya Jain, M.U.D. Tristan Snyder, M.Arch. Xin Liu, M.Arch. Yanbo Li, M.U.D.

Yiying Tang, M.Arch. Instructor:

María Arquero de Alarcón Associate Professor in Architecture + Urban Planning Director, Master of Urban Design Partners: Vāstu Shilpā Foundation for Studies and Research in Environmental Design Sponsor: A. Alfred Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning Travel Fund and the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Initiative.

TAUBMAN COLLEGE architecture+urban planning

A SITUATION

Urban Natures: Narratives at Scale

Scales of Movement and Urban Textures .................................................................................................................................A-04 Andrea Marquez Water Commons + Citizenship ............................................................................................................................................................. A-20 Anhong Li Sabarmati River as Lifeline ........................................................................................................................................................................ A-42 Austin Kronig The Common Commodity .......................................................................................................................................................................... A-58 Gwen Gell The Water Commons and the Common People .............................................................................................................. A-74 Jessica Yelk The Against and Connect ............................................................................................................................................................................ A-90 Yixin Miao Water Cultures ....................................................................................................................................................................................................... A-108 Shourya Jain Urban Flutations ................................................................................................................................................................................................. A-120 Tristan Snyder From Industrialization to Globalization .................................................................................................................................. A-136 Xin Liu A Seam Reclaiming Nature and Engagement .................................................................................................................. A-154 Yanbo Li Neither Rural nor Urban ............................................................................................................................................................................ A-174 Yiying Tang

B RESEARCH

Liquid Cartographies

Cycle and Structure ............................................................................................................................................................................................ B-06 Gwen Gell, Yanbo Li, Jessica Yelk Bazaar .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. B-20 Andrea Marquez, Austin Kronig Bio[logic] Resultants........................................................................................................................................................................................... B-30 Shourya Jain, Tristan Snyder “Slum Free” City? ................................................................................................................................................................................................... B-46 Xin Liu, Yiying Tang Urban Wall....................................................................................................................................................................................................................... B-56 Anhong Li, Yixin Miao

C FOCUS

D INTEGRATION

Habitat Design Studio, Ahmedabad

Inhabiting the Urban Water Commons

01 B RESEARCH: SITUATION Urban Natures Liquid Cartographies

The projective mappings displayed in this section capture many physical and temporal scales and focus on three main areas of inquiry: memory and imagination, scales and boundaries, and urban waters as markers. Five visual narratives offer open-ended interpretations of the city as found that capture a multiplicity of cultural, informal, intangible and ephemeral aspects.

B-6

Cycle and Structure

Cycle and Structure Water exists all around us. Miniscule particles of hydrogen and oxygen cluster in different densities to form a diversity of manifestations of water in the environment. From rivers to water vapor to the monsoon to drought, water cycles all around. This cycle blurs the lines of the urban water commons, making it difficult to identify where the commons transforms into commodity. Ahmedabad, India experiences drastic changes in the environment form a torrential monsoon season to an oppressive dry season. Historically, and even today, the seasonal conditions shape the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s development through the implementation of innovative water harvesting and containing techniques. The following maps explore the urban water cycle in Ahmedabad through the examination of relationship between the Sabarmati River, infrastructure, and human intervention. RESEARCH: LIQUID CARTOGRAPHIES

THE URBAN WATER COMMONS

B-7

RD TU

L’ S

BIR

TH DA B Y YE HAI AR BI D I W D AY J AL I

PA MV

TH UR SD GU AY RU VA RA

DN ES DA DH Y AV AR A

TUE SDA Y MAN GAL VA

BER

MON D AY SOMA VA R A

OCTO

ASVINA

DUSSHERA

FORBID

AUTUM

DEN

G A N D H I ’ S B I R T H D AY

SEP

BE TEM

AM RA

ARR

MUH

N SI

E O

I-

CLOUDS + VAPOR

G IL

M SA

CONDENSATION

This diagram shows the water cycle in the context of time, looking specifically at the wet and dry seasons of India and the calendar year. The rings (working from the inside out), depict the seasons, the monsoon seasons, the Hindu calendar, the Gregorian calendar, the Islamic calendar, the lunar cycle, and official holidays of Gujarat. The Islamic calendar is in direct relation to the lunar cycle and is so named based on the historic “goings-on” of that time of year, many of which relate to the struggle of water. For example, “Scatter” is so named describing how people would have to scatter from their settlements to find water which was scarce during the dry season. The Hindu days of the week are pulled out, depicting their namesake’s planet.

VIK

RU N D- AN E- AK M EE ’S LA BIR DU TH NN DA AB Y I

S U N D AY R AV I A R A

The water cycle is thought of as a natural process that is in perpetual rotation around us. As people we have interrupted and modified this process, we have tried to manipulate the water cycle to work in our favor. In the natural cycle, there are wet and dry seasons in India. People manipulate the cycle in an attempt to negate the wet and dry seasons, to control water.

The Water Cycle

PRECIPITATION

B-8

Cycle and Structure

NTI KRA

Y DA PU

MAK

AR S AN

CHRISTMA

SOLAR RADIATION

RE DE

HD A AB Y I

THE FIRS T O JANU F P ARY A

WIN

R M

T IN

PA U S A

ST LA Y R A U

YA N

D SPRING

A AH

SECON THE BER M E C

F HE

EVAPORATION

URBAN INFRASTRUCTURE

WATER STORAGE

H A S AH

IVR

AL GU

TRANSPIRATION

HUMAN INTERVENTION

MAR

ROCK BED

WATER UND GRO

GROUNDWATER FLOW CHAITRA

SOIL TOP

HONOR

SPRING

PLANT UPTAKE

DHULE

MAH AV I R JAN GOO MA D F KAL RID YA N AY

TTE

SCA

INFILTRATION

DR. S H R EA M B E D K A R E RA M NA â&#x20AC;&#x2122;S BIRTHD AY VMI

APR

PERCOLATION

CHETICHAN

THE

ON E

D EI

RAISED

J U LY

ASADHA

JUN

I-

IST

J YA

VA N

SEASONALITY

G IL

AK H

SURFACE RUNOFF

RA MJ AN -EI

PRECIPITATION

RESEARCH: LIQUID CARTOGRAPHIES

THE URBAN WATER COMMONS

B-9

Cycle of Seasonality The Sabarmati River flows through the center of Ahmedabad. The Sabarmati is an indicator of change, the river swells with the arrival of the monsoon season, and gradually retreats with the lingering dry period. However, as the river travels through Ahmedabad after the Riverfront Project established hard edges to the waterfront, the seasonality of water is disrupted. The armored walls contain the constant volume of the monsoon season year around and provide access and barriers to use. The Sabarmati River is an essential element to many cultural events and agricultural practices. Indicated here, are the rituals associated with water, Hindu seasons structuring agricultural schedules and places around a year, also the results from the the disrupting intervention of artificial waterfront, the elimination of seasonality and the the declining capacity of the groundwater in the area. B-10

Cycle and Structure

RESEARCH: LIQUID CARTOGRAPHIES

THE URBAN WATER COMMONS

B-11

IK RT ASVINA

OCTO

BER

Water Infrastructure

Cycle and Structure

AUTUM

BRIDGE W AT E R T R E AT M E N T P L A N T DAM/BARRAGE W AT E R PA R K RADIAL COLLECTOR WELL

T E M P E R AT U R E I N T E N S I T Y R A I N FA L L I N T E N S I T Y

1 MI.

L PI

SEP

TEM

BER

FORBID T EC NN CO CT LLE CO

STEPWELL

B-12

DEN

Urban water brings with it a wide variety of infrastructure. This infrastructure is developed as a way to manipulate common water and infiltrate the water cycle, modifying nature to our wants and needs. These interventions aim to move, collect or connect water. Moving it aims to guide water through systems to better control it, grant access, and to keep it from interfering with other developments. The collection of water aims to take control of the water cycle, to even out the distribution regardless of seasonality, and can commodify the resource. Connecting water can act in many different ways, this could be connecting across bodies of water, connecting people with water through visual access, or direct physical access to water.

DEC

W RE

E NT

THE FIRS T O JANU F P ARY A

WIN

R M

PA U S A

ST LA Y R A U

R BE

G OND SPRIN

G IN

H RA

N AY A

SEC THE ER EMB

LA ND PH

NA MAR

HONOR

SPRING CHAITRA APR IL

TTE

SCA

ER SH

G J YA

IST

HA JUN

ASADHA

RAISED

J U LY

THE

NE OF

AN A

L PI

SA K

RESEARCH: LIQUID CARTOGRAPHIES

THE URBAN WATER COMMONS

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Human Intervention

As humans use water, the water cycle is interrupted, for a moment. In this sub-cycle of human intervention, the notion of water as a commons is challenged. It fluidly moves between commons and commodity, as the water is collected in common space but is often used as a way to create wealth and provide essential services. Various infrastructures are used to extract and divert to create a desired function, ultimately, the water is returned to the water cycle, often in worse condition then it was found. Water, whether groundwater or collected at the surface, in the greater Ahmedabad region is primarily used for agriculture, industrial, or domestic purposes. Human intervention is a complex addition to the water cycle. B-14

Urban Water Commons

RESEARCH: LIQUID CARTOGRAPHIES

THE URBAN WATER COMMONS

B-15

WATER TREATMENT

CLOUDS + VAPOR

PRECIPITATION

0 FT

SURFACE RUNOFF

WATER

-60 FT -120 FT -180 FT PERCOLATION

-240 FT -300 FT GROUNDWATER FLOW

-360 B-16 FT

Urban Water Commons

B DAM

C RADIAL COLLECTOR

EVAPORATION

HUMAN INTERVENTION

URBAN INFRASTRUCTURE

WATER STORAGE

RESEARCH: LIQUID CARTOGRAPHIES

THE URBAN WATER COMMONS

B-17

D GHAT

B-18

WELLS

Urban Water Commons

STEPWELL

G MANMADE LAKE RESERVOIR

0 FT -50 FT -100 FT -150 FT -200 FT -250 FT RESEARCH: LIQUID CARTOGRAPHIES

THE URBAN WATER COMMONS

-300 FT B-19

BAZAAR

Laal Darwaza Market

Final Path to Market

Icon Stories

Starting Space Safe Space

Pattern Overlay

Character’s Home Base

RU R

N BA

Pawn Placement

Four “quadrants” of Ahmedabad

U UB

AN RB

B-20

Bazaar

HIS TO R

IC U

RB AN

Converging Narratives Bazaar - a spatial pachisi experience

To share personal experiences that are unique to Ahmedabad and expose the gap between socio-economic disparities, the human scale is re-imagined through an interactive story-telling narrative. The city of Ahmedabad physically divides its residents using different forms of â&#x20AC;&#x153;boundariesâ&#x20AC;?: walls, a natural river, and a gradient of water mismanagement that dwindles as residents get further from the city center. These issues are compounded by globalizing economic agendas, poor water governance, lack of transparency, and religious tensions. These physical divisions inspired the creation of four characters, each living in different bordering sectors of Ahmedabad.

In the beginning of the fifteenth century, Sultan Ahmed Shah was walking along the empty banks of the Sabarmati River. As he looked up, his attention turned towards a peculiar oddity: a hare was chasing after a ferocious dog. As he watched the scene in bewilderment, his curiosity grew over time and later realized the unique inherent possibilities of the land, which later came to be known as the city, Ahmedabad.

Recently, the east old walled city has been recategorized by UNESCO as a protective site and parts within it have been targeted for refurbishment. Within this jurisdiction (colored orange in the game) lives the multi-generational Patel Family, residing in a pol-house. They face ongoing redevelopment projects and heat risk. As the city gains more tourist popularity, the newer west side of the city (magenta) continues to develop high-end projects while the waterfront removes evidence of informal settlements. These adjacent situations inspired the Shah Family who are prone to flood risk living on the west side, but enjoy the luxuries which come from a city undergoing globalizing development. The next character in our story is the Mehta Family, who lived across the river, but due to the riverfront development, was displaced to the outskirts east of the city (blue). On the west side outskirts, agricultural farmlands (green) are found sporadically close to the river and is home to the Argarwal Family. Each of these families, the Patel, Shah, Mehta, and Argarwal, have been affected by ongoing water issues in the city.

This method of storytelling is inspired and adapted from the age-old board game Pachisi and illustrates water politics through the lens and narratives of four diverse families living in and across Ahmedabad.

This intuitive board game can serve as a universal educational tool to learn more about the city, which invites a broad range of players of all ages.

These invisible stories are shared while also addressing five challenges: water scarcity, flood risk, heat risk, water management and treatment. RESEARCH: LIQUID CARTOGRAPHIES

THE URBAN WATER COMMONS

B-21

BAZ

11 12 Bazaar Game Board. Digital.

How to Play: Contents: 2 dice, 1 board, 1 booklet of cards, 16 pawns The objective of the 2-4 player game is to circumnavigate the board using the rules of the dice and following the instructions on the cards that pertain to each icon. The first person to have all four pawns land in the center space of the board wins the game. This spot represents Laal Market, which is a fundamental destination for each of the players. Each player is responsible for four pawns: Elephant, Cow, Hare, and Dog. They are placed at their respective locations on the four corners of the board. The four corners represent each of the player’s home. B-22

Bazaar

Their surrounding icons represent the stories that are associated with the individual perspectives and are categorized by color: 13 Green - vegetable and dairy farmer living in rural farm Blue - displaced worker, living in alternative housing Orange - shop vendor living in the historic pols

Magenta- consumer, living in high-rise condominium To move out of your “home”, you must use both dice 15 to roll a five. Then you can move your pawn to the colored “safe” space directly to the left of your home. You must pass your turn until you roll this number.

30 20

BAZAAR

However, if you roll double fives, you can move two pawns out to occupy the same safe space. Once a pawn is on the board, it moves 18 counterclockwise based on the numbers youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve rolled. You can either (option 1) move one pawn the total number of spaces on both dice, or (option 2) move 17 pawn the number shown on one die and another one pawn the number shown on the other die. If you roll doubles, you get to roll again. 16 If you roll doubles when all four of your pawns are on the board, you can add the numbers on the opposite sides as well (which totals 14). This bonus can be

spread out among up to all four of your pawns. But if you roll three sets of doubles, one pawn gets sent back to its home circle. When a pawn lands on a space with an icon, the player must reference the booklet to move forward or back depending on the story being read. Even though the pawn moved to a new location, their turn has ended and it is the next playerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s turn to roll the dice. Once a pawn navigates the board, it may enter the center part of the path leading to the market. The pawn cannot move until the exact roll is made to reach it . . .

RESEARCH: LIQUID CARTOGRAPHIES

THE URBAN WATER COMMONS

B-23

On ho more a to hea di�cu

There have been hot advisory alerts this past week. You make sure to wake up earlier to prevent walking in the sun on your way to the market. Your youngest child isn’t feeling well.

The dehy likely

move back one space

HAP (A

National Institute of Occupational Health, Ahmedabad

As a respite, the family is readying for the annual kite festival. We are blessed.

Exploring Narratives

“We are fellow relatives of Nanku. He was my best friend growing up and we would still see each other everyday until recently. My family were forced to leave our home ever since the new riverfront was develop near Nehru Bridge.” - the Mehta Family

RESETTLED HOUSING

Tracing peoples’ dependency on water and the utility of water through four distinct narratives depict a diverse cross-section of their everyday life. Their usage suggest the inherent relationships of urban and rural water ecosystems and how they evolved over time due to controlled environmental interventions. As an overlay to water politics, the narrative also addresses access to water, the cultural and spiritual associations, technology or apparatuses, and convenience or expediency of water. The image on the right demonstrates a few of the icons depicted in the storyline.

Bazaar

You wake up sweating in the middle of the night to a loud \^QX[T ]^cXōRPcX^] C] h^da screen you read, EXTREME HEAT ALERT 45C. You go downstairs to check the water tank storage. You must tell your family it will be too dangerous to leave the house

ALERT. Gujarat Water Supply P]S GTfPVT 6^PaS ;KGG6 WPb declared drinking water as unsafe to consume. You must wait until they give the green light.

RBA

Human cells start to die around 41°C (106°F) - 45°C (113°F) internal body temp.

The elderly do not acclimatize to heat as easily as younger populations

Their medical prescriptions also increase dehydration risk.

stay put

Ahmedabad HAP (Health Action Plan) 2018

High levels of sulphide pollution were initially thought of as the cause... but further study suggested it was natural decaying matter

move back one space

TNN. The Times of India. Feb 2019. Gandhinagar.

“I live with my extended family in a pol-house. My grandparents still live here and so does my grandfather in law. The house is never quiet and seeing my grandkids running about makes me the most happy. I go into town to sell diﬀerent goods like vegetables, accessories, and clothing. My wife makes the best custom garments in town.” - Nanku Patel

B-24

21 River pollution alert on Feb 6, 2019

In 2019, Ahmedabad hosted the International Kite Festival

move forward one space

Source

RIC TO S I H

N BA

Argarwal Family Mehta Family

On hotter days, children sweat more and become more exposed to heat eďŹ&#x20AC;ects making it more diďż˝cult for their blood to cool

05 Sardar Sarovar Dam

Shah Family

The government mismanages the local water systems and declares the dam completely dry. You try getting water from the canal but WPeT ad] X]c^ P _^[XRT ^Ĺ&#x160;RTa fW^bT unit rotates around the clock.

Patel Family 10

Good news! Plasma Activated KPcTa D5K ^a vf^]STa [X`dXSw is being introduced as a water disinfector and can be safely used in your agricultural irrigation.

They are also more prone to13 dehydration since they are less likely to realize theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re thirsty

AMD groundwater is available at 400-900 meters below

You are not connected to the water supply grid. The state seems too busy harnessing water for its HAP (AMD Heat Action Plan) 2018 _a^Ĺ?c SaXeT] GPQPa\PcX FXeTaUa^]c Project to bother improving conditions on the periphery of the city.

Current water levels at 111.64m

800 millivolts kills bacteria in seconds

If water level reaches below ďż˝ďż˝ďż˝m, water cannot ďŹ&#x201A;ow into canal

move back one space

200 millivolts kills bacteria in 15-20 min

Asia Times, Himanshu Thakkar, August 2018 Developed by city-based Institute for Plasma Research (IPR) and tested at Gujarat Environment Management Institute (GEMI)

move back two spaces

1 Paul, Source John. Gujarat scientists. Times of India. July 2018

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Five out of 10 talukas at critical stage with 90-100 percent exploitation [for rural and urban poorâ&#x20AC;?

move back one space

M^da UPa\ Xb X] P Ĺ?^^S _a^]T PaTP During monsoon season, the TPacWf^a\b Ĺ?dbW PfPh HWXb Xb detrimental to the growth of your crops.

Prasad, Archana. Peoples Democracy. Parched Villages

Earthworms + vermicompost are natural â&#x20AC;&#x153;slow releaseâ&#x20AC;? fertilizers

FARM

Vermicast is what they secrete and vermiwash is their body liquid

â&#x20AC;&#x153;I am a ďŹ rst generation organic farmer in Gujarat and I run a sustainable dairy farm along with my family. My mother and grandmother were enthusiastic gardeners planting fruits and vegetables in our community on 5 acres (2 hectares) of land. Our dairy farm consists of buďŹ&#x20AC;aloes, cows, goats, hens, and our two dogs. We also harvest grains, cereal, fruits, ayurvedic medicinal plants, legumes, ďŹ&#x201A;owers, and vegetables.â&#x20AC;? - Aditi Agarwal

R RU

reduces pest + diseases and water demands

move back one space

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Second Green Revolutionâ&#x20AC;?

In 2019, Ahmedabad hosted the International Kite Festival

K. Sinha, Rajiv. (2010). The wonders of earthworms....

RESETTLED HOUSING

08 Gujarat is at the forefront of organic farming in India

To incentivize organic farming, the bcPcT V^eTa]\T]c ^Ĺ&#x2030;Tab Q^]dbTb of Rs 500 for ragi and jowar to grow millets.

move forward two spaces

The existing MWMS will be improved by integrating initiatives brought forth by AMC for a Sound Material Cycle G^RXTch GA7 _a^eXSTb P iTa^ waste solution by strengthening collection and transportation during the source to treatment process

more than 4,000 kinds of rice grains + millets grown 2031arePlan.

1 Biennial Source Meeting of Oranic Farmers, November 2018

encouraging a lifestyle where no waste is generated

move forward one space

N RBA

Source Ahmedabad City Solid Waste Management Master Plan

RBA

We have entered a severe water crisis. One of the major triggers of the water crisis is the low aPX] fPcTa X]Ĺ?^fb X] hTPab c^ the Narmada catchment area. The government has decided to rationalize drinking water supply to the city.

HISTORIC POL-HOUSE

HIGH RISE CONDO

Water supply to Ahmedebad , which receives 1420 million liters per day (MLD) from Narmada and Kadana dams is expected to be cut by 200

move back two spaces

Kapil, Dave. Times of India, Feb 2018

move forward one space

Source India Express, 2018

old purifer held 13 litres

drain out the stored water if not used within two days

Source TATA Swatch Nanotech Water PuriďŹ er, (TCL)

NCA has not used IBPT since 2001

move back one space

non-electric and electric options

You are excited about replacing cWT ^[S ]^] T[TRcaXR fPcTa _daXĹ?Ta with your new purchase of an T[TRcaXR [XcaT IJ I: H5H5 GfPRW

While riding in the rickshaw, you overheard a rumor about the Narmada Control Authority is seeking permission to use the Special Irrigation Bypass Tunnel

=6DH QTRPdbT cWT fPcTa [TeT[b PaT so low.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;I room with my younger sister and two cats in the newer part of town. This weekend my parents are coming to visit us from New Delhi and I will have to stop by the market to get some fresh vegetables and a new outďŹ t.â&#x20AC;? - Jaimini Shah

Source

RESEARCH: LIQUID CARTOGRAPHIES

THE URBAN WATER COMMONS

B-25

બજાર

BAZAAR BOARD GAME

Converging at the Market Before the farmer meets up with the shop vendor, she delivers her yields to the nearby families. She secretly hopes the shop vendor is able to make up for the shortage of vegetables by selling other items, but as the vendor approaches, his eyes fill with concern. Because of the heat alert last week, his wife was unable to meet her quota of colorful embroidered garments. As he walks back to the city, he realizes he must tell his recently evicted cousin, that he is unable to hire him. Meanwhile, two sisters are excited to host their family this weekend and make their way down to the market. The shop vendor happily greets his best customers but sees their hidden disappointment in his minimal selection. As they were about to make their way back across the river, he invites them over for dinner. Upon accepting his offer, he is surprised to learn that the eldest sister works for AMC and they begin to share their stories regarding the redevelopment . . . B-26

Bazaar

In addition, material explorations of the physical boardgame emphasize transportability and universality of visual communication. Using bright colors from Indian textiles, and identifiable icons invites an interactive level to the game. The interchangeable stories also encourage continuous update of current events or geographic explorations. RESEARCH: LIQUID CARTOGRAPHIES

THE URBAN WATER COMMONS

B-27

Bibliography Scholarly Articles/Journals The PLOS ONE Staff (2014) Correction: Heat-Related Mortality in India: Excess All-Cause Mortality Associated with the 2010 Ahmedabad Heat Wave. Ahmedabad Heat Action Plan (HAP), 2018 Arvind Rajagopal (2010) Special political zone: urban planning, spatial segregation and the infrastructure of violence in Ahmedabad , South Asian History and Culture, 1:4, 529-556, DOI: 10.1080/19472498.2010.507024 Environment & Urbanization Copyright © 2015 International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED). 2 3 1Vol 27(1): 231–256. DOI: 10.1177/0956247815569128 www.sagepublications.com Annu. Rev. Public Health 2016. 37:97–112First published online as a Review in Advance onJanuary 21, 2016The Annual Review of Public Health is online atpublhealth.annualreviews.orgThis article’s doi:10.1146/annurevpublhealth-032315-021740 Aartsen, M., Koop, S., Hegger, D. et al. Reg Environ Change (2018) 18: 2445. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10113-0181363-1 White Paper produced by the Columbia Water Center for the workshop ‘Strategies for Sustaining Water, Energy and Incomes in North Gujarat,’ held on Jan. 4 in Ahmedabad, India https://blogs.ei.columbia. edu/2011/01/18/the-worsening-water-crisis-in-gujarat-india/ K. Sinha, Rajiv. (2010). The wonders of earthworms & its vermicompost in farm production: Charles Darwin’s ‘friends of farmers’, with potential to replace destructive chemical fertilizers. Agricultural Sciences. 01. 76-94. 10.4236/as.2010.12011. City Master Plans National Institute of Occupational Health, Ahmedabad 380016 - 2009 / https://journals.plos.org/plosone/ article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0091831 Ahmedabad Heat Action Plan (HAP), 2018 Ahmedabad City Solid Waste Management for Master Plan upto the year 2031 Times of India/News https://www.thebetterindia.com/105762/purvi-vyas-organic-farmer-ahmedabad/ https://www.dnaindia.com/ahmedabad/report-gujarat-micro-irrigation-to-be-compulsory-forfamers-2633323 https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/at-46-gujarats-rain-deficit-is-second-highest-incountry/articleshow/64901306.cms

B-28

Bazaar

https://www.dnaindia.com/ahmedabad/report-dna-special-gujarat-goes-extra-mile-to-address-water-shortagefor-farming-2618568 https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/biennial-meeting-of-organic-farmers-from-nov-2/ articleshow/66422067.cms https://m.timesofindia.com/city/ahmedabad/scientists-develop-wonder-water-to-keep-fruits-vegetables-freshfor-40-days/amp_articleshow/64641351.cms https://peoplesdemocracy.in/2014/0413_pd/parched-villages-and-corporate-water-politics-gujarat https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/56-more-joint-families-in-city-than-10-years-ago/ articleshow/12386310.cms https://www.dnaindia.com/ahmedabad/report-gujarat-for-successful-water-conservation-let-people-collect-acton-own-data-2690054 https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/67860341.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_ medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/stepwells-lost-and-vanishing/articleshow/67200553.cms https://www.lonelyplanet.com/india/ahmedabad-amdavad/attractions/kankaria-lake/a/poi-sig/478372/356239 https://m.timesofindia.com/city/ahmedabad/heavy-metal-in-gujarat-water-uranium-level-highest-in-city/amp_ articleshow/65001945.cms https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/gujarat-facing-severe-water-crisis/articleshow/63230418. cms https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/with-water-crisis-looming-gujarat-to-cut-supply-to-cities/ articleshow/62733553.cms https://www.timesnownews.com/india/article/amc-ahmedabad-sardar-sarovar-dam-gujarat-narmada-riverirrigation-water-level-madhya-pradesh-maharashtra-vijay-rupani/197123 https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/sabarmati-narmada-dam-to-get-water-aerodromes/ articleshow/65371467.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/topic/SAUNI-Yojana Other https://tataswach.com/ https://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/leisure/brain-games/parcheesi1.htm

RESEARCH: LIQUID CARTOGRAPHIES

THE URBAN WATER COMMONS

B-29

Bio[logic] Resultants

Cities are large complex ecosystems resisting easy categorization. The interconnection between spatial attributes, socio-cultural practices, economic regimes, and the political apparatuses render a dynamic urban condition. Similarly, Ahmedabadâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s contemporary urban morphology is a thick collage of layers accumulated through time and continuously negotiated by disparate interests and urban actors. This mapping exploration examines distinct morphological and syntactical conditions within the city and interrogates their nature and legibility. Mappings investigate the patterns and spatial attributes of the urban matrix and reveal continuities, gaps, transitions, fissures, voids, and boundary conditions. Similarly, the studies visualize the relationships among them such as proximity, connection, directionality, and enclosure (Lynch, 1960; Norberg-Schulz, 1985). how spatial patterns in the city are related to sociopolitical actions, disregarding socially conditioned knowledge about spatial structure. The urban patterns define moments of friction created by a paradigm shifts in urbanity over time. The study aims to explore hidden and potential morphologies developing within this friction to inform design and an understanding of the city fabric.

B-30

Bio[logic] Resultants

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2011

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1910

1900

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Urban Traces

34’4

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22°5

9’56

Civic

.0” N , 72°

34’2 4

.2” E

1920

9.5” E

34’3

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0’04 23°0

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1960

1950

1940

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22°59’06.1” N, 72°30’37.7” E

N 1 km 0

RESEARCH: LIQUID CARTOGRAPHIES

THE URBAN WATER COMMONS

B-31

Pattern Manual 1 | The first diagram, after

the satellite image, demonstrates the variety of city textures within each frame (different conditions like, informal slum housing, old city haveliâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, new city development, government housing, etc.).

2 | The second diagram shows

the forces acting upon these fabrics, and the directionality of those forces. This will help explain the historic, and future changes the city has and may experience.

3 | The final graphic associated with each section of the city highlights the unique dynamics of siteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s changing reality.

B-32

Primary Node

Primary Road

Secondary Node

Secondary Road

Expansion Forces

Permeable Edges

Vacant Land

Impermeable Edges

Bio[logic] Resultants

Informal City

New City Grid

Landmark

Industry

Old City

Highrise Development

Intermediary Zone

Formal | Informal Green Space

RESEARCH: LIQUID CARTOGRAPHIES

Agriculture

THE URBAN WATER COMMONS

B-33

Force Potentials

The urban texture of a city demonstrates more than the physical construction of an area; texturing can be understood as a method of reading the movement of people, materials, and ideas throughout the city. Using the urban textures of Ahmedabad this model (not related to any specific location) isolates relationships and their evolution through expansive conditions. Dependencies

People Expansion

B-34

Bio[logic] Resultants

In the first diagram we witness a collage of urban morphologies at a given moment in time. The idea behind force potentials is that each morphology has a weight inherent to its urban quality. This weight is determined by economic, political, and cultural powers, and the force potentials are constantly in flux.

In the event of city growth (an influx of lower economic class people come to fill industrial production needs) we assume that the informal settlement grows to envelope the unclaimed open space. This is because unclaimed land has a lower force potential than the informal housing.

RESEARCH: LIQUID CARTOGRAPHIES

THE URBAN WATER COMMONS

B-35

The need for industrial production continues to increases and this economic force encourages the industry to expand to include the lower force potential, agriculture land (these situations are not absolute).

B-36

Bio[logic] Resultants

As city expansion increases so does the need for more middle-class residents, development pushes the informal housing out of the city centers. This exodus causes a reactionary loss of jobs for industry in the region (the industry relied on the informal housing residents to fill low-skill jobs).

The industry relocates as the economic power of the city shifts from industry to white-collar business. We can begin to see a homogeneity within the urban fabric.

Development stalls temporarily as two equal force potentials compete for space. As the old city ages, new development begins to grow as a replacement.

RESEARCH: LIQUID CARTOGRAPHIES

THE URBAN WATER COMMONS

B-37

Mapping Urban Paradigms 1.1

Building Bombshells The old city of Ahmedabad is aging, and as property prices increase the demand for high-class inner-city development also rises. This causes the replacement of old city Havelis’ with contemporary high rises (commercial, and residential). 23°01’30.8” N, 72°35’17.1” E

Civic Leftovers

2.1

Contrasting agriculture and industry along one side of the river, while on the opposite river bank there is new city development.

22°59’56.0” N, 72°34’24.2” E

Edge Ironies

3.1

The pattern reveals how the river front supports the new fabric of the city (East), but it also repels the lower class settlements and industries by increasing land value.

23°00’15.0” N, 72°34’39.5” E

B-38

Bio[logic] Resultants

1.2

1.3

2.2

2.3

3.2

3.3

RESEARCH: LIQUID CARTOGRAPHIES

THE URBAN WATER COMMONS

B-39

Commodification

4.1

The Kankaria Lake, in the heart of Ahmedabad, is a microcosm of the larger metropolitan area. Recently the lake has been the site of a ‘reclamation’ project; once the site of grazing cattle and agriculture, to giving residency to a large number of lower class citizens, and finally today it is the site of a water park, a slide, a zoo, and entrance fees.

Seamless Boundaries

23°00’04.6” N, 72°36’38.7” E

5.1

The city dump, east of the Vasna Barrage, is a mountain of unsorted refuse collected by the city. Adjacent to this service is a neighborhood of thousands, industry, and agriculture land. The dump is seen as a source of income and playground for local residents as well as a convenience to the local industries, in need of a place to discard their scraps.

Urban Traces Water in the city has many different beneficiaries, and the gradual gentrification of it can be seen in different stages. The Makarba Tank and Sarkhej Pond are located at the South Western periphery of the city and surrounded by a myriad of different users, but the wealthy development is steadily encroaching on the lower class residents. B-40

Bio[logic] Resultants

22°58’56.2” N, 72°34’48.7” E

6.1

22°59’06.1” N, 72°30’37.7” E

4.2

4.3

5.2

5.3

6.2

6.3

RESEARCH: LIQUID CARTOGRAPHIES

THE URBAN WATER COMMONS

B-41

Economic Impermeabilities

7.1

The urban airport of Ahmedabad has shaped the development of the North East region of the city. Originally encouraging development near the hard edges of the runway, but today development has been guided by air restrictions. Tall buildings may not be built near the airport as to not obstruct flight paths, so slum dwellings fill the gaps.

Symbiotic Mosaic

23°03’31.8” N, 72°38’04.3” E

8.1

The city has an extensive freight rail system that once fed the powerful garment industry. Today niche industries and their lowerincome residents, inhabit the rail line, but as the demand for downtown property increases the industries and their workers are slowly moved to the edges of the city away from the rail hub. 23°00’49.1” N, 72°36’35.1” E

Contained Accessibility

9.1

Inner-city institutions swallow large chunks of land, and reserve them for students of those schools. While wealthy students, that can afford to attend the institutions, enjoy vast libraries and manicured parks the poorer citizens, looking for education, are sometimes limited to the street lights for after-dark education. 23°01’54.4” N, 72°33’42.5” E

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Bio[logic] Resultants

7.2

7.3

8.2

8.3

9.2

9.3

RESEARCH: LIQUID CARTOGRAPHIES

THE URBAN WATER COMMONS

B-43

Conditional Provocations

0.1

The desire for globalization has driven the replacement of the old city.

0.4

Commodifying water as an entity and an erasure of its historic relevance and culture.

0.7

A city and its land value shaped by infrastructure.

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Bio[logic] Resultants

0.2

0.3

Industrial inefficiencies became the site of residentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s life styles.

Planned developmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s in globalization countries disregard lower classes.

0.5

0.6

Borders between junk space and informal residents can become workspace.

Water as a moment of coexistence before commodification.

0.8

0.9

Exchange in services could result in symbiotic typologies.

Disparity of infrastructure, education, and space accessibility.

RESEARCH: LIQUID CARTOGRAPHIES

THE URBAN WATER COMMONS

B-45

1860

Slum Free City? Time and Urban Transformation

1950 Emergence of textile mill in Ahmedabad and the opening of first textile mill.

1960 By 1950, 0.125 millon workers were employed in the textile mills.

The rehabilitation of slums falls into three time periods: industrialization, post-industrialization, and displacement. During industrialization, the routine movement of informal residents was a seasonal migration from Ahmedabad to the rural areas. During the slack season, people in rural areas migrated to the city to work in textile mills and during the harvest season, people returned to rural areas to assist with the harvest. Post-industrialization attracted residents from the rural areas to settle in the city permanently. With the decline of industry and the closure of most textile mills, the slum dwellers tried to find supplementary means to support their families. Today the city looks to attract global attention. The people that drive this unique economy are being transplanted to areas faced with unemployment, service starvation, and an increase in expenses, as they were forced to move from convenient central areas to the fringe of the city. Driven by land value the city shuffles informal settlements from the most profitable areas. B-46

Slum Free City?

1971 In 1960, nearly 2/3 of the industrial production was in textile industries.

1975

Economy started stagnating. Traditional composite mills started closing down and the production shifted to the power loom sector.

Decline in the non-household manufacturing employment and increasing share of employment in contruction and tertiary sector.

1985

1990 By 1985, there are 85 textile mills.

Revival of the city economy.

1994

1991

35.7%, non-household manufacturing 25.2%, trade and commerce 22.3%, share of other services 16.8%, others

Only 23 mills left in the city.

Present...

rce vices

Demolished Slums Remaining Slums Social Housing Resettlement Areas Daily Activities’ Scope during Industrialization Daily Activities’ Scope during Post-Industrialization Daily Activities’ Scope during Globalization

RESEARCH: LIQUID CARTOGRAPHIES

THE URBAN WATER COMMONS

B-47

“Slum Free” City? Slum and City Development

Slum Survey Toilet Scheme Individual Toilets Scheme Full Subsidy AMC-NGO Slum Survey NOC Scheme Nirmal Gujarat Sanitation Program Biometric & Total Station Slum Survey

Sabarmati Riverfront Development Project Slum Networking Project

B-48

Slum Free City?

When the steam-powered textile machine was introduced to Ahmedabad, the city began industrializing and attracted people to work in the mills. These people consisted of the original temporary residents of this city and established themselves in the places near the industry. Driven by cheap labor, the industry was predominantly operated by low-income residents. Since slums along the river are resettled by the Sabarmati Riverfront Development Project, people are forced to start a new life far away from city center. Our project focuses on the history, distribution, and displacement of these slums and analyzes how these people’s lives changed in terms of their time and spatial connection to surrounding infrastructures. By comparing the living standard between dwellers in existing slums and residents of social housing resettlement areas, our goal is to understand whether “slum free” policy brought convenience and higher living conditions to the poor. Is it a reasonable strategy to provide slum dwellers with the rights to the city?

RESEARCH: LIQUID CARTOGRAPHIES

THE URBAN WATER COMMONS

B-49

“Slum Free” City? Daily Life & Infrastructure The purpose of the government “slum free” policies was to provide better living conditions to the poor however, the result was not as ideal as planned. People remaining in slums had a better geographical access to jobs and job opportunities. Additionally, some slum settlements have been around for many decades, creating generations of relationships between place, space, and people. The infrastructure of slums, such as potable water and sewage infrastructure were improved due project and initiatives created from the “slum free” policy. Although there was a lot of room for improvements, the new social housing creating specifically for the displaces slum dwellers had significant challenges. The transplanted communities experienced unemployment and a lack of social cohesion. The move decreased their access to education and health services. B-50

Slum Free City?

Industrialization (Dry Season)

Industrialization (Rainy Season

Globalization

Sand Collection Time Cost

6Mi 5Mi 4Mi 3Mi 2Mi 1 Mi

0.5Mi

Cultivation

Bazaar

74%

Washing

Rainy Season)

Post-Industrialization (Dry Season)

Post-Industrialization (Rainy Season)

Time

Washing

Cost

77%

Conflict 86%

6Mi 5Mi 4Mi 3Mi 2Mi 1 Mi

0.5Mi

Drop out Truancy

Lost job in a long-term Lost job for one mouth

Landless School Hospital

Work-less

Remaining Slums Social Housing Resettlement Areas

No Access to Public Hospital

RESEARCH: LIQUID CARTOGRAPHIES

THE URBAN WATER COMMONS

B-51

Urban Infrastructure

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Slum Freeâ&#x20AC;? City? Displacement and Rebuilt Life

Through a series of maps, our project illustrates these conditions. We first identify different slums cleared during the construction of the Sabarmati waterfront and the relocation areas for these families. Additionally, we map the different infrastructure and urban facilities serving these areas, including hospitals and schools. Within a 20 minute-walk of the new housing, there is a lack of amenities, specifically there are no schools, commercial areas, and while there are industrial uses abound. We especially considered the impact of the increased distance to work: those who used to work close to the river and now have been resettled to the BSUP site need more than 40 minutes to get to their places of employment. .

Water Supply

Subway Route

Brt Route

B-52

Slum Free City?

BSUP site

to BSUP site

P SU

sit

BSUP site

to interim site - BSUP site BSUP site

BSUP site

interim site BSUP site

Slums Area

Future Commercial Area

College

Municipal Hospital

Social Housing Resettlement Area

Future Bussiness Area

Hospital

Future Industrial Area

Future Institutional/school Area

High School Primary School

Selected Resettlement Route

RESEARCH: LIQUID CARTOGRAPHIES

20-minute walks Area Areas to be relocated

0.5

THE URBAN WATER COMMONS

1.5

2 Miles

B-53

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Slum Freeâ&#x20AC;? City? Memory and Future

Last, we developed a comparative analysis of the preand post-relocation conditions to render the social, spatial and environmental qualities these families endure to maintain their daily life. In this diagram, we choose Khodiyarnagar, as an example, to discover how far they were moved from the riverfront by looking at satellite images showing the lack of infrastructure and the fragmentation of the urban tissue. Moreover, we compared them with the details representing the stark difference in their living conditions in the slums with their living conditions in the new social housing. The building plans, data related to their daily life and axons showing their living condition, all illustrate the unfriendly living conditions.

B-54

Slum Free City?

RESEARCH: LIQUID CARTOGRAPHIES

THE URBAN WATER COMMONS

B-55

Urban Wall Urban Wall Morphology

The ‘walls’ of Ahmedabad cross and cut the city influencing the movement of residents. Some‘urban walls’ are defined by their construction, others are identified through their perceived notion and exist only as the separation of ‘other’ groups, and while others only exist within the mind. The wall is fluid and manifests as different conditions dependent on the milieu of the moment and the context that staged its development. Time is an influencing factor. The wall only “occurs” at certain moments in time but then fades. While the word “wall” has a politically charged connotation, we argue the diverse nature of the “urban wall” provides a neutral space for urban issues. In this condition, we define the “urban wall” as a unique, but common, spatial concept that contains multiple activities and events under different degrees of permeability and transparency.

B-56

Urban Wall

RESEARCH: LIQUID CARTOGRAPHIES

THE URBAN WATER COMMONS

B-57

B-58

Urban Wall

RESEARCH: LIQUID CARTOGRAPHIES

THE URBAN WATER COMMONS

B-59

B-60

Urban Wall

RESEARCH: LIQUID CARTOGRAPHIES

THE URBAN WATER COMMONS

B-61

B-62

Urban Wall

Impact through Time Old City Wall

The Old City Wall was once the most representative urban wall condition in the city of Ahmedabad. By unfolding this historic wall condition, we can develop a map to navigate the old city according to the gates and religious landmarks. The communities and districts are claimed by their religious sanctums, and the segregation between Hindu and Muslim neighborhoods are distinct. The invisible, yet definitive, wall between the two religious groups evolved through time and formed a vital layer of spatial identity. By making a comparative demonstration of the historic wall and its current condition, this map reveals the impact of a once physical boundary to urban form and activities. The Old City Wall still remains as four typical boundary types: road, linear block, landscape, and different urban textures. By looking across the sections of the wall, the division between the ancient and modern city becomes apparent.

RESEARCH: LIQUID CARTOGRAPHIES

THE URBAN WATER COMMONS

B-63

B-64

Urban Wall

RESEARCH: LIQUID CARTOGRAPHIES

THE URBAN WATER COMMONS

B-65

B-66

Urban Wall

RESEARCH: LIQUID CARTOGRAPHIES

THE URBAN WATER COMMONS

B-67

B-68

Urban Wall

Impact through Design Sabarmati Riverfront

The Sabarmati riverfront is one of the most controversial wall conditions of contemporary Ahmedabad. This map reveals the exclusionary policies and design strategies of Sabarmati Riverfront Project. Mapping “Urban Wall” typologies, we can visualize the width of the “River Wall” by the accessibility, intimacy and permeability between water and individuals. As a natural band cutting through the heart of Ahmedabad, the Sabarmati reinforces a class segregation between its West and East banks. By reimagining and reconstructing the relationship between Ahmedabad and the Sabarmati River, we find this unique “Urban Wall” in a controversial, yet communal, condition, including social conflict and coexistence at the same time. Different religions share the same riverside, people from different backgrounds gather at the same riverbank on festivals, activities and events.

RESEARCH: LIQUID CARTOGRAPHIES

THE URBAN WATER COMMONS

B-69